A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the difficulties OBGyn residents will have obtaining abortion training in the new post Dobbs world.
When I did my Ob/Gyn residency in 1984-88 abortion training was STANDARD. We learned to help women having vaginal deliveries, perform Cesarean Sections, do laporascopic surgeries, hysterectomies, and abortions–both first and second trimester abortions. It was integrated into our training. Of course, any resident who did not want to perform abortions could opt out merely by saying he/she did not want to participate–it was not an issue at all.
In those days, many abortions were performed in hospitals, so hospital based training included abortion care. In my first position in Buffalo, NY most abortions were performed in non-hospital facilities–doctors’ offices and free-standing facilities such as ours–Buffalo Women Services. Yet, there were still many abortions in our area hospitals and residents who were interested in becoming proficient, could easily do so.
As fewer abortions happened in hospitals, residents were trained in free standing facilities like ours. Over the years that I have been at Buffalo Women Services, I trained many dozens of Ob/Gyn and Family Practice residents.
We have recently been awarded a grant from Governor Hochul as part of her effort to maintain abortion access in New York State and I am excited to use this to train those who want to learn to provide abortion services. Buffalo Women Services is here to help those who need pregnancy termination and those who want training in abortion care!
