Conferences and Educational Activities

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

  • Didactics

    ACGME requires all programs to provide protected education time for resident physicians, which are free from all patient care responsibilities to ensure a balance of service and education. Educational time is protected and therefore cannot be interrupted for patient care, phone calls, etc. Resident physicians attendance to all sessions is mandatory.  Promptness is essential and only in cases of an emergency should a resident be absent and if such should occur, it is the resident physicians' responsibility to provide the Program Director with an appropriate reason. Faculty cannot interrupt resident physicians didactics but may ask approval from Chair and/or Program Director to excuse a resident physicians in the event of a highly educational case.

    Approved list of procedures for which a resident may be excused (with Program Director’s prior approval) from Didactics include:

    • Spontaneous Deliveries
    • Cesarean Deliveries
    • Operative (Forceps/Vacuum) Deliveries
    • Abdominal Hysterectomy
    • Vaginal Hysterectomy
    • Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
    • Abortion
    • Invasive Cancer
    • Rare/Unusual Cases of Educational Benefit

    ETSU QCOM OB/GYN Residency Program schedules weekly didactics (Fridays, 7 a.m. to noon) for approximately 240 protected education hours per year. The Program Manager attends the protected didactic sessions in order to answer resident physicians pagers with instructions to contact the faculty on call. An annual acknowledgment is signed by the faculty and resident physicians who agree that on Friday morning they will: accept re-assignment only for the approved procedures; notify Program Manager prior to each case as documentation for ACGME; accept the Service Chief’s assignment of cases according to goal requirements; refrain from scheduling certain cases on Friday mornings; not use cell phones to bypass the system. 

    Professionalism is expected during didactics. Please refrain from the following activities: talking, texting or sleeping; and non-educational use (social sites, online shopping, web surfing) of smart phones/laptops/etc. 

    Didactics include, but are not limited to: 

    CQI  is held Fridays at 7 a.m., as scheduled. Topics will be grouped by OB and GYN. Associate Program Director will assign cases equitable to resident physicians and upon availability. Template for resident physicians presentation/expectation is available. Faculty and Resident Physicians attend.

    L&D Protocol QI Focus is held Fridays at 7 a.m., as scheduled. Resident physicians and faculty present L&D protocols to the entire faculty and resident physicians for discussion and decision making to establish standard operating procedures. An L&D Protocol notebook is housed on L&D, the Clinic, and the Residency Office and is updated as new protocols are determined. Topics are assigned to resident physicians by Senior Administrative Chief Resident. Faculty and Resident Physicians attend. 

    ACOG Practice Bulletin Review is held Fridays at 7 a.m., as scheduled. Resident Physicians are assigned by the Admin Chief to present a Practice Bulletin. Discussion occurs with faculty and resident physicians to ensure the practice’s compliance with national guidelines. Faculty and Resident physicians attend. Clerkship Students attendance is optional

    ACMGE Compliance is held Fridaysat  7 a.m., as scheduled. On the last day of each rotation block, the faculty and resident physicians meet individually to discuss the evaluation of the rotation as well as the expectations of the next scheduled rotation block. Other individual compliance meetings occur between faculty and resident physicians with regards to mentoring and scholarly activity. Faculty and Resident Physicians attend.

    Prolog/CREOG Review is held Fridays at 8 a.m., July through January. Each resident physician is scheduled by the Admin Chief to select 15 questions from a faculty specific Prolog. At which time, the assigned faculty will narrow the questions to 10. The resident physicians are required to answer the questions prior to self-grading the quiz during the in-depth discussion with the faculty. Program Manager records the scores and returns the quizzes to the resident physicians for future review material. Assigned Faculty and Resident Physicians attend. Clerkship students attendance is optional. 

    Grand Rounds are held Fridays at 8 a.m. February through June. Each faculty, PGY 4s, and PGY 3s are required to present a Grand Rounds. Faculty and Residents Physicians, and Clerkship Students attend. Department, Hospital, and Community Health Care Providers are invited. 

    Critical Appraisal of Medical Literature is held Fridays at 9 a.m., as scheduled. Faculty are assigned to facilitate in-depth discussion of an article. Faculty may select an article from MOC list or from CREOG Journal Club modules. Articles must be submitted to the Program Manager at least one week in advance for distribution to the residents. Assigned Faculty and Resident Physicians attend. 

    Resident Lecture Series are held Fridays at 9 and 10 a.m., as scheduled. CREOG Educational Objectives, 11th Edition and CREOG Exam Topics dictates the lecture topics which are assigned to appropriate faculty to develop evidence-based education. Educational resources are available to the faculty from his/her support staff. Presentations must be pre-approved by PEC.Assigned Faculty and Resident Physicians attend.

    Coding or Allscripts Inservices are Fridays at 10 a.m., as scheduled. In-depth review and training on out-patient coding and Allscripts EHR.  Resident Physicians attend.

