The UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has announced the launch of the UNC Rural Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship, a two-year training program designed to prepare OB/GYN physicians to serve in rural and critical access hospital settings. The fellowship aims to equip participants with the clinical skills, knowledge, and support necessary to thrive in underserved and under-resourced communities, where access to maternity care is often limited.
The fellowship is structured to be 50% clinical and 50% non-clinical. Clinical activities will include office-based prenatal care and gynecology, gynecologic surgery, and labor and delivery coverage at a single rural critical access healthcare site—either UNC Rockingham or UNC Lenoir. The 50% non-clinical time is individualized for the fellow’s career development goals including opportunities for training in quality, healthcare finances, leadership, and/or research.
Dr. Kavita Arora, MD, MBE, MS, director of the Division of General Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Midwifery, will serve as the inaugural fellowship director. This true community-academic partnership also includes a leadership team of Steve Eblin, MBAPresident and CEO of UNC Health Rockingham; Crystal Hayden, DNP, RN, FACHE, CEO of UNC Health Lenoir; and Dr. Sachin Gupta, MD Chief Medical Officer for UNC Physicians Network. Together, this team brings a powerful combination of clinical, administrative, and strategic expertise to support fellows and the communities they will serve.