Program Director's Welcome - Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in Ochsner’s Ob/Gyn residency program! I am very proud of our past and current residents and look forward to adding new faces to our Ochsner family.

Let me share our program’s AIM statement: “By investing 4 years in the Ochsner Ob/Gyn residency program, we are committed to producing competent, diverse physicians who have excellent clinical, surgical, and social skills to be leaders in Women’s Health and possess a solid knowledge base that ensures successful completion of the basic qualifying (written) and certifying (oral) board examination for Obstetrics and Gynecology who are also advocates for the diverse population that we serve.” We have built our program around this to align our educational offerings with our goals for each of our graduates.

This past academic year tested the resilience of program: a Category 4 hurricane (Ida), multiple waves of COVID and the evolving landscape of access to reproductive healthcare. . I am extremely proud of how our residents, faculty, and organization responded by coming together in a unified manner to support each other. Not only did we creatively find ways to help our patients, but we also made sure every member of Ochsner Community was supported and taken care of. This adversity has once again shown how this program will continue to provide excellent care to our patients while training excellent residents. As restrictions on reproductive healthcare access increase, the need for us to advocate for our patients' best interests has never been more paramount.

I am very aware of the angst that comes with virtual interviews and all the changes that have been happening with the match. I would like to share with you some information about our interview process to make it as transparent as possible. I will filter applicants based on USMLE step 1 pass/fail. We will have 2 different people holistically reviewing each application using a rubric. We do not require a second look, and to minimize bias, I will not individually meet with applicants who decide to come to visit New Orleans to get a feel for the city. While we appreciate thank you notes, they are not required and their presence (or absence) has no bearing on our final rank list. I hope this transparency helps to alleviate some of the anxiety surrounding interview season.

Like you, our goal is the right person for the right residency. We are looking for applicants that fit with our culture, values, and energy.

We work hard, but we play hard too. I am most proud of the camaraderie we have in our program! We are a family and strive to support each other in any way we can. And finally, we respect the resident’s opinions and seek their input in every aspect of our program. Many of our most popular program changes over the last 5 years (such as Wellness Fridays; a 24 hour, off-campus resident retreat; departmental graduation celebrations; holiday parties; and curriculum changes) were a direct result of resident suggestions for improvement.

Please look around our website to see the structure of our program and get a feel for the bond that is at the heart of our program.

I look forward to (virtually) meeting you!

Anna White, MD, FACOG
Program Director