Gynecologists and obstetricians work together to ensure the reproductive health of women throughout their lives, from puberty through menopause and beyond. In most cases, the training is identical and a doctor is certified in both fields, although a specific physician may opt to specialize in a particular aspect of female reproductive health.
Definition
Gynecology and obstetrics are two medical specialties that go together to care for a woman's reproductive system. A gynecologist is trained to treat and diagnose problems in a woman's reproductive tract, perform annual checks and tests of the reproductive organs and offer advice on issues of genital and reproductive health. An obstetrician specializes in the reproductive systems of pregnant women, the delivery of babies and postpartum care. Often a medical doctor will have training and qualification in both of these related fields and go by the title ob/gyn.
Specialties
Specialties that an obstetrician and gynecologist may choose to focus on include gynecologic oncology, which treats patients diagnosed with gynecological cancer, and fetal medicine, which helps patients with pregnancy complications. An ob/gyn may also choose to focus on issues such as infertility, prenatal care, sexually transmitted diseases or postpartum complications.
Training and Salary
To train as an ob/gyn, a doctor must first go through medical school and then complete four years of residency in the field. If a doctor desires to specialize further, an additional one to three years may be required. After training, the doctor must pass a test to become certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, the annual salary for an ob/gyn was between $231,514 and $304,689 in 2008.
Workplace
An obstetrician and gynecologist may work in a hospital or through a private practice. Doctors with private practices who actively participate in delivering babies often have an affiliation with a specific hospital and permission to perform deliveries there. Other hospitals only use on-staff obstetricians for deliveries performed at their facility. Some doctors may also deliver babies at the mother's home, in cases where the mother is at a low risk for complications. Physicians who specialize in other areas such as infertility and assisted reproduction may have affiliations with private clinics.
Associates
Obstetricians and gynecologists work cooperatively with other medical staff. At a hospital, nurses, technicians and doctors in other specialties, such as anesthesiology or pediatrics, work closely with an ob/gyn. Midwives, radiologists and lactation consultants may also work with an ob/gyns in some circumstances.
