OB-GYN (Obstetrician Gynecologist) Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

An OB-GYN, or Obstetrician Gynecologist, diagnoses and treats various medical conditions that impact women’s health. Their duties include diagnosing and monitoring illnesses and diseases, providing medical support to pregnant women and performing routine check-ups on female patients.

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OB-GYN Duties and Responsibilities

OB-GYNs have numerous responsibilities. This field combines obstetrics—a special area of care that encompasses preconception care through childbirth and delivery—with gynecology, which covers all areas of women’s health. They perform initial diagnoses and prescribe the best treatments possible, and they must explain complex conditions in simple terms. Other duties and responsibilities for OB-GYNs include:

Diagnosing and treating conditions that affect women, such as certain types of cancer and conditions like menopause
Working with expecting mothers to explain the childbirth process
Performing routine checkups with patients
Providing childbirth and postpartum care for new mothers

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What Does an OB-GYN Do?

Obstetrician Gynecologists are Physicians employed by medical facilities who specialize in providing healthcare to women. They conduct various tests to determine a woman’s health, like pelvic exams, pap smears and breast exams. If they locate any diseases, they’ll diagnose them and prescribe a medication or treatment plan for the woman to carefully follow. They’ll perform routine check-ups on these patients regularly to ensure they maintain top health conditions.

An OB-GYN also works closely with expectant mothers to monitor their health both throughout their pregnancy and while giving birth. They’ll educate these mothers on ways to care for their bodies during pregnancy to ensure a safe and healthy childbirth for both the women and their babies.

OB-GYN Skills and Qualifications

OB-GYNs need a mix of technical skills and interpersonal skills. For example, while they must be experts in their field, they must also be efficient, empathetic communicators. Other vital skills and qualifications for OB-GYNs include:

Active listening skills
The ability to manage other people involved in a patient’s care
The ability to create tailored treatment plans
Mastery of all medical instruments needed for treatment
Problem-solving skills
The ability to provide accurate, effective care, even under pressure

OB-GYN Salary Expectations

The average salary of an OB-GYN is $221,015 per year. However, exact salary depends on where the OB-GYN lives and how many years of experience they have.

OB-GYN Education and Training Requirements

OB-GYNs must complete extensive education and training requirements before they start in this role. First, they must complete a doctorate or professional degree. Many candidates start with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and then complete OB-GYN graduate programs. During this time, they also complete the nursing licensure exam and gain real-world experience in a hospital, clinic or similar facility. They work specifically in obstetrics and gynecology as they continue to study.

OB-GYN Experience Requirements

OB-GYNs gain years of experience as they complete their graduate degrees. Before becoming an OB-GYN, candidates must also complete an internship or residency. During an internship or residency, future OB-GYNs go from a primarily academic environment to a real-world setting. The academic process alone can take 10 years or more. The residency period takes another three to seven years.

Job Description Samples for Similar Positions

OB-GYNs require a lot of skills and a high degree of education, so a typical job posting will be extensive. This can make it hard to pinpoint all the items you need to include in your posting using a single template or sample. So, if you’re not finding everything you need here, continue your research. Check out these job description samples and templates for similar roles to get a better idea of everything you might include:

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Frequently asked questions about OB-GYN Obstetrician Gynecologists

Who reports to OB-GYN Obstetrician Gynecologists?

An OB-GYN typically has a OB-GYN Nurse report directly to them. This Nurse will assist the Obstetrician Gynecologist in larger procedures, like childbirth, and smaller routine check-ups. OB-GYN Nurses will typically take patients’ vitals and prepare them for their appointment before the OB-GYN arrives.

Some medical facilities may also hire Medical Assistants to complete basic clerical tasks like checking the patient in and directing them to their exam room. Similar to OB-GYN Nurses, Medical Assistants will also report to the OB-GYN for tasks and notes on how to improve their experience with patients.

What settings do OB-GYN Obstetrician Gynecologists work in?

Most Obstetrician Gynecologists work in healthcare clinics or private practices when attending appointments and check-ups. When a patient is giving birth, the OB-GYN will report to the hospital for the procedure and may spend hours at a time there while the expectant mother is in labor until they’re ready to give birth. They may also be expected to arrive at the hospital when a mother is unexpectedly going into labor, so they may work irregular hours on nights and weekends.

What's the difference between an OB-GYN Obstetrician Gynecologists and a Gynecologist?

While they’re similar positions that both specialize in women’s health, there are a few differences between an OB-GYN and a Gynecologist. An OB-GYN specializes in two fields of study, which is obstetrics and gynecology. Obstetrics focuses on all stages of pregnancy and gynecology relates to women’s reproductive health.

An OB-GYN specializes in both of these areas, while a Gynecologist focuses solely on women’s health and reproductive systems. Gynecologists can perform routine check-ups and basic women’s reproductive procedures, but they’re not qualified to handle pregnancy or childbirth-related issues.

What makes a good OB-GYN Obstetrician Gynecologist?

OB-GYNs should have impressive critical thinking and problem-solving abilities to properly diagnose a disease or illness and provide an effective treatment plan. They must be able to react quickly and logically to emergency situations in case an unexpected medical issue arises during a procedure. Since they’re regularly interacting with patients and other staff members, OB-GYNs should have great interpersonal and communication skills.

Impressive stamina, dexterity and hand-eye coordination are also needed for them to successfully perform procedures and check-ups on their patients for long time periods, sometimes late at night or early in the morning. Focus and attention to detail are also great for an ideal candidate to have to ensure they make little to no errors and catch any medical abnormalities.