Can FM work as OB laborist?

[doctor musafira]

I know prob highly unlikely but any info?
Doing low risk deliveries while a OBGyn is in house. Kind of like midwife

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[cj_cregg]

Probably varies from hospital to hospital, but I can't imagine a hospital would be thrilled to pay two people (an FM doc and an OBGYN as back up if the FM doc is only "doing low risk deliveries" and I assume no c-sections) to cover a shift that could be done by the OBGYN alone. If you were comfortable with higher risk OB and c-section trained and the hospital allowed FM docs to do deliveries and sections independently, it might be a different story.

 

[FrustratedFamDoc]

Echo what was said above. There is no low risk delivery until the baby and mom are both crying.

Why would the hospital incur the cost of paying 2 physicians when one who is trained in emergency management will do just fine?

 

[MeowMix]

Big-city hospital laborist physicians need the skills and experience to do hysterectomies, gyn (ectopic, ovarian torsion etc.). For low-risk deliveries, most facilities will hire a CNM midwife instead (because they are popular with pts and cost less).

Even an FM doc with CS fellowship training would not be hired as a laborist in a big hospital. But you could be hired to provide locums FM/OB coverage for a rural hospital that needs weekend/vacation OB coverage and possibly CNM backup. There, the FM doc can cover both mom and baby so we are more in-demand than an OB who can only cover mom. For those jobs, you must have C-section training and experience. They exist in the rural areas of the midwest (e.g. KS, NE)

 

[doctor musafira]

What if the fmob dr was ok getting paid less like the midwife.
I just want some more delivery experience without going into the rural and also not having to deal with call. Thus laborist is what I was thinking. It wouldn't be for long term, just enough to get a taste of the joy again and some more experience so I can serve better in international communities that I have visited really need the care.

I haven't done ob fellowship. Did a bit of extra ob in residency though I don't feel its enough. Also had a year off since.

 

[FrustratedFamDoc]

I'm not trying to be a knocker, but ask yourself if you're ready to deal with the 'that was not supposed to happen' deliveries that are not uncommon.

Of the 55 or so routine deliveries I did in residency, at least 5 ended up going for section. I wouldn't like those odds if I were on my own. Drop in no prenatal care was not uncommon. Untreated GDM, eclampsia, etc. I had one routine one go in to florid DIC. I can see these situations even more common in the 3rd world.