    Self-Directed Learning is held Fridays at 11 a.m., as scheduled. Resident Physicians must utilize this time for CREOG/ABOG studies; ACGME Case Log entries; Clerkship evaluations; EHR; or scholarly activities. Resident Physicians attend. 

    Program Director/Residents Meeting is held Fridays at 11 a.m., as scheduled. Residency Program Director and Associate Program Director meet with the residents to discuss program successes, obstacles, improvement plans, and/or other resident concerns.Program Director, Associate Program Director, and Resident Physicians attend. 

  • Additional Educational Activities

    CREOG In-Training Exam This national exam is a precursor to the ABOG Written Exam. Studies show that residents who score >190 in two or more years have a higher pass rate. Therefore our program goal for each year is the 25th percentile or 190. Typically, this exam is held the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January each year. The department funds this expense. Faculty may also elect to sit for the exam. Faculty will cover the hospital on-call service beginning at 10 p.m. the night before so that resident physicians are well rested for the exam. CREOG Reviews are facilitated by various faculty members with questions selected from Prologs by an assigned resident physicians. In addition, each faculty review CREOG Quiz Bank during scheduled didactics.

    Objective Structured Resident Oral Exam (OSROE) A mock Oral Exam prepares resident physicians for the ABOG oral board exam which typically occurs one year after graduation. OSROE is usually scheduled in the fall for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year residents. PGY 1s will cover L&D, surgeries, and clinics. Faculty will cover the hospital on-call service beginning at 10 p.m. the night before so that residents are well rested for the exam. The exam and evaluation format for this exercise will follow ABOG’s Oral Exam format. Please review the Basic Bulletin at www.abog.org for additional information. Immediately following the exam, residents will complete a self-critique regarding their performance on the exam. This critique will be reviewed by the Program Director during the next semi-annual resident review.

    OB Emergencies  A compilation of lectures and simulations conducted annually as additional training for residents in obstetric emergencies. Topics include; Postpartum Hemorrhage, Breech Delivery, Operative Vaginal Delivery, and Shoulder Dystocia.

    Simulation Resident physicians participate in simulated situational scenarios to give hands-on experience with rare situations. Faculty and residents are encouraged to contribute scenarios or ideas for future scenarios. The Surgical Chloe simulator used in some activities was invented by a team of ETSU inventors. Other skills labs may include: Pelvic Reconstruction (with cadavers); Hysteroscopy; D&E; Essure; Nexplanon; IUD placement; porcine uterus; beef tongue.

    Well Woman Visit Chart Reviews In April and October, each resident is responsible for the completion of chart reviews with a preceptor to discuss 5 recent well-woman visits. This review will address the primary and preventative care elements set forth by the RC. This document will be reviewed at by the Program Evaluation Committee.

    Resident Teambuilding Workshop A resident teambuilding workshop may be conducted at a nearby location for brainstorming, team and relationship building exercises. Activities regarding communication, morale, teamwork, etc. are conducted. Faculty members are not present at this event.

    Martin E. Olsen Resident Research Day Competition An annual competition is held for all residents which include Manuscript, Case Reports, and Oral Presentation categories. All residents are strongly encouraged to participate. Resident physicians with completed research projects are expected to participate. Judges are selected from QCOM faculty as well as private attendings.

    Conference Attendance Opportunities The department encourages the residents to attend regional/state conferences by providing funds. Past conferences have included Southern OB/GYN Conference and Tennessee ACOG events. Every effort will be made to provide additional travel allowances and educational leave for presentations at regional or national conferences. Each resident physician is provided a list of preapproved conferences from which to choose one fully funded conference per year to attend.

    Libraries A computer with internet connection is available in the hospital call area 24-hours a day in order to access online textbooks and the ACOG/CREOG publications. Johnson City Medical Center has a medical library located in the Learning Resources Center, lower level, which is accessible 24-hour by all faculty and residents. Please note: if checking out books for ACLS or NRP certification, you will be required to leave a signed check as a deposit until the book is returned. Current editions of the most frequently referenced books on the CREOG exam are available for check out through the academic office. Contact your Program Manager to check out two books at a time. The QCOM medical library is located in Building 4 on the VA Campus. Resident physicians are eligible to check out materials but must obtain a library I.D. card at the Circulation Desk. This library is available 7 days a week. Regular hours and holiday hours are posted at the library. A computer lab is available during regular library hours.

    ETSU Bookstores The university bookstore is located on the middle level of the D.P. Culp University Center. They carry a supply of new and used text books, school and office supplies, stationery and greeting cards. 

    ACLS/NRP Current certification is required. Recertification for resident physicians can be schedule with the Program Manager and is funded by the department. It is the resident physicians' responsibility to schedule recertification and provide the program with a copy of completion and to notify the Program Manager of expiration dates.

    ACOG Junior Fellows Membership All residents are required to join the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  This organization is very supportive of educational endeavors for both resident physicians and attending physicians.  ACOG membership dues are paid by the department for all residents.

  • Useful and Educational Apps to Download

    New Innovations – Duty Hours
    ARMIS by New Innovations – Evaluations
    MyTipReport – Procedure and Milestone Immediate Feedback
    TrueLearn – CREOG Exam Study
    ACOG – Committee Opinions, EDD Calculator, Immunization Resources
    ETSU QCOM Medical Library will assist you with installing the following apps:

    • Epocrates
    • Stat!ref
    • VisualDX
    • FirstConsult
    • ePSS by AHRQ
    • MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Report – CDC
    • CDC Vaccine Schedules
    • ASCVD Risk Estimator by American College of Cardiology
    • Read by QxMD
    • LactMed
    • MicroMedex
    • DynaMed Plus (web access, not an app)
    • Essential Evidence Plus (web access, not an app)
    • Clinical Key (web access, not an app)
    • AccessMedicine & AccessPharmacy (web access, not an app)
    • UpToDate (only works on ETSU’s wireless network)

  • Websites to Visit for FREE Educational Resources
  • Teaching Events
    • Morning report conference*
    • High Risk Obstetric Teaching Rounds
    • Low risk Obstetric Teaching Rounds
    • Perinatal Conferences
    • Bi-monthly Human Patient Simulations
    • Quarterly Pathology Conference
    • Quarterly Research Workdays
    • Annual "Residents As Teachers" seminar
    • Annual SVMIC Risk Management seminar
    • Annual OB Emergencies Seminar
    • Annual Resident Team-building Retreat
    • D&C and D&E Workshop
    • Resident Pelvic Reconstructive Workshop
    • Annual Southern OB Conference
    • Hysteroscopy Workshop
    • Breast Disease Workshop

    *All resident physicians and medical students on the service meet with an attending and discuss interesting patients.

  • Our Memorial Lectureships Honor the Memories of Distinguished Faculty

    The Dillard M. Sholes Jr. Memorial Lectureship was established in 1994. Dr. Sholes was the first Chairman of the Department serving from 1980 1985 and was Professor Emeritus at the time of his death in 1994. He is remembered as a distinguished physician who unselfishly served both medicine and Northeast Tennessee as a teacher and servant. At the death of Dr. Sholes wife, Mattie E. Sholes in 2003, the Lectureship was changed to the Dr. Dillard M. Sholes Jr. and Mrs. Mattie E. Sholes Distinguished Lectureship. The Lectureship pays tribute to Dr. and Mrs. Sholes' professional and humanitarian contributions to the region by bringing in nationally acclaimed physicians in the field of obstetrics and gynecology to this area as visiting professors for extended educational opportunities to medical students, resident physicians, and health care professionals of this area. Honored guest lecturers include:

    • 2018 Dr. Melissa Kottke, Emory University
    • 2016 Dr. Tristi Muir, Houston Methodist
    • 2015 Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
    • 2014 Dr. Bob L. Shull, Scott & White Memorial Hospital
    • 2013 Dr. George Wendel, American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • 2012 Dr. Rebecca Thurston, University of Pittsburgh
    • 2011 Dr. Mitchell Hoffman, University of South Florida
    • 2010 Dr. Elisa Crouse, University of Oklahoma
    • 2009 Dr. Ian Thorneycroft, University of South Alabama
    • 2008 Dr. James VanHook, University of Cincinnati
    • 2007 Dr. James Fanning, Akron City Hospital
    • 2006 Dr. Gary Hankins, University of Texas Medical Branch
    • 2005 Dr. Michael Belfort, University of Utah
    • 2004 Dr. Steve Gabbe, Vanderbilt University
    • 2003 Dr. Ralph Hale, University of Hawaii
    • 2002 Dr. William Droegemueller, University of North Carolina
    • 2001 Dr. William Herbert, University of Virginia Medical Center
    • 2000 Dr. Dudley Baker, Scott & White Memorial Hospital
    • 1999 Dr. John Dacus, University of South Carolina
    • 1998 Dr. Robert Wild, University of Oklahoma
    • 1996 Dr. Elizabeth Connell, Emory University
    • 1995 Dr. Edward Wallach, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
    • 1994 Dr. Hugh Barber, Cornell University Medical College

    The Dr. Elizabeth Craver Pryor Memorial Lectureship was established on October 11, 2006 with Dr. Frank Stritter as the first lecturer. It was established in memory of Dr. Ellie Pryor, a beloved and well-respected educator who served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of OB/GYN and Associate Program Director of the Department's Residency Program. The Lectureship honors Dr. Pryor for her dedication to teaching and mentoring medical students and resident physicians. Dr. Pryor was a dynamic teacher who taught with passion, energy, compassion and humor. Honored guest lecturers include:

    • 2018 Cody Unser, Cody Unser First Step Foundation
    • 2014 Dr. Harry W. Haverkos
    • 2012 Dr. Rebecca McAlister
    • 2011 Dr. Ginger Vehaskari
    • 2010 Dr. Nancy Chescheir
    • 2009 Dr. Sterling Williams
    • 2008 Dr. Roger Smith
    • 2006 Dr. Frank Stritter