As an OB/GYN resident, it’s hard to imagine one day becoming the attending physician who confidently performs a middle-of-the-night C-section and hysterectomy. But, at some point, every new OB/GYN does complete that first major procedure as an attending. Ayita Verna, MD, still looks back at her first C-section. “I can still remember how nervous I was and how I had to give myself a pep talk to remind myself that I was trained for this,” says Dr. Verna, who is an OB hospitalist at Baptist Hospital in South Florida.
Not only was Dr. Verna well prepared to be an attending physician, but she also had the support of peers and mentors in her first job out of residency at Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG). She found being an OB hospitalist the perfect pathway for her to successfully launch her OB/GYN career.
While private practice, academic medicine or fellowship are more obvious choices right after residency, a growing number of physicians are becoming OB hospitalists straight out of residency.
For two clinicians, OBHG has been the right fit. They share how they made the leap into hospitalist roles soon after residency and why this career path offers valuable advantages at every stage of an OB/GYN career, even early on.
Their experiences highlight why this option deserves a closer look.
Finding joy in labor and delivery work
Many OB/GYNs choose the specialty because of a love for labor and delivery. The typical career path of private practice, though, can include more clinic appointments and paperwork than opportunities to deliver babies.
That makes the chance to focus on the parts of the job they love most one of the most compelling reasons new OB/GYNs choose the OB hospitalist path. “When I thought about what kind of career I wanted to have, I focused on the parts of my job in residency that brought me the most joy. I really loved being on labor and delivery, and I didn’t like being in clinic,” says Caitlin Hauser, MD, OBHG site director for Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia.
Bottom line: As a OB hospitalist, you spend your time where the action is — on labor and delivery, in triage and managing obstetric emergencies — without the heavy outpatient load that private practice demands.
Work-life balance and flexibility
Lifestyle is a huge factor in choosing to be an OB hospitalist, especially for new physicians juggling young families or seeking a sustainable career. A full-time position with OBHG requires significantly less time than residency and even less time than private practice. OB hospitalists work 5-8 full 24-hour shifts each month to be considered full-time and have no administrative tasks outside of work. This leaves plenty of time to pursue other interests and goals.
Dr. Verna has two daughters and wants to be present for her family while still enjoying her career. She’s also able to work one day a week in a community health clinic, on top of her full-time OBHG position. “As a hospitalist, I’ve been able to do it all. The flexibility is unmatched,” she says.
Related read: Straight from residency to OB Hospitalist: Dr. Ayita Verna’s Journey
Dr. Hauser says she has more time to do what she enjoys now that she’s working full-time at OBHG. She works 8-10 12-hour shifts each month, instead of 24-hour shifts. “Coming right out of residency, I joined a yoga studio, see my friends more, and when I’m not at the hospital, I’m not on call. That lifestyle change has been huge,” she says.
Bottom line: The OB hospitalist model delivers a healthier balance of work and life, something notoriously hard to find in traditional private practice.
Mentorship and support for new grads
Starting as the primary decision-maker after residency can feel daunting, but OBHG programs often have strong support built in.
“I was lucky to have a great mentor who was the OBHG site director at the hospital where I am currently, who shadowed me through my first shifts, guided me during my first C-section and vaginal deliveries, and helped me feel confident in my new role,” says Dr. Hauser.
Many sites also use two-doctor models or pair physicians with midwives, reassuring early-career OB hospitalists of having in-house colleagues to collaborate with. Dr. Verna and Dr. Hauser both learn from community physicians as well and can ask to assist in any procedure when they want more experience. “I’ve assisted on complex hysterectomies, managed GYN consults, and scrubbed with private practitioners. Some of my colleagues are hospitalists in the sunset of their careers, which is to my benefit,” says Dr. Hauser.
Having backup gives early career OB/GYNs the confidence they need to succeed, but the truth is, they already have what it takes. “When you come out of residency and start working on your own, you realize how good your training was,” says Dr. Verna.
Bottom line: Some residents assume OB hospitalists lose touch with gynecologic or outpatient skills. The reality is that hospitalist programs often provide opportunities to broaden your skillset.
Collecting cases for board certification
One practical question many residents have is whether OB hospitalists can collect enough cases to meet board requirements. The answer is yes, and it was easier than expected. Both Dr. Verna and Dr. Hauser recommend keeping track of cases in residency that may apply to board certification, so there’s no need to recall the information later.
OB cases are obviously common among OB hospitalists. For gynecology cases, Dr. Hauser supplemented with a few residency cases and used postpartum rounds, triage, consults and ED patients.
Dr. Verna works one day a week in a community health clinic, so she had no problem filling her office case list. “For larger GYN surgeries like hysterectomies, I was able to include residency cases, which is allowed,” she says.
Bottom line: Even without a full clinic schedule, OB hospitalists build robust case logs by capturing encounters in triage, emergency consults and surgical emergencies.
Growth and leadership opportunities
Leadership opportunities aren’t always easy to find as a new OB/GYN, but there are many opportunities to lead within OBHG. An OB hospitalist position opens doors to leadership both at the hospital site and within the organization. “I was promoted to site director within my first year. I’ve been able to lead quality initiatives like reducing postpartum hemorrhage rates, join hospital committees and even teach PA students,” says Dr. Hauser.
For Dr. Verna, working at OBHG has allowed her to pursue growth opportunities outside of her full-time job. “You can make it what you want, whether that’s leadership, teaching or pursuing global health projects,” she says.
Is becoming an OB hospitalist right out of residency right for you?
For OB/GYNs who thrive on inpatient work, want balance and flexibility, and are open to a career with growth potential, working at OBHG might be the perfect fit.
The many benefits of being an OB hospitalist have all added up to a satisfying career path. As Dr. Verna says, “You start to feel like this is what you were meant to do. I couldn’t be happier to be a hospitalist.”
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