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Family Medicine Residency of Idaho

OB

The Primary Care Obstetrics Fellowship is a 12-month post-residency program that provides specialty training in the areas of operative obstetrics, high risk maternity care, and neonatal stabilization, combined with continued Family Medicine exposure. Specific training includes cesarean sections, operative vaginal deliveries, post-partum management, obstetrical ultrasound, and NICU. Additionally, the fellow will gain knowledge in high risk maternity care throughout the spectrum of pregnancy: antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum. This is integrated with a continued Family Medicine experience through clinic and precepting. Located primarily between St. Luke’s Hospital, Boise Campus, and the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho (FMRI). The fellow also has opportunities to work with some surrounding hospitals to enhance their operative skills.

The OB Fellow will have his or her continuity clinic based out of our Idaho Street clinic located next to St. Luke’s Hospital Boise Campus.

Application

One fellow will be selected each year. Applicants must have completed a 3-year ACGME accredited Family Medicine Residency and be board certified in Family Medicine. At this time, we are not able to sponsor visas for the fellowship. The fellowship year starts approximately the last week of July.  This varies by academic year. Please submit the following to apply:
  • A copy of your CV
  • Concise personal statement detailing the following:
    • Reasons for pursuing additional training in obstetrics, specifically surgical obstetrics.
    • Any previous experience with obstetrical care (both in residency and outside residency).
    • Future career goals.
  • Letter of support from your Program Director
  • Two additional letters of reference, preferably from Family Medicine faculty.
  • Current list of OB & GYN procedural numbers.
  • Picture
Application deadline is September 1st. Interviews will be offered at the end of September through the beginning of October. The fellow will be selected by the end of October. Send applications to: Family Medicine Residency of Idaho Attention: Obstetrics Fellowship Director 777 N. Raymond Boise, Idaho 83704 Please e-mail any inquiries regarding the fellowship to Rhonda Prudhomme at Rhonda.Prudhomme@fmridaho.org

Curriculum

General Overview:

  • Fellowship is divided into 13 four week blocks matching the residency schedule.
  • Fellow starts in Block 2 (approximately the end of July) and finishes at end of Block 1 of the following academic year.
  • Eleven of the 13 blocks are focused on surgical and high-risk OB (see template below).
  • There are two non-call blocks out of the 13. This allows the fellow to develop additional skills of his/her choosing.
    • Examples could include: NICU, gynecologic surgery, urology, general surgery, Planned Parenthood.
    • Fellow can still participate in the morning 0730 c/section during these blocks as available.
    • Call can be continued throughout this block depending on the elective.
    • Clinics, both MFM Continuity and FM Continuity, would continue with slightly more FM Continuity clinic, averaging 3 sessions/week.

Goals for the Fellowship:

  • Learn the surgical skills of cesarean delivery and post-operative management.
  • Gain further knowledge in assisted vaginal delivery.
  • Gain knowledge in high risk pregnancy management: antepartum, intrapartum, post-partum.
  • Assist with labor management, both normal and abnormal, in order to know when to go to c-section.
  • Obtain techniques to perform OB Ultrasound through all stages of pregnancy.
  • Gain knowledge regarding opiate abuse in pregnancy
  • Increase obstetrical knowledge through a reading schedule.
  • Maintain Family Medicine skills through participation in continuity clinic.

Objectives for the Fellowship:

  • Perform 100-150 c/s.
  • Participate in as many vaginal deliveries as allowable throughout the year.
  • Follow high risk patients daily, either on antepartum or from admission through delivery and then postpartum.
  • Follow laboring patients while on call.
  • Participate in MFM US clinic at least once/block and take a qualified US course, preferably at the beginning of the year.
  • Attend, participate in, and eventually precept the Yellow Risk/Substance Abuse in Pregnancy Clinic held at FMRI
  • Follow a structured reading plan during the year, which includes up to date articles from OB/GYN Journals, textbooks including Gabbe and Williams, and review of ACOG Compendium.
  • Assist with teaching the annual FMRI ALSO course in March and/or June.
  • Follow a continuity panel of FM patients on a weekly basis.
  • Give a large audience Grand Rounds lecture toward the end of the year.
  • Participate and assist in quarterly OB Journal Club.
  • Participate in morning OB lecture series and afternoon teaching sessions for the residents when able.

