Show Notes
Your pager goes off — the ED has a GYN consult. Now what? In this episode, we walk through exactly how to triage, evaluate, and staff a benign gynecology consult in the emergency department, from the moment you get the call to closing the loop with your team. Topics Covered:
Triage Procedures
Logistics: Know the ED layout — pelvic exam rooms, supply locations. Clinical Assessment: Determine hemodynamic stability, active bleeding, starting hemoglobin, and the consulting physician's level of concern. Hemodynamically Unstable Patients: Immediate bedside evaluation. Coordinate 2 IVs, Type and Screen/Cross, coags, bedside FAST exam, and NPO status for potential surgery. Hemodynamically Stable Patients: Chart check, review imaging (TVUS), read up on the differential (UpToDate, ACOG), and inform your senior team.
Patient Evaluation
Introduce the GYN team and provide context to the patient. Gather a full history: HPI, PMH/PSH/OB-GYN history, medications, allergies, social history, and barriers to follow-up. Prepare supplies for the physical exam (bed pans, speculums, swabs, cultures) and ensure proper lighting. Obtain necessary consents (including blood consents if relevant) before staffing.
Staffing the Consult
Stay organized — use your notes and outline the case. "Don't bury the lead" — start with a clear one-liner on assessment and disposition (medical management vs. surgical intervention).
Developing an Assessment and Plan
Own it — formulate an independent assessment and plan, not just a data report. Present reasonable management options (medical vs. surgical) to the attending. Place the patient on the team handoff list.
About the Speakers: Host: Lucy Brown, MD, MPH – Resident physician at Johns Hopkins GYN/OB. Dr. Brown is passionate about medical and resident education and will be pursuing a Fellowship in Complex Family Planning after residency. Guest Speaker: Jennifer Doorey, MD, MS – Academic Ob/Gyn at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As the founder of MedReady, Dr. Doorey seeks to advance clinical medical education by developing resources for medical students and clinical educators. Intern Ready