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BackTable Women's HealthThe BackTable OBGYN Podcast is a resource for practicing OBGYN's to learn tips, techniques, and practical advice from their peers in the field. Author: BackTable Inc.
The go-to podcast for OBGYNs, gynecologic surgeons, and healthcare professionals focused on women's health. Tune in every week for practical, physician-led conversations on common and complex clinical topics in women's health. Hear how experienced physicians approach real cases, and get practical advice from your peers in your field. Language: en Genres: Education, Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep. 138 From OB/GYN Generalist to Specialist: Returning to Fellowship with Dr. Jessica Shields
Tuesday, 3 November, 2026
Within six months of starting general OBGYN practice, one gynecologic surgeon says she felt like “a jack of all trades and a master of none,” and a few years later she left her job to become a fellow again. On this episode of BackTable Women’s Health, Dr. Joseph Chen, a complex benign gynecologic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente East Bay, is joined by Dr. Jessica Shields, program director of the Complex Benign Gynecology Fellowship at Lahey Clinic, to discuss what it takes to return to training after years in practice. They cover why some OBGYNs choose subspecialty training over a high-volume gynecology practice, how to apply to fellowship as a practicing physician, and what changes when an attending becomes a fellow again. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps00:00 - Introduction03:47 - From Generalist to Fellowship Applicant06:26 - Subspecialty Training Versus a High-Volume Gynecology Practice09:49 - Applying From Practice and How Program Directors Review Applications13:57 - Building a Competitive Application While in Practice16:48 - Returning to Training as a Former Attending19:41 - Finding a Focus in Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain21:59 - Match Competitiveness and Whether Fellowship Is Necessary25:14 - Resident Readiness for Independent Surgery28:12 - Should OBGYN Residency Be Longer?30:13 - Perseverance and Closing Remarks --- More about this episodeDr. Shields shares the case log lesson from her own interview day, the order in which she now reads applications, and how attendings without protected research time can show commitment through courses, hospital committees, and mentors. The conversation moves through life as a fellow after being an attending, the patient with pelvic pain who steered her toward endometriosis care, why the complex benign gynecology match remains competitive, and whether fellowship is needed for a gynecology-focused practice. Drs. Chen and Shields close on resident readiness for independent surgery, whether OBGYN residency should be longer, why daily repetition sets fellowship apart, and the perseverance that carried her from a missed match to the fellowship she wanted. --- ResourcesGuntupalli SR, et al. Preparedness of Obstetrics and Gynecology Residents for Fellowship Training. Obstet Gynecol. 2015https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000000999 Complex Benign Gynecology Fellowship, Lahey Clinic (Dr. Jessica Shields, Program Director)https://www.lahey.org/education-training/graduate/fellowships/complex-benign-gynecology Dr. Joseph Chen, BackTable contributor pagehttps://www.backtable.com/shows/obgyn/contributors/dr-joseph-chen --- BackTable Women's Health is the go-to podcast for gynecologists, gynecologic surgeons, and other healthcare professionals focused on women’s health. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty.► https://www.backtable.com/app