 Typical OB Fellow Four Week Block Schedule:

Week 1:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s    0730 c/s       
AM   FMRI clinic      (10am start)  Day Call Off UltrasoundClinic*  24hr call  Post call   round  
PM   MFM Conti      Clinic  Day Call  (off at 10pm)  Yellow Risk   Clinic  FMRI clinic  24hr call    

Week 2:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s    0730 c/s    0730 c/s    
AM  FMRI clinic   (10am start)  24hr call  Off  MFM/Genetics  Round  
PM  MFM Conti   Clinic  24hr call  Off  FMRI clinic  FMRI clinic    

Week 3:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s    0730 c/s      
AM  FMRI clinic   (10am start)  Day Call  Off  Admin/Research  24hr call  Post call   round  
PM  MFM Conti   Clinic  Day Call (off at 10pm)  Yellow Risk   Clinic  FMRI clinic  24hr call    

Week 4:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s    0730 c/s   0730 c/s    
AM  FMRI clinic   (10am start)  Day Call  Off  24hr Call  Round,   then off
PM  MFM Conti   Clinic  Day Call (off at 10pm)  Yellow Risk   Clinic  24hr Call  Off    
Ultrasound Clinic*During elective month or if US clinic not busy, then fellow could schedule themselves with Planned Parenthood to participate and learn LEEPs, colposcopy, or D&C.

Typical Call Shift:

0530 (approximately): round on postpartum, prep for daily c-sections.
  •  Check main OR schedule for potential hysterectomies, D&Cs, etc. to participate in if downtime from L&D and c-sections.
0700: multidisciplinary signout near L&D.
  •  Includes laborists, MFM, resident OB team, L&D Charge Nurse, and anesthesia.
  • Goal to obtain updates on overnight events and general schedule for the day.
0730: participate in first c-section of the morning.
  • During the day: monitor L&D board, check in on MFM antepartum patients likely to go to C-section, finish rounding if needed, assist laborist as “senior” on call would if the senior is busy.
Evening/night: manage labor, participate in c-sections when able, assist laborist on call (admitting MFM pts, triage pts, etc), catch up on reading.
  • If Day Call, wrap up any final work and leave by 10:00 PM
0530 second morning: start rounding, check main OR schedule for possible, D&Cs, etc.
  •  Note: this is not a requirement, but if able and interested, fellow may participate in these surgeries.
0700: multidisciplinary sign-out near L&D. 0730: post call c-section. Go home when done with operating, rounding, completing residual tasks from call night.

 CME/Conferences:

  • $3500
  • Required conferences:
    • OB US course
    • Idaho Perinatal Project in March or April.
  • Three additional days for CME allowed to use at your discretion.
  • Advance Life Support in Obstetrics as a teacher in March or June.

Vacation:

  • 15 days plus birthday compensated as appropriate.

Compensation:

  • Salary: $76,508.00
  • Standard benefit package through FMRI

Training Facility

Family Medicine Health Center

Our Family Medicine Residency training program is dedicated to becoming your patient centered medical home.  We provide excellent patient care along with offering superb clinical training for medical residents who are becoming Family Medicine Physicians.  At FMHC you will be cared for by a medical team consisting of a physician and a resident physician who will be your primary care providers in conjunction with a mid-level provider (PA, NP, and CNM).  Our physicians, family medicine residents, and mid-levels provide outstanding care to our patients.

St. Luke’s Medical Center Boise Campus

For more than 100 years, St. Luke’s Medical Center Boise Campus has been committed to serving the needs of a growing region. Founded in 1902 as a six-bed frontier hospital, St. Luke’s Boise is now Idaho’s largest health care provider, and the flagship hospital of St. Luke’s Health System.

St. Luke’s Boise is known for its centers of excellence in cancer, heart, and women’s and children’s care. Among our many services, we are home to St. Luke’s Heart, St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute’s largest clinic, St. Luke’s Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, and St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, the only children’s hospital in Idaho.

Known for its clinical excellence, St. Luke’s Boise has been nationally recognized for quality and patient safety, and is proud to be designated a Magnet hospital, the gold standard for nursing care.

