Clinical Training
Fellows will receive most of their complex family planning training through our main location at Albany Medical Center. The OBGYN clinic is connected to the hospital, with the CFP service seeing patients in a dedicated space with ultrasound and procedural capacity, allowing comprehensive patient care and training. We provide all treatment options for induced abortion, pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, and contraception, seeing patients in the office, ambulatory and inpatient operating rooms, emergency department, and Labor & Delivery.
The CFP service provides in-office procedures during the first trimester and has weekly OR time for abortion and contraceptive procedures, including permanent contraception. We receive patients from across New York and New England (and beyond), and fellows will gain proficiency in abortion care at later gestational ages, including injections. Fellows will also spend time at a freestanding facility providing first and second trimester abortion care under the supervision of a board-certified CFP faculty member.
Fellows will work closely with residents and medical students, developing their clinical and surgical teaching and mentorship skills u1nder the guidance of CFP attendings. Outside of the standard rotations, fellows will have four weeks of elective time in both their first and second year, with the opportunity to explore additional clinical and non-clinical interests. Because complex family planning care overlaps significantly with obstetric care, fellows will spend one Saturday night each month serving as the attending on Labor and Delivery, where they will gain valuable clinical and leadership experience and learn to build multidisciplinary collaboration. During the second year, fellows will spend one half-day each week providing general OBGYN care (in their personal clinic or precepting in a resident clinic), to further develop their clinical skills. Fellows may choose to moonlight on Labor and Delivery or at a freestanding clinic, as available, to earn additional income.
Research
Fellows will conduct research within the CFP division, with access to resources across the institution. The CFP faculty are heavily involved with clinical research, with an established record of research mentorship and publications across many methodologies, including retrospective cohort studies, survey research, observational studies, randomized controlled trials, qualitative research, medical education studies, and quality improvement. Albany Medical College provides formal training in Clinical Investigation, with fellows able to pursue a Master of Science or Graduate Certificate. Fellows may also choose to pursue formal bioethics training or research through the Alden March Bioethics Institute, with the option to pursue a Masters in Bioethics or Certificate in Clinical or Research Ethics. Fellows may conduct basic science or clinical research with support from faculty inside and outside the department.
Advocacy and Engagement
Located in the capital of New York State, faculty and trainees at Albany Medical Center have many opportunities for advocacy. Our CFP faculty are involved in ACOG, providing opportunities for regional and national policy influence. Fellows may pursue a 4-week ACOG policy rotation to gain policy and advocacy experience around family planning topics. Fellows also have the option to participate in the Physicians for Reproductive Health Leadership Training Academy, a year-long media and advocacy training program providing expert teaching and leadership development. The program will support fellows to attend conferences every year to network with colleagues and expand their knowledge and understanding.