Doctors who specialize in this area of practice provide health care services to women. Not only do they provide general medical care, but they also offer the following:

Prenatal diagnosis and care
Delivering babies
Counseling and treatment throughout pregnancy
Counseling and treatment of fertility issues

The work of an OB/GYN also involves treating and preventing diseases related to the female anatomy.

If you choose this medical specialty, you may be dealing with patients who have breast or cervical cancer, hormonal problems related to menopause, or urinary tract disorders.

In addition to regular office hours, OB/GYNs may also be called in to work irregular hours to delivery babies. Part of the job involves taking the patient's history, ordering laboratory tests, and prescribing medications or discussing treatment options as appropriate. OB/GYNs also perform surgery as part of their practice.

Training Required

To become a practicing OB/GYN, you will need to complete an undergraduate degree and then four years of medical school. The first two years of med school involve classroom learning and in the final two, students go through a series of rotations where they get hands-on experience with patients in a teaching hospital or a medical center affiliated with a university.

After medical school, the new M.D. undertakes a four-year residency program where they continue their education by offering hands-on care to patients under the supervision of a fully-accredited OB/GYN. Residents see patients, delivery babies, perform surgery, etc. They also get to collect a pay check for their work.

OB/GYN Salary Information

Fully-trained OB/GYNs get paid a median salary of $183,600. This figure doesn't include bonuses and benefits.

Employment Trends for Obstetrician-Gynecologists

Getting accepted to medical school is a very competitive process, but if you are able to get in and complete your training, job prospects are very good. The number of available positions is expected to grow at a higher-than-average rate until at least 2014.

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