Diverse learning environments
Residents of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Program spend the majority of time at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, a state-of-the-art facility in a beautiful rural location. 6 months of the second year are spent at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, which provides a more urban experience in a community hospital. There are also opportunities for family planning training at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Equality Health Center.
Faculty
Each of our specialty divisions is fully staffed with physicians and nurse practitioners and midwives who are committed to excellence in patient care and to the education of the next generation of physicians. Residents learn collaborative practice in a nurturing yet intellectually stimulating environment. Faculty members see resident physicians as important colleagues. Most faculty members are involved in research and participate in committee work at the local, regional, and national level.
Surgical training
Our curriculum is heavily weighted towards surgical training with an emphasis on minimally invasive procedures. Residents graduate with expertise in vaginal, laparoscopic, and robotics procedures. Exposure to urogynecology is extensive and begins during the intern year. In addition, residents spend a cumulative total of 9 months on the Gynecologic Oncology Service providing inpatient care for patients as well as ambulatory care at the Norris Cotton Cancer Care Pavilion Lebanon.
Ryan Residency Training program
Our Ryan Residency Training Program provides comprehensive abortion and contraceptive education to residents via a dedicated clinical rotation and structured curriculum. Trainees rotate at our partner sites, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Equality Health Center, and in clinics at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
Research
Our research division is led by Amy Paris, MD. Dr. Paris is responsible for the research curriculum and the timeline of responsibilities in research. Residents are required to do research and present a completed project by the end of the third year. Fourth-year residents are encouraged to prepare a manuscript for publication and present at a national meeting.
Simulation training
We believe that simulation training is a powerful teaching tool for many aspects of the curriculum. We have an 8,000 square foot onsite patient safety training center which features a delivery room, a NICU bed, and adult ICU bed, and an operating room. In addition, there are multiple laparoscopic surgical simulators which can be accessed for practice 24 hours a day. Residents learn both technical skills and communication and teamwork skills within the simulation center.
Patient population
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is the only academic tertiary care center in the state of New Hampshire. Our patient catchment area is wide and includes 1.5 million people in New Hampshire, Vermont, Northern Massachusetts, and western Maine. Many of our patients are referred for tertiary care but we also provide primary care to the local population in the Upper Connecticut River Valley.
Information technology
Our electronic medical record system is shared across our system with the goal of improving the quality and safety of the care we provide throughout the region. The entire Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center campus is equipped with wireless access for use with laptop and tablet computing. Medline, UpToDate, and other evidence-based databases as well as the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics intranet are available from all medical center work stations and throughout the outpatient clinics. The Biomedical Libraries of Dartmouth College have approximately 2,500 current journal subscriptions, including 1,500 digital journals. The libraries also provide access to over 40 digital textbooks. The biomedical librarians offer practical lectures and regularly scheduled workshops on manipulating resources and navigating medical databases available on the web.
Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center offers a unique program in quality improvement, leadership and population health for residents and fellows already training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. This program allows residents and fellows to obtain the MPH degree from The Dartmouth Institute, lead a practicum focused on improving care, and be able to sit for boards in Preventive Medicine. If you are interested in more information on this program, please visit the Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency site.