Conference Lectures

Morning Report

Formal morning report is held each morning with staff of the Generalist, Gynecologic Oncology, Urogynecology, and Maternal-Fetal Medicine services present. For the first half-hour the benign gynecology and gynecologic oncology teams present all surgical cases, in-house patients, and consults.

Then for the second half-hour, the obstetrical team will present interesting deliveries, review the active labor board, and discuss acute antepartum patients.  All members of the team participate in the discussion with topics focusing on various points ranging from appropriate diagnostic principles to surgical technique and decision-making. This session provides all residents excellent preparation for the Obstetrics & Gynecology oral boards.

Didactics

Tuesday mornings are reserved for a protected two-hour didactic teaching session that includes formal lectures, journal club, and laparoscopic simulation lab.  Didactic lectures are resident driven topics.  The staff of Tufts Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology presents three-quarters of the lectures while the remainder of the lectures are presented by other departmental leaders or seniors residents. At the conclusion of didactics every week, the chairman, Dr. Errol Norwitz, and the program director, Dr. Hong-Thao Thieu, attend a session titled “Meconium Rounds” where the residents discuss the affairs of the residency program.  The program is constantly in a flux of adjustment to improve resident training, experience, and quality of life.  Resident suggestions and ideas are not only welcome to the discussion, but in large part are implemented and result in the continued advancement of our program.

Journal Club

Journal Club is conducted once a month during didactics by a second or third year resident. This resident is responsible for picking a relevant journal article as well as an attending to co-present the article with at Journal Club. While this attending is responsible for contributing to the clinical discussion of the article, the departmental epidemiologist will attend and contribute to the statistical education and discussion.

Laparoscopic Simulation Center

Following Journal Club all residents join in an hour-long training session at the laparoscopic simulation center. This is an excellent opportunity for junior residents to begin their training experience with minimally invasive techniques including hand-eye coordination and instrumentation. Also, senior residents will have the opportunity to both advance their own laparoscopic skill set with practice in extra-corporeal and intra-corporeal knot tying, but also to begin in the development skills in communicating surgical instructions to help train the junior residents. This lab is a supplement to the activities performed during the intern year with training for the FLS (Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Skills) test, as well as to the simulation centers at both Lahey Clinic and Metrowest Medical Center.

Noelle Obstetrical Simulation

This unique educational tool offers residents the opportunity to work closely with each other to develop clinical skills, effective communication, and teamwork skill sets. The Nolle Obsterical Simulation doll offers skill practice in common labor and delivery scenarios including shoulder dystocia, operative delivery and laceration repair.

Teaching Conferences

Grand Rounds are held Tuesday mornings at Tufts Medical Center with presentations by attending staff, visiting professors, and Boston-area faculty. Morbidity and Mortality conferences are held the third Tuesday morning of every month.

Several divisions have their own weekly conferences.

Gynecologic Oncology has a multidisciplinary Tumor Board Conference every Friday afternoon. The intern of the gynecologic oncology service prepares the case presentations. Pathology, Radiology, and Radiation Oncology are all in attendance to review relevant films and slides that contribute to a formal recommendation of management. Maternal-Fetal Medicine has a weekly Perinatal Conference that is conducted every Friday morning immediately following morning report. Current fellows and attending staff, as well as area specialists, are invited to speak.

The Division of General Obstetrics & Gynecology conducts informal lectures and presentations as part of the resident gynecology service.  Additionally, the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology group organizes formal presentations given by the second year resident.  These are organized bimonthly with the goal to review various menstrual cycle irregularities, their pathophysiology, diagnosis, and appropriate management.

Teaching Conference Calendars – Tufts Medical Center

St. Elizabeth's Medical Center

Metrowest Medical Center

Cambridge Hospital

Lahey Hospital and Medical Center