Career Development

Physician specialty: obstetrician/gynecologist (OB-GYN)

. 3 MIN READ

Whether you’re a medical student considering a specialty, a resident or fellow, or a practicing physician, the American Medical Association is here to help with information, resources and continuing medical education (CME) for obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN).

Membership brings great benefits.

  • Thousands of CME courses from AMA Ed Hub™
  • Coding guidance with CPT® Assistant
  • Unlimited access to the JAMA Network™

Obstetrics and gynecology focuses on the health of women before, during and after childbearing years, diagnosing and treating conditions of the female reproductive system and associated disorders.

An obstetrician/gynecologist has expertise in pregnancy, childbirth and disorders of the reproductive system. This includes preventive care, prenatal care, detection of sexually transmitted diseases, Pap test screening, oncology, reconstructive surgery and family planning.

OB/GYNs have successfully completed specialized education and training in the management of pregnancy, labor and puerperium as well as the female reproductive system, including the diagnosis and treatment of disorders and diseases. They work with medical and surgical issues that arise through pregnancy and the entire life span of a woman.

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Following medical school, four years of specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology plus two years in clinical practice is required prior to certification. Additional training may vary for subspecialists in obstetrics and gynecology depending on their focus.

In 2022, the average OB-GYN salary was $277,320*. The average resident/fellow salary was $60,563.99+.

If you’re a medical student considering an OB-GYN residency or a current resident looking to change programs to OB-GYN, these were the top 10 most-viewed residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology in 2023 from FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®.

  1. University of Alabama Medical Center Program
  2. Rush University Medical Center Program
  3. University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix Program
  4. Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center of Chicago Program
  5. Bridgeport Hospital/Yale University Program
  6. Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital Program
  7. Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program
  8. Saint Joseph Hospital Program
  9. MedStar Health/Washington Hospital Center Program
  10. Ascension Illinois/Saint Joseph (Chicago) Program

For practicing physicians in obstetrics and gynecology, the AMA Ed Hub™ provides a deep selection of CME options to help keep skills and knowledge current, at home or on the go. Earn as much as 5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from these popular courses for starters.

No matter where you are in your career, stay current on the latest research and findings in obstetrics and gynecology with content from the JAMA Network™.

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*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

+FREIDA Specialty Guide

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