Complex Family Planning Fellowship Program

About

USC Family Planning consists of fellowship-trained academic physicians and public health scholars who provide complex family planning services to patients across Los Angeles County and its surrounding areas of clinical and socioeconomic need. Our family planning faculty additionally work as generalist obstetrician-gynecologists in partnership with and consultation to the Generalist’s Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Clinical Experience

Fellows primarily receive their clinical training at the Los Angeles General Medical Center, where fellows learn to provide all family planning procedures up to the state’s legal limitations. Specifically, the Fellowship prepares fellows to provide high-level family planning services and consultation via the following training opportunities:

• Fellows run the Reproductive Options Clinic at Los Angeles General Medical Center where they see patients through the entire course of their pregnancy decision-making through their post-operative and contraceptive visits. The operations of the Reproductive Options clinic give trainees experience with managing commonly-encountered logistical issues related to restrictions in the provision of abortion encountered in our community.
• The Reproductive Options Clinic is also a referral site for genetic and congenital abnormalities diagnosed within the LA County healthcare network. Family Planning Fellows work in conjunction with our MFM Fellows to provide comprehensive counseling for pregnancy disposition, with provision of surgical or medical termination as indicated.
• Consultation and surgical management for complex termination (e.g. obesity, history of multiple Cesarean sections) procedures, as well as complications (e.g. retained products of conception, uterine perforation), from referring providers in the community.
• Provision of moderate sedation for in-office procedures.
• Consultation, diagnosis, and medical/surgical management of complex ectopic pregnancies (e.g. Cesarean scar).
• High-volume abortion training through rotations at Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles affiliates.
• Fellows are actively involved in the Complex Contraception Clinic for the management of contraception in the setting of chronic medical co-morbidities, as well as complications related to long-acting contraceptives and sterilization procedures (e.g. Essure).
• Fellows provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to some of the most vulnerable populations in Los Angeles County, including the uninsured, undocumented, incarcerated, and homeless. Fellows work on patient and community-centered investigations and interventions to ensure our population’s receipt of equitable reproductive health care.
• Fellows are actively involved in training residents and medical students through the Ryan Resident Training Program in Family Planning and through Generalist responsibilities.

Research and Education

The fellowship meets weekly for lectures in abortion and contraception, inclusive of departmental journal clubs. Fellows typically design and complete a research project focused on clinical and/or behavioral aspects of abortion or contraception. This research is often conducted in conjunction with their pursuit of a Certificate in Clinical Research Sciences. Fellows present their research at the Society of Family Planning’s Annual Meeting. Fellows are closely mentored by research faculty within the Section of Family Planning and receive specific research training in study design and structured clinical research, as well as statistical analysis; guidance in obtaining funding for research studies in contraception and abortion; scientific writing for peer-reviewed journals and other academic publications; presentations at national conferences; and development as an independent researcher and academic physician.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology continues to perform clinical research in all areas of the specialty. The areas of research are continually changing and growing based on new advancements in information and building on results of prior research

Accreditation

The program is accredited by the National Fellowship in Family Planning.

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Eligibility

Applicants for the family planning fellowship must have completed an ACGME-accredited core program in obstetrics and gynecology. In addition, applicants must meet all requirements for eligibility set by the Los Angeles General Medical Center Office of Graduate Medical Education. Every fellow must have a California medical license by the beginning of the fellowship training program. Licensure in the State of California for international medical graduates can be especially time-consuming. If assistance is needed, candidates are advised to contact personally the Division of Licensing, Medical Board of California, 1426 Howe Avenue, Sacramento, California 95825-3236, (916) 920-6411.

Application Process

The program is accredited by the National Fellowship in Family Planning.

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