Visit Website

Faculty

Jennifer Cook, MD

OB Fellowship Director

Dr. Jennifer Cook grew up in Boise, Idaho, and then moved east for schooling, attending Johns Hopkins University for undergraduate and Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina for medical school. After a quick consideration of going into Orthopedics, she regained her senses and matched into the Family Medicine Residency at Phoenix Baptist Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, where she served as Chief Resident from 2003-04. She then moved closer to home, completing an OB Fellowship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA. After joining the faculty at Swedish Family Medicine, Cherry Hill for a short time, she headed down to New Zealand, where she practiced as a GP in a nationalized health care system, traveled as much of the sheep laden countryside as possible, and picked up a wonderful kiwi souvenir, her husband, Jason. After three years she decided it was time to come home to Boise and joined the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho in January of 2009. Her curricular area of interest is the obstetrics experience, along with directing the OB Fellowship. Additionally, she moved into the Associate Program Director role in February 2017, assisting Dr. Justin Glass oversee the educational experience as a whole for the residency. During her free time she enjoys going to the park with her three kids, Lily, Wylie, and Ella, movies with her husband, aerobic exhaustion of many varieties, and knitting anything possible.

Suzanne M. Anstine, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Suzanne Anstine, MD is a laborist with St. Luke’s Labor and Delivery. Dr. Anstine has cared for women for many years in a general obstetrics and gynecology practice at St. Luke’s in Boise. She has special interest in high-risk obstetrics and enjoys working with resident physicians. Medical School: Loma Linda University Residency: Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Clarence W. Blea, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Blea is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. His interests include the effect of periconceptual maternal health as a window to gestational, neonatal and maternal health and well-being. He earned his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Blea is fluent in Spanish.

Kylie Cooper, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Cooper is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.She has interests in birth defects, genetic conditions and abnormal placentation. She is passionate about women’s health advocacy and believes in a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth. She earned her medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Vermont.

Mark A. Curry, DO

Obstetrics and Genecology

Dr. Mark Curry is a laborist. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. After completing his OB/GYN residency, Dr. Curry entered private practice in Kansas City, MO. He developed interests in infertility and advanced minimally invasive surgery with a recent emphasis on robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery. He also served as clinical associate professor and clinical lecturer at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences Residency: Henry Ford Hospital Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Richard M. Lee, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Lee is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He has interests in preterm delivery, recurrent pregnancy loss, antiphospholipid syndrome and thrombophilias. He earned his medical degree from the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Utah and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is fluent in Spanish.

Susan M. Marzolf, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Susan Marzolf, MD is a laborist. Dr. Marzolf has career interest in academics, research, and women’s healthcare in low-resource settings. After working as an OB-GYN in Boise and at Mayo Clinic’s Campus in Arizona, she earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington’s Department of Global Health. Since 2009, she has worked primarily in Eritrea, East Africa, to develop and implement post-graduate medical education for local physicians, and to provide emergency obstetrical care in African countries with high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. She is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Medical School: University of Wisconsin Medical School Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lauren Miller, MD, MPH

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Miller is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has interests in optimizing women’s health prior to conception, caring for pregnant women after bariatric surgery, and managing substance use disorders during pregnancy. She earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital and her fellowship at the University of Rochester – Strong Memorial Hospital.

Stacy T. Seyb, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Seyb is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He currently serves as executive physician leader for St. Luke’s Health System Women’s Health Board. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his obstetrical residency at the University of Colorado and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Northwestern University.

Marietta I.B. Thompson, MD

Obstetrics and Genecology

Marietta Thompson, MD is a laborist. She has practiced with The Woman’s Clinic in Boise and has served as OB-GYN faculty for Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. Medical School: University of Utah Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Darin L. Weyhrich, MD

Obstetrics and Genecology

Darin Weyhrich, MD is a laborist and is Idaho’s state chairman for the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is in private practice. Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Residency: University of Washington School of Medicine Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Cyndi Hayes, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Cyndi Hayes grew up in Meridian, Idaho and then attended Stanford University, majoring in Human Biology.  She went to the University of Washington School of Medicine as an Idaho WWAMI student and then completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Union Memorial Hospital and Franklin Square Hospital Center in Baltimore, Maryland before returning to Boise.  She was in private practice in Meridian before joining the FMRI faculty in 2008.  In 2013, she became an OB Hospitalist for St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center where she enjoys teaching the residents and high-risk obstetrics.

