Structure

Number of trainees: At any given time, around 12 specialist trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology work in the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Landspítali. From the start of the programme, each trainee has a designated supervisor who follows them throughout the training period. In addition to specialist trainees in the field, there are usually two general practice trainees and 1–2 medical interns working in the department at any given time.

Consultant group: The obstetrics and gynaecology department consultants meet monthly to discuss, among other things, the progress of each trainee and how best to support them in achieving their goals.

Day shifts and on-call duties

Daytime: Monday–Friday, 08:00–16:00.
On-call duties:

• Weekdays: trainees share shorter shifts from 16:00–20:00, known as “stubbs.”

• Night shift: 20:00–08:00.

• Weekend shifts: 09:00–21:00 / 21:00–09:00.
  A consultant is present in the hospital at all times during shifts to support trainees in all clinical settings.

Teaching for specialist trainees in the obstetrics and gynaecology department :

• Clinical training – includes both theoretical discussions and practical procedures such as ultrasound examinations, held daily on the wards.

• Weekly lectures by consultants (StratOG) – held on Thursdays.

• Theme days – a half-day lecture series once a month on selected topics such as endoscopic surgery techniques, instrumental deliveries, menopause, and hormone treatments.

• Journal clubs – the department’s doctors meet in a private home 2–3 times per semester, where two trainees present a scientific paper they have studied, discussing its quality and methodology with colleagues. These meetings are valued both academically and socially.

• In-house courses – PROMPT courses on obstetric emergencies, held several times a year.

• Conferences at home and abroad – examples include Fjölskyldan og barnið (The Family and the Child, held every September), The Green Conference for surgeons and anaesthetists in April, ALSO every other year, and other courses in the UK, USA, or Scandinavia.

• Friday teaching sessions – one-hour education sessions every Friday.

• M&M meetings – at least twice per semester, reviewing selected cases with a focus on learning from morbidity and mortality.

• Perinatal mortality meetings.

• Multidisciplinary team meetings.

Progress assessment

Assessment methods: We use interviews with trainees, consultant meetings, and various assessment forms to evaluate competence. Examples of forms include CbD, mini-CEX, OSATS, and 360° assessments (now called TO – team observation), conducted twice a year.

Annual review: Held at the end of the training year. Called ARCP (Annual Review of Competence Progression), this meeting assesses whether the trainee has met the requirements for that year and can progress to the next stage of training.

Examinations: To apply for a training post in the third year, the trainee must have passed the Part 1 MRCOG exam. Trainees are strongly encouraged to take and pass this exam before starting their third year of specialist training.