Choose quality over quantity.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)

The article describing our specialty's current difficulties in attracting qualified physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists task force convened to solve these problems is akin to the emperor wearing no clothes ("ACOG Task Force Determined to Revive Specialty," June 15, 2004, p. 21).

Ob.gyn. is a difficult, demanding field that requires commitment and time to learn and practice. The only way this will change is to divide the specialty into smaller groups such as prenatal practices, office gyn., ob. hospitalist, and gyn. surgery. Although this has been proposed, it is not economically feasible or desired by the public.

Residents today need to learn more than they did 20 years ago, but they are currently working fewer hours and seeing fewer patients per hour. The quality of the medical student entering the field is lower, as measured by the percentage of foreign medical graduates and class rank. One may surmise that if poorer candidates enter the field and are not trained as well, they will not be as able to meet the demands of the other ob.gyns. in the community: taking night call, performing surgery, paying liability insurance, and conforming to ...