Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Training in the United States

Abstract

Gynecologic oncology is a growing field composed of physicians who have completed subspecialty training in the comprehensive care of women with gynecologic malignancies including cancers of the uterine cervix, uterine corpus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina, vulva, and other rare gynecologic tumors. They are proficient in performing surgery not just on pelvic organs, but in gastrointestinal, urologic, plastic and reconstructive, and other abdominal and pelvic surgical techniques through a variety of approaches in order to treat newly diagnosed and recurrent gynecologic malignancies. They are also knowledgeable in chemotherapeutic and targeted therapies, radiation therapy, critical care, and palliative care. Gynecologic oncologists understand and advance the field through research in risk factors, prevention, and treatment of these cancers that afflict over 100,000 US women annually. After completing a 4-year obstetrics and gynecology residency, an additional 3- or 4-year fellowship program is necessary to become a gynecologic oncologist. These fellowship programs are regulated and accredited by a central, national agency, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Strict requirements are in place ensuring that graduating fellows are competent in patient care, surgery, medical knowledge, and research but are also professional and ethical physicians who efficiently function within and contribute to the greater medical community. In this chapter, we describe the history, structure, and admissions process of gynecologic oncology fellowship in the United States and explore the current education and demographics of gynecologic oncology fellows and the role of gynecologic oncologists in the education of future specialists and treatment of US women afflicted with gynecologic cancers.