Peterson Lars E, Blackburn Brenna, Phillips Robert L, Puffer James C
American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY.
Fam Med. 2014 May;46(5):354-9.
Fewer family physicians are providing maternity care. Maternity Care Fellowships (MCFs) provide training in advanced obstetrical skills, including cesarean sections. These programs lack official recognition and certification. MCF graduates have been studied, but there are no studies of the fellowships. The objective of this study was to assess the structure and organization of family medicine MCFs.
We identified MCFs from the American Academy of Family Physicians website. Twenty-nine unique and active programs were included in the final sample. We surveyed programs via an anonymous internet methodology. The survey asked about program structure, organization, and educational aspects of the program.
A total of 18 programs responded, for a 62% response rate. Eighty-eight percent of MCFs were 1 year in length, and the mean number of fellows per year was 1.9. All but one program were associated with a residency training program, and 55.6% were based in community hospitals. All but two programs had a standardized curriculum. Eighty-eight percent of MCFs had obstetricians involved in teaching or clinical supervision. Mean estimated number of deliveries performed by fellows were 80 vaginal and 108 caesarian. Graduates of MCFs were largely able to obtain caesarian privileges after graduation, and many were working in rural and/or underserved areas. Many MCF directors favored formal accreditation and a standardized curriculum across programs.
Despite lack of formal accreditation, MCFs have academic affiliations and internally standardized curricula. MCFs provide an obstetric workforce for rural and underserved areas, and formal accreditation may ensure program survival and boost educational standards.
提供产科护理的家庭医生越来越少。产科护理奖学金项目（MCFs）提供包括剖宫产在内的高级产科技能培训。这些项目缺乏官方认可和认证。已有对MCFs毕业生的研究，但尚无对该奖学金项目本身的研究。本研究的目的是评估家庭医学MCFs的结构和组织情况。
我们从美国家庭医生学会网站上识别出MCFs。最终样本包括29个独特且活跃的项目。我们通过匿名网络方式对这些项目进行了调查。该调查询问了项目的结构、组织以及教育方面的情况。
共有18个项目做出回应，回应率为62%。88%的MCFs为期1年，每年研究员的平均数量为1.9名。除一个项目外，所有项目都与住院医师培训项目相关联，55.6%的项目设在社区医院。除两个项目外，所有项目都有标准化课程。88%的MCFs有产科医生参与教学或临床监督。研究员平均预计进行的分娩数量为80例顺产和108例剖宫产。MCFs的毕业生毕业后大多能够获得剖宫产权限，许多人在农村和/或服务欠缺地区工作。许多MCF主任赞成正式认证以及各项目间的标准化课程。
尽管缺乏正式认证，MCFs有学术关联且内部有标准化课程。MCFs为农村和服务欠缺地区提供了产科医疗人员，正式认证可能会确保项目存续并提高教育标准。
