General Information about Electives at Western

This page is primarily for non-Schulich med students seeking elective time in our department. Students from Schulich must follow the rules laid down by the Undergraduate Office to schedule their electives.

You will need to make formal application for registration in the elective program by first contacting the UWO Electives Program Office.  You can indicate at that time if there is a particular one of the electives offered by the department that you would like to have.  

Note: Do not attempt to arrange an elective directly with an individual clinician in Ob/Gyn.  Such a "private" arrangement will not be recognized by Schulich and you will not get credit for it at your home school.

Go to the Schulich Electives page for more information on how to apply.

---

General Learning Objectives

The fourth year clinical electives in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology offer the student the opportunity to enhance his/her skills in out-patient diagnosis and management.  The student is expected to attend according to the schedule agreed upon with the supervisor, including call duty, rounds, etc. Students with specific learning objectives for their experience should arrange a time to meet with the supervisor to discuss them. Upon completion of the clinical elective, students should:

1. Demonstrate competence in patient assessment, assigning priorities to new problems presented and weigh the relevance of the information obtained.
2. Be able to produce and present a succinct history.
3. Be capable of developing a differential diagnosis from history and physical examination.
4. Be comfortable with and competent to perform bi-manual examination, pap smear and vaginal swab
5. Be able to develop an optimum pan for further investigation and treatment based on the nature of the problem the patient's individual needs and medical economics
6. Be able to demonstrate expertise in the delivery of preventative and routine care to the antenatal patient throughout all stages of the pregnancy.
7. Be aware of the nature and principles of management of tertiary problems within the specialty of obstetrics and Gynaecology
8. Have a satisfactory understanding of the nature o f the practice of obstetrics and Gynaecology and the lifestyle of the obstetrician/Gynaecologist.
9. Be capable of making a rational decision regarding the selection of this specialty as a vocation

Return to Top

Menu of Electives

General Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Blocks 1,3,5,7 Code: OBG Gen A-2
Blocks 2,3,6,8 Code: OBG Gen B-2

London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Maruncic
Phone: 519-685-8193

Objectives

1. To provide exposure to a wide variety of obstetrical and gynecologic problems in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
2. To provide an elective experience which is more in keeping with the day-to-day practice pattern of members of our department who practice Obstetrics and Gynaecology, allowing an opportunity to assess this career path.

This elective will improve knowledge base and skills as they relate to the practice of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Number of Students Accepted

One student per block. Two-week electives available in all blocks

Return to Top

---

General Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Code: OBG SJH - 4

London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Tracey Crumley
Phone: 519-646-6401
Consultant Staff: Drs. Tracey Crumley, Rob Di Cecco, Fraser Fellows, Debbie Penava and Jordan Schmidt

 

Objectives:

1. To provide exposure to a wide variety of Obstetrical and Gynaecologic problems in both in-patient and out-patient settings.
2. To provide an elective experience that is more in keeping with the day-to-day practice pattern of members of our department who practice Obstetrics and Gynaecology, allowing an opportunity to assess this career path.
3. To develop expertise in the delivery of routine care to the antenatal patient through all stages of pregnancy, including intra-partum and post-partum care

This elective will improve knowledge base and skills as they relate to the practice of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

 

Number of Students Accepted:

One student per block
Four-week electives only

---

Maternal/Fetal Medicine
Code: OBG MF - 4

London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. B. deVrijer
Consultant Staff: Drs Barbra deVrijer. Renato Natale, Bryan Richardson, Robert Gratton and David Somerset

 

Clinical training is offered in a broad range of activities related to high-risk obstetrical care. The four-week elective includes structured time in:

• high-risk obstetrical clinics (4 clinics per week)
• obstetrical endocrine clinic (1 clinic per week)
• low-risk obstetrical clinic (1 clinic per week)
• perinatal outreach program (1 outreach visit)
• in-patient maternal-fetal medicine (consultations)

Number of Students Accepted:

One student per block. 4-WEEK ELECTIVES ONLY.

