Obstetricians care for women during and after pregnancy, requiring eight years of college and a residency program. They must pass licensing exams and can work in hospitals, clinics, or private practices. Students must complete a bachelor’s degree, take entrance exams, and attend medical school for four years. After graduation, they complete a residency program and pass certification exams to become licensed obstetricians.
Obstetricians are licensed physicians who care for women during and after pregnancy. They monitor the health of pregnant women and their fetuses, diagnose and treat abnormal conditions, and deliver babies. A person who wants to become an obstetrician is usually required to complete about eight years of full-time college and participate in a four- to six-year residency program. An individual must also pass extensive licensing exams administered by a nationally recognized board of directors. Once licensed, a professional becomes eligible to work in general hospitals, specialist clinics and private practices.
A person who wants to become an obstetrician must first enroll in a four-year bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university. Most prospective physicians specialize in premedical studies, an educational path that includes various classes in health, anatomy, physiology, and biology. Many students take additional courses in communication, psychology, mathematics and physics to expand their knowledge and skills. Students can pursue internships or entry-level medical assistant positions at hospitals to learn more about different healthcare professions to help them determine if they really want to pursue careers in the field.
Toward the end of a baccalaureate program, an individual may begin to apply to medical schools and take computer or written entrance exams. When selecting applicants, medical schools often choose students with the best grades, entrance test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. After being accepted, a medical student meets with counselors and professors to tailor a degree program that best prepares them to become an obstetrician.
Medical school programs typically last four years and involve classroom study, laboratory research, and clinical practice. Students generally spend their first two years primarily in classroom settings, taking advanced courses in a variety of medical disciplines. The last two years of a program are designed to provide practical education in conducting medical research, diagnosing and treating different conditions. Prospective obstetricians often have the opportunity to take specialized courses in obstetrics and gynecology to better prepare them for their eventual careers. Upon completing an internship, excelling in the courses and producing a quality dissertation based on original research, the student receives the title of Doctor of Medicine.
Upon graduation, a person who wants to become an obstetrician can begin a four- to six-year residency program. Most new physicians spend their first two or three years in emergency rooms or hospitals, practicing general medicine under the supervision of licensed physicians. The second half of a residency is usually spent in a specialist clinic or a hospital’s midwifery ward to gain experience working directly with pregnant women.
In most countries, it is necessary for an individual to pass a general medicine and midwifery exam in order to officially become an obstetrician and start working independently. Boards of directors such as the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the United States award certification to test takers. Most obstetricians prefer to specialize in a subfield, such as fetal medicine or oncology. Additional licensing and certification tests must be passed to work as a specialist.
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