As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it’s like to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology? Meet Natasha Prince, MD, an ob-gyn and a featured doctor in the AMA’s “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from physicians about life in their specialties. Check out her insights to help determine whether a career in obstetrics and gynecology might be a good fit for you.
The AMA Specialty Guide simplifies medical students’ specialty selection process, highlights major specialties, details training information, and provides access to related association information. It is produced by FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®.
Learn more with the AMA about the medical specialty of obstetrics and gynecology.
“Shadowing” Dr. Natasha Prince
Specialty: Obstetrics and gynecology.
Practice setting: Group practice.
Employment type: Employed by health system.
Years in practice: Seven.
A typical day and week in my practice: A typical day for an ob-gyn is very variable, which I love. Some days I am working in the clinic, some days I am doing surgery, and other days I am working on labor and delivery. I typically work anywhere from 35 to 55 hours a week, depending on if I take call that week or if it's my weekend to be on call. I currently work an average of one weekend per month.
The most challenging and rewarding aspects of obstetrics and gynecology: The most challenging aspect of caring for patients in my specialty is how unpredictable labor can be, and when emergencies arise, they can be life threatening. These include shoulder dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage or the need for an emergency cesarean section.
The most rewarding aspect is being able to build a relationship with a patient and then be a part of such a memorable and monumental moment as the birth of a baby. I also find it very rewarding when I can help alleviate debilitating symptoms and literally change my patients’ lives for the better. The joy and gratitude that my patients often express creates fulfillment that makes each long day more than worth it.
The impact burnout has on obstetrics and gynecology: Burnout can be seen in every specialty including ob-gyn. Long hours, chronic fatigue and the stress of making critical decisions can take their tolls on the best of us. I feel the benefits of working in a group practice with access to the help of other specialty services significantly helps to decrease the risk of burnout and enhances quality of life for everyone in the group. It also is vitally important that you scrutinize your choice of specialty to ensure that you will find reward and fulfillment in the work that you do.
How my lifestyle matches, or differs from, what I had envisioned: I work harder than I had imagined I would when I was in medical school. I had a fanciful idea of what being a doctor would be like that did not quite match my reality. However, I am grateful to be able to honestly say that while I do work hard, I truly enjoy the work I do. It is stressful but exhilarating. It is demanding but also rewarding. There is an ebb and flow to work and life.
Since graduating from residency, I have managed to marry, have two children and still enjoy relationships and activities outside of work. It is sometimes challenging, and I have had to be creative about making it all work. For example, I will often outsource house cleaning and take advantage of grocery delivery, as well as hire day care even if I am home on a post-call day. There are sacrifices you have to make in this profession, but most of my colleagues and I feel they are worth the rewards.
Skills every physician in training should have for obstetrics and gynecology but won’t be tested for on the board exam: Critical thinking is huge. So is problem solving. You will learn and be tested on a lot of information in medical school, but in practice you must know how to use that information merely as a jumping-off point for solving problems for your patients.
One question physicians in training should ask themselves before pursuing obstetrics and gynecology: How do I manage stress? Doctors in every specialty experience a degree of stress, but obstetrics is a different kind of challenge. In some ways, it reminds me of working in the emergency department. You are making critical decisions that will affect a mom and a baby, some of which will determine if the mom or the baby survives whatever complication or emergency you are facing. It is important to be honest about your personality and how much you can tolerate this level of stress and responsibility. You might prefer a specialty that’s a little less acute.
Books, podcasts or other resources every medical student interested in obstetrics and gynecology should be reading:
- “CREOGs Over Coffee.” This is a short study podcast designed for ob-gyn residents. It’s a very good primer on the specialty.
- In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope, by Rana Awdish, MD. The author is an ICU attending who tells her story of being a patient who nearly died after what was thought to be an obstetrical complication.
- The White Coat Investor: A Doctor's Guide to Personal Finance and Investing, by James M. Dahle, MD. I hadn’t read this until my first year as an attending, but I wish I had read it in medical school. It deals with the financial side of the profession, which you don’t learn in medical school but will affect you for the rest of your life.
Additional advice I would give to students who are considering obstetrics and gynecology: I recommend doing some extra rotations on labor and delivery and gynecology services. If you can confirm that you enjoy the work—including doing deliveries, working in the operating room and handling emergencies—and if you enjoy studying the material, you can figure everything else out.
The best advice I received when choosing my specialty was to decide which textbooks I enjoyed, along with what information I found interesting and exciting to learn. As a doctor, you will be learning your specialty for your entire career, so it should be something you truly enjoy.
