Obstetrics and Gynecology

Department Website: med.unc.edu/obgyn

FAQs/Course Recommendations/Additional Info

How do students get assigned a career goal advisor?
Please contact the head career goal advisor.  You will be assigned your own head career goal at the beginning of Individualization Phase.  If you have questions before then, you can ask the head career goal advisor, your college advisor, your campus advisor or Dr. Chuang. All of these individuals form a system of advising to help you optimize your Match success.

What should my Individualization Phase look like?

Recommended Courses:

AI/Acting Internship	CC/Critical Care	ACS/Advanced Clinical Selective	Electives
402 MFM Main campus		OBGN 440-3	OBGN 40, OBGN 413, OBGN 417
410 MIGS Hillsborough Hospital
411 OBGYN Asheville
412 GYN ONC Main Campus
416 OBGYN WakeMed Raleigh
426 UROGYN Rex Hospital
432 REI Wilmington
433 OBGYN Wilmington

Do all my rotations need to be in Obstetrics and Gynecology?
Definitely not.  You can do rotations in Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Radiology, Dermatology and more.  All of these can inform your ObGyn practice.  As you are planning your Indy Phase, you should choose at least one AI in Ob or GYN at any campus. For critical care, you can choose SICU, MICU or even NICU at any campus.

Should I do an away rotation?  What in?
All applicants in ob/gyn do not need to do an away rotation.  It is recommended for some specific circumstances, for example, if you have a very specific geographic area in which you need to match or if you have a specific program to which you want to match.  It is also recommended if you have your heart set on a program which is a little out of your reach based on your academic profile.

Do I need a rotation at UNC if I spent my time in Charlotte/Asheville/Wilmington?
You don’t need a rotation, but sometimes it’s good to expand your network of faculty and residents who can give you advice and share their experiences with you.

When do I need to meet with my career goal advisor?  How do I prepare?
Your career goal advisor, college advisor, campus advisor can help you with your application in ob/gyn.  You can expect to meet with your career goal advisor the spring before you apply, about a year before the Match.  You should meet with your career goal advisor a minimum of 1 time, but most students meet with their advisors more than that. During the application and interview season, UNC holds many sessions that can help you: class meetings, ERAS Application Workshops, Mock Interviews, group meetings, individual meetings and more.

How many letters of recommendation do I need?  From whom should I get them?
This depends on the specific programs to which you are applying as each program asks for slightly different numbers, usually 3-4.  You should ask faculty with whom you’ve worked closely.  This can be faculty from Application Phase or Indy Phase. You also need to set up an appointment with the Chairperson of the Department of Ob/Gyn in Chapel Hill who will write each student a summary letter of support.  This letters counts as one of your letters of recommendations. Your career goal advisor can help you figure out their assistant’s name so you can set up an appointment.

When do I ask for my letters?  What do they need?
You want to ask for a letter when you believe you have performed well enough to obtain a letter (use your evaluations or feedback as a guide) or if the attending offers to write you one.  It is always helpful for a letter writer to have your CV and your personal statement.  If you think the attending may have trouble remembering you (because some time has passed since the rotation), it is helpful to remind them with an anecdote of your time together, maybe a specific patient case or a specific experience you had together.

How do I determine the best programs I should apply to?
You should use online resources that are available to explore programs:  FREIDA, Doximity Residency Navigator, APGO Residency Directory, and others.  Then you need to use Texas Star to see how good a fit you are for these programs.  This takes some work, but it will help you apply more effectively and efficiently.

I just got this great piece of news…do I need to notify programs.
This is a judgement call.  Talk with your advisor/career goal advisor for additional specific advice.  You need to consider if this additional news is something that would make a significant difference in how your application is viewed.  If not, then it’s probably not worth notifying programs since program directors/program coordinators are inundated with emails during this time.  If so, then yes.

I am waitlisted for an interview at X and I’d really like to see that program.  What do I do?
You can send ONE email expressing your interest in that program with specific reasons why you are interested in that program.

I didn’t get an interview at X program.  Should I send them a “letter of intent”?
You can send ONE email expressing your interest in that program with specific reasons why you would love to interview at that program.

Should I send thank you letters to programs?
Programs will guide you at their interview day about this. Some programs will say you should NOT send thank you notes; you shouldn’t.

Should I send a letter to the program I am planning to rank #1?
Yes, you can send one email to the program you plan to rank #1.  Please do not do this until your list has been certified and is submitted, i.e. until you are sure.

How do I respond if a program reaches out to me after my interview?
You are not obligated to share with any program how they rank on your list.  You should thank them for their time during the interview day and let them know what you love about their program.  You can let them know you have not made your final decisions yet as there are many factors to take into account.  If this program is your #1, then see answer above.