Mitchel Hawkins

Opting out of abortion training: benefits of partial participation in a dedicated family planning rotation for ob-gyn residents

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to describe the experiences of residents who opt out of some components of a dedicated abortion rotation. STUDY DESIGN Eligible residents at programs receiving funding from the Kenneth J. Ryan Residency Training Program in Abortion and Family Planning were invited to complete a cross-sectional, online survey. RESULTS The majority of residents who opted out of some portion of the family planning training reported that the rotation positively affected skills in pregnancy options counseling, cervical dilation, first-trimester ultrasound, techniques of first-trimester uterine evacuation and other skills. Twenty-one of the 65 (31%) did an elective abortion, and 56 (84%) completed aspirations for at least one non-elective indication including therapeutic abortion and miscarriage. While no resident desired additional elective abortion training, 11 (16%) wanted additional uterine aspiration and 14 (21%) wanted additional second-trimester uterine aspiration training for non-elective indications. CONCLUSION Providing access to an abortion rotation for residents who do not plan to do elective abortions gives them the opportunity to improve their skills in family planning, therapeutic abortion and miscarriage management.