Return to Top

---

Urogynaecology
Blocks 1,3,5,7 Code: OBG - URO A-2
Blocks 2,4,6,8 Code: OBG - URO B-2

London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Barry MacMillan
Consultant Staff:  Drs. Queena. Chou and Barry MacMillan

Students should call Dr. MacMillan's secretary at ext 519 661-6247 to arrange meeting time and place at the start of each rotation

Learning Objectives

The student will be introduced to the subspecialty of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and gain experience in the clinical assessment and medical and surgical treatment of all disorders involving the lower genital tract in women.  In particular, there will be a focus on the assessment, investigation and treatment of urinary incontinence and genital prolapse.  There will also be exposure to general gynaecology and obstetrical patients and an expectation to participate in some overnight Ob/Gyn call at St. Joseph's Health Care London.

 

Number of Students Accepted

One student per block. Two-week electives available in all blocks

Return to Top

---

Gynaecological Oncology
Code: OBG ONC - 4

London Health Sciences Centre-Victoria Hospital
Consultant Staff: Drs. Monique Bertrand, Akira Sugimoto, Michel Préfontaine, Dominique Lanvin

 

Learning Objectives

The elective student will feature a multidisciplinary experience involving ambulatory clinics, colposcopy and surgery. Students will have an understanding of the approach to the diagnosis and management of cancers of the endometrium, ovary, cervix and vulva.

 

Number of Students Accepted

One student per block. Two-week electives available in all blocks. Three- or four-week electives also abailable on request.

Return to Top

---

General Gynaecology -Women's Clinic Elective
Blocks 1,3,5,7 Code: OBG WHC A-2
Blocks 2,4,6,8 Code: OBG WHC B-2

London Health Sciences Centre -Victoria Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Ron Robins
Phone: 519-432-7657

 

This elective in the Women's Health Care Clinic at Victoria Hospital will provide students with a clinical educational opportunity in the area of pregnancy options and counselling, first trimester surgical abortion, colposcopy and general Gynaecology issues.

 

Learning Objectives

1. Provision of impartial pregnancy options counselling, recognizing the prevalence and incidence of unplanned pregnancy and some of the factors contributing to unplanned pregnancy
2. Learn necessary components of pre-operative abortion care, including preparation of the cervix prior to surgical abortion and methods of effective pain control
3. Know the general principles of performing a first trimester surgical abortion (suction curettage, manual vacuum aspiration) as well as the complications of a first trimester surgical abortion and their respective incidences
4. Understand the principles of post-abortion care, including contraception and the management of common complaints

 

Skills acquired include:

1. establishing peripheral venous access
2. bimanual pelvic exam
3. speculum exam
4. local cervical block
5. mechanical cervical dilatation
6. suction curettage
7. Pap smear
8. contraception counselling
9. basic colposcopic assessment
10. STD assessment and treatments

Number of Students Accepted

One student per block. Two-week electives available in all blocks.

Return to Top

---

Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine
Code: OBG MF - 4

London Health Sciences Centre-University Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Valter Feyles
Consultant Staff: Drs. Valter Feyles, Steve Power,Jackie Hollett-Caines and Maggie Rebel

 

Please contact Susan Badcock at 519-685-8500, ext 32916 to inquire as to time and location to report to on beginning the elective

Objectives

• familiarity with basic reproductive physiology and pathophysiology
• familiarity with basic infertility and perimenopsause investigations and treatments
• observation of assisted reproductive technology, monitoring procedures and laboratory techniques

Number of Students Accepted

One student per block. Two-week electives available in all blocks

Return to Top

---

Scheduled Teaching Sessions and other Scholarly Activities open to Elective Students

• Thursdays (0800) Clinical Clerk Teaching Seminar: Inquire regarding location
• Wednesdays (0800) Obs/Gyn Grand Rounds: Inquire regarding location
• Fridays (0800) Hospital Rounds

Return to Top