Frequently Asked Questions

What is your mission statement?

Our mission is to train well - rounded obstetrics and gynecologic generalists and to help prepare our residents for subspecialty training in order to provide exemplary health care, help advance clinical knowledge and respond to the needs of the community in which they serve. We are dedicated to preparing our resident physicians to function as qualified practitioners of obstetrics and gynecology at the advanced level of performance expected of a board-certified specialist, with an emphasis on academic excellence in a community setting.

What makes your program special?

The people! The residents and the faculty, together with the nursing staff meet regularly and make our program a great place to be. We are continually trying to identify what we are doing well and how we can make things better. Open lines of communication between all team members is embraced and a standard. Because we are a relatively young program, the entire department is excited and invested in the success of our trainees and the residency program and know there are so many ways to grow.  Our residents have input into many aspects of the program, giving them the unique opportunity to help shape the program with a shared vision.

Do you have a mentoring program?

Yes. Residents are assigned a faculty advisor early in their PGY 1 year. Faculty advisors are chosen based on their passion for resident education and mentoring and help guide their advisees with their clinical training and research. We recognize that there are significant differences between “advisors” and “mentors”. In addition to their assigned advisors, to help residents stay on track with their education and their requirements, residents also develop mentor relationships with other faculty in the department.

Are residents required to participate in research projects?

Yes, residents are required to complete at least one independent research project and one Performance / Quality Improvement project presented in a scholarly way, prior to graduation. Residents identify their area of interest in their PGY 1 year and are required to present their research projects at the end of their PGY 3 year at our departmental Resident Research Day. Quarterly research meetings are held with the residents to review their progress and ensure the timely completion of their projects.

What is the call schedule like?

We use a night float system with calls on the weekends. Calls can be tough as we have a busy clinical service, but they are great learning opportunities.Calls are 12 or 24 hours and our residents enjoy one call free weekend per month (sometimes more!).

Do you have a Wellness Program?

We have instituted many wellness initiatives to help residents in both their professional and personal lives.In addition to the plethora of resources from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai GME’s Wellness and Resilience services, we have our own wellness curriculum. We have 2 faculty Wellness Champions for our program: one a physician and the other a clinical psychologist. Each champion addresses different aspects of wellness with the residents.Our clinical psychologist has monthly meetings with all of the MSSN residents to discuss and address any concerns they may have. These meetings are confidential and provide an arena in which residents can voice their concerns and work together to improve their learning environment. Our attending physician champion meets with the residents regularly to review wellness tools, teamwork, healthy eating and exercise practices, handling stress etc. Most exciting is our wellness committee, led by our chief resident. The committee helps plan resident activities outside of work, which we are able to fund through our GME office. Finally, residents receive Wellness Days throughout the year.

How are residents, faculty and the program evaluated?

In addition to real time feedback from the faculty, residents are formally evaluated by the faculty after each surgical case (surgical evaluations) and at the end of each 4-week block (rotation evaluation). Every 6 months, residents are formally evaluated using 360-degree evaluations (faculty, resident, medical student, patient and nursing evaluations), in-service exams, case logs and their research. Residents evaluate the faculty every 3 months (or more often if needed), and the program annually.

All evaluations are confidential, and residents have access to their evaluations electronically.

What educational supplies are available for residents?

Just let us know what you need! Residents have access to the Mount Sinai Levy Library – which provides access to a huge number of online textbooks, research databases and UpToDate – which is available directly through our medical record as well. In addition, the department provides physical textbooks available in the resident library, and the hospital has an onsite library of its own, with a certified medical librarian.

All residents have access to 2 online question banks to help them prepare for their in-service and board exams. In addition, we provide funding for a board review course for our PGY 4 residents.
 
We have a simulation center in our Medical Education Office that includes multiple state of the art pelvic trainers and an FLS trainer, in addition to experiences with standardized patients.

What is the lecture schedule like?

Our didactics are spread out throughout the week and structured to allow for an interactive experience.Based on our residents’ feedback, they learn best when they are being actively engaged during lectures by either having case discussions or oral board style sessions. Residents and faculty work together to develop lectures, simulation exercises and even practice quizzes.Didactic sessions are protected time during which our mid-level providers take over clinical duties.In addition to resident didactics, we have regularly scheduled Departmental Grand Rounds, Hospital Wide Grand Rounds and Conferences, Faculty Development Sessions and an Annual Hospital Research Day.

What are the opportunities for employment after graduation?

Many residents enter our program planning to practice general Ob/GYN while some plan to pursue fellowship training. We are committed to supporting our trainees with whatever post graduate plans they have. Our robust clinical volume ensures you will be well prepared for general practice. We also have faculty in all of the OB/Gyn subspecialties who can help mentor you through your fellowship application process.

What kind of procedures do the residents do?

Our residents gain exposure to a wide variety of surgical procedures from day one thanks to our robust volume of both Ob and Gyn. These procedures include: vaginal deliveries, operative deliveries, multifetal deliveries, cesarean sections, circumcisions, IUD insertions, D+C hysteroscopy, endometrial ablation, laparoscopy (BTL, hysterectomy), vaginal hysterectomy, abdominal hysterectomy and complex Urogynecology and Gyn Oncology surgeries.Thanks to our many fellowship - trained faculty in the GYN subspecialties, our residents have the unique opportunity to train in all approaches of surgery including vaginal, abdominal, laparoscopic and robotic assisted. This allows them the ability to develop their own practice preferences upon graduation.

How does the program achieve/ensure diversity in trainee recruitment, selection, and retention?

Mount Sinai South Nassau's resident eligibility specifically states it will not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability or veteran status. We are always looking to increase the diversity of our residents in order to have a work force match the community we serve. This is discussed at faculty meetings and recruitment strategy meetings. We are proud to have achieved diversity in our current group of residents with representation from many groups.