Frequently Asked Questions

We have six resident spots to fill and do not expect that number to change in the near future. Last year, we received over 600 applications and invited ~50 applicants for interview. Those doing visiting rotations are interviewed during their rotation to limit the cost and time required for travel back during an already busy interview season. We anticipate the number of applications to increase every year. While we make adjustments to the number of interview slots each year, we cannot predict the exact number of slots for this upcoming year.

We are not looking for a particular person(a). As a community we value diversity, curiosity, and camaraderie. We continually seek new members—residents, fellows, and faculty—who will contribute to and enrich our community.

We do not send out extra interview offers. Everyone who gets an interview offer is guaranteed an interview slot. Slots, however, are filled on a first-come first-served basis, so applicants are not guaranteed the interview date of their choice. Exceptions to this policy may be considered in extenuating circumstances.

Yes, we offer select applicants whom we have interviewed the opportunity to return for a second look at our efforts towards expanding diversity and inclusion in our community. Neither receiving an invitation nor the ability to attend the second look day have any influence on an applicant’s ranking. The format of this day is subject to change annually.

Please contact our Residency Program Manager, Gloria King, at gking1@stanford.edu

Monday mornings are dedicated to grand rounds followed by didactics and simulation learning. This half-day is always protected; residents have no clinical duties during this time. Residents are not expected to attend teaching while on night float rotation or when they are post-call. All grand rounds and didactics are recorded.

Yes. At a minimum, every resident is expected to complete a research project with one of the departmental faculty members, or to initiate an independent project under the guidance of an affiliated department within the School of Medicine.  Each project is expected to be summarized in a report suitable for publication and is presented at the annual department Resident Research Day during the PGY3 year.

Each fall, residents meet with potential mentors from all OBGYN subspecialties as well as affiliated departments, such as anesthesia, during a dedicated research mentorship gathering. Residents who already have particular research questions/projects in mind are encouraged to reach out to faculty members; resident individual mentors can assist with identifying research mentors.

Apart from the research mentors described above, residents are matched to an individual mentor at the start of intern year. The individual mentor is the foundation on which mentorship is structured throughout residency: they help with adjusting to residency, identifying research mentors, offering career advice, and connecting you to others to further your interests. Each class also has a class mentor assigned who focuses on addressing concerns that their class have as well as planning regular wellness activities for their class.

Every year, residents present their research at national and international conferences. Residents are allotted 5 conference days per year, excusing them from clinical duties for presenting at conferences. Stanford also provides an annual $2,000 education stipend for use towards education expenses, such as conferences. Residents have even recently presented in Portugal, Brazil, and Japan!

We care for a diverse population. Our L&D patients comprise of those receiving care at Stanford as well as patients receiving prenatal care at San Mateo County Hospital. Our Gynecology division, particularly Gyn-Oncology, receive referrals from all over the state and surrounding states. We also spend some time training at the Veteran’s Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto and the private El Camino Hospital. Overall, approximately 40%  of the patients we see speak Spanish as their primary language.

There are a total of four 4-week elective rotations scheduled during residency to allow for residents to explore additional interests. Many residents use part of this time to participate in global health projects. In five years, residents have rotated in Switzerland, Rwanda, India, Cambodia, Guatemala, and Mexico. The Department’s GoFAR funding provides stipends for these experiences. Additionally, Stanford University runs a yearly “International Humanitarian Aid Skills Course” where residents are invited to help teach emergency obstetric skills to surgeons heading abroad.

This program is highly supportive of resident involvement in legislative advocacy. In addition to an advocacy curriculum integrated into Monday morning didactics, the intern class goes to Sacramento each spring to participate in ACOG’s State Lobby Day. Many residents use the foundational skills from the events and become national leaders in women’s health policy through writing op-eds, lobbying in Washington, DC, and even writing policy!

Each resident has 3 weeks of vacation, taken in 1 week blocks, per year. Each week is considered 5 days, but admin chiefs endeavor to give flanking weekends off whenever possible. In addition, each resident has 5 days off on either Thanksgiving or Christmas and they are off for 2-3 federal holidays every year.

There are several initiatives in place to promote wellness amongst our community. During every month with five Mondays, the fifth Monday morning is protected wellness time, which residents are encouraged to use as they wish. There is an annual wellness retreat in the fall, when attendings provide coverage for all residents to gather at an off-site location for 24 hours of fun and revelry. Jordan Chavez, LCSW is our department’s wellness champion; she regularly meets with each class to address any concerns or issues, and she is available to meet individually throughout the year. Our department also has a dedicated wellness budget, which the wellness chief(s) oversee; this is used for group activities as well as stocking a supply of snacks in our workroom.

Please visit our Diversity & Inclusion web page.

While the frequency of fellowship-bound residents changes every year, on average, half of residents pursue fellowship training. Our match rate over the past 10 years is 96% (1 did not match due to geographical restrictions), with >75% matching at their 1^st or 2^nd choice.

We have a diverse group of residents: Some of us want more kids during residency, some have more kids than we want sometimes, some are scared of kids. Some of us are partnered, some married, some single. Some of us still feel like we are in college while others feel ready to retire, and plenty in-between. Some of us spend our free days surfing or skiing, some spend them napping. We are all passionate and protective of our patients. We all support and celebrate each other daily. And most of all, we love what we do.

Those are the symbols of the houses in our residency. At the end of orientation each year, new interns are sorted into one of six houses: Douglas, OVIRA, O’Leary, Pfanennstiel, Pudendal, Ritkin. Your house members are your perennial sources of support, advice, and wellness during residency. There is also an annual House Cup to encourage a healthy dose of competitiveness throughout the year.

Nearly all interns live within 20 minutes of campus. In subsequent years, some residents venture further away, some as far as downtown San Francisco.

After considering all stipends and bonuses, we are some of the best compensated residents in the country. While maintaining a budget is advised for everyone, how you live in this area depends on your values and priorities. Some of us live by ourselves in single apartments/homes strictly with our resident income, while others live with their families or roommates. In short, while we live differently, we all live comfortably.