Current & Past Fellows

Scott Hippe, MD

2019-2020

Hello, my name is Scott and I’m doing an OB fellowship at FMRI for the 2019-2020 year. I joined the FMRI as an incoming resident in 2016 and am very excited to continue my training here in Boise for a “victory lap” year. By victory lap, I mean another year of low pay and hard work. I’ve had to convince people I’m doing this voluntarily—some friends and family members jokingly assume it’s all a guise to cover up the fact that bad grades are finally catching up to me. But seriously, I am fired up about the practice of broad scope family medicine. I’ve been planning to practice rurally in the northwest for a long time now, and it is eerie to be nearing the end of training. Have I found a job yet? No way, that would be far too responsible.

My wife and I have had a wonderful time calling Boise home. We are regularly out on the foothill trails that start a few blocks from our house running, biking, and otherwise placating our indefatigable dog, Chicha. Have you ever read “indefatigable” in a resident bio? Note it doesn’t refer to myself, rather to my dog. When not working or spending time in the outdoors I entertain (very) amateur ambitions with writing and also playing bass guitar in the residency band “Todd Palmer and the Post-void Residuals.” I grew up in western Washington state in a town called Snohomish. A big chapter of life took place in Spokane, WA for undergrad and the first few years of medical school through the WWAMI program at the University of Washington. And after four years, another part of my soul has found itself here in Idaho. We’ll see who I can convince to give me a job after fellowship…

Robert Crouch, DO

2018-2019

Robbie is an Idaho native, born and raised in eastern Idaho near the Tetons. Summers were spent hiking, biking, backpacking, and camping near Driggs, and winters skiing at Grand Targhee. He studied microbiology with a minor in Spanish at Idaho State University in Pocatello. He left Idaho briefly for med school at Des Moines University, then came back for residency with the FMRI Magic Valley rural training track in Twin Falls, ID. He was brought back to Boise for OB fellowship with a goal of staying in Idaho, practicing in a low income clinic or rural area, continuing to practice broad spectrum family medicine.  He and his wife still spend their free time in the outdoors with their 2 dogs, but do appreciate the fun things Boise has to offer.

Tom Wonderlich, MD

2017-2018

Tom was born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho. He went to college at Gonzaga University where he studied biology. He worked for the Forest Service during the summers in Stanley, Idaho with the trail crew and later as a botany tech. After graduating,  he joined the Peace Corps for 2 years with the health and sanitation project in Paraguay. Afterwards, he attended Tulane School of Medicine in Louisiana; where he discovered his love for rural medicine, Cajun food, and the culture. He completed his family medicine residency at McKay Dee in Ogden, Utah where he developed a passion for obstetric care. He then went to Family Medicine Residency of Idaho and completed the Primary Care Obstetrics Fellowship. He is now working in Nome, Alaska, a small town in the North West accessible only by plane, at an IHS hospital providing full spectrum care including obstetrics, ED, inpatient, and endoscopy. He enjoys gardening, cooking, biking, hiking, hunting, and fishing.

Stephanie McCullough, MD

Core FM Faculty (Outpt, Inpt, Operative OB) in Bangor, ME 2015-2016

Stephanie is from Brooksville, FL, a small town just north of Tampa. She attended the University of South Florida for undergrad (Go Bulls!), where she majored in Biology. She married her brilliant and totally hilarious husband, Brian, in 2008 just prior to beginning medical school at the University of Florida. There, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Society and served as a student director for the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. She and Brian were drawn to the mountains of the Northwest and the friendly, open feel of Boise. She was an FMRI chief resident 2014-2015, received the Resident Teacher Award and Resident Researcher Award in 2015, and then became the first OB fellow in Boise.  She performed 175 primary c-sections and multiple other cases over her fellowship year.  She had abundant high risk OB experience partnering with our MFM team. After fellowship, Stephanie took a job working in a FQHC in Newport, TN doing full spectrum FM including operative OB. Stephanie currently holds a faculty position in Bangor, Maine.