Impact of 1996 Residency Review Committee obstetrics-gynecology primary care requirements on residency training and surgical procedures

This study evaluated the impact of required primary care rotations in obstetrics-gynecology residency training after 1996. A questionnaire was sent to the 1994 to 2003 graduates from 1 residency program, and records of surgical procedures completed during residency were analyzed. Thirty-nine of 46 graduates participated in the study (response rate 85%). Required primary care training was associated with increased confidence in providing primary care (81.5% versus 54.5%, P = .12) but less agreement that obstetrics-gynecology is a primary care specialty (21.4% versus 45.5%, P = .23). Abdominal hysterectomies and vaginal hysterectomies per resident did not decrease (127 versus 113, P = 0.149, and 55 versus 48, P = .06, respectively). Adjusted for temporal trends, cesarean sections per resident decreased (366 versus 321, P = .009). Residents maintained adequate rates of major inpatient surgical procedures after implementation of required primary care training. There was a tendency for residents who graduated after 1996 to have less favorable attitudes about primary care.