At FWMEP, OB/GYN remains at the forefront of emphasis throughout the three years of training. In fact, residents can expect to gain more obstetrical experience at Fort Wayne than most other Family Medicine Programs in the country. Most importantly though, residents will graduate having the confidence needed to manage and deliver their own OB patients once in practice.

Residents complete a total of five blocks of Obstetrics throughout their first two years in the program. During these months, residents will become well versed in the management of labor, as well as, vaginal delivery and surgical delivery. During four of the five months, residents will have the opportunity to participate in and manage high-risk obstetrics through the Neighborhood Health Clinics (NHC).

The NHC serves a large number of low-income patients, including a large Hispanic population. During the four NHC blocks, three half days per week are spent at the clinic itself doing exclusively prenatal care. At the clinic, residents will manage a huge variety of conditions, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, high-risk exposures, fetal demise, and an assortment of routine and complex infections. Seeing a high volume of patients, residents will quickly become comfortable with routine prenatal care, pelvic and cervical exams, and managing the vast majority of prenatal complications.

Residents can expect to gain experience in obstetrical procedures including:
OB Ultrasound - complete screening as well as bedside
Vaginal laceration repair
Vacuum and Forceps deliveries
IUPC and fetal scalp electrode placement

Most interns average about 60-75 vaginal deliveries in the first year. Those residents who desire to pursue OB can easily obtain more than 100 deliveries over the three years. For those who desire a greater knowledge in surgical obstetrics, there is opportunity to participate in an unlimited number of cesarean section deliveries with many Family Medicine and OB/GYN physicians in Fort Wayne.

Residents will also be assigned private OB patients through the Family Medicine Center. These patients are managed by the same resident throughout their pregnancy and are seen through their subsequent delivery. If desired, residents can get well above the basic ten private OB patients required to graduate.

Those residents with special interest in cesarean section delivery, and who complete greater than 60 surgical deliveries are awarded advanced obstetrical certification through the FWMEP. This certification was started and is maintained by Dr. David Pepple, MD, faculty mentor, with over thirty years of obstetrical experience.