Ob-Gyn Residency Training on Caring for Incarcerated Patients: A National Survey of Programs [ID: 1379016]

INTRODUCTION: Incarcerated individuals requiring obstetric and gynecologic care make up the fastest-growing population in U.S. carceral settings. Research suggests that these patients' reproductive health needs are complex and disparate compared to the general population because of multiple forms of structural oppression. Little is known about the current state of ob-gyn resident education on providing reproductive health care to incarcerated patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered by email to program leaders at U.S. obstetrics and gynecology residency programs between August and September of 2022. RESULTS: Program directors or assistant program directors at 101 out of 269 contactable programs (38%) completed the survey. Among respondent programs, the majority (81%) have opportunities for residents to see incarcerated patients in a clinical setting, but only a minority (23%) of programs have mandatory didactic content on providing care to these patients. When asked about the most significant barriers to offering didactic content, 71% of respondents indicated that the lack of faculty expertise on the topic is at least moderately significant, followed by other competing curricular requirements (63%). Most respondents (82%) indicated that the inclusion of such didactic content during obstetrics and gynecology residency is at least moderately valuable. CONCLUSION: There is a glaring gap in formal resident education on providing obstetric–gynecologic care to incarcerated patients, even though residents are actively treating these patients. Although residency program leaders believe that training residents to care for this population is important, most programs are not equipped to do so because of the existence of various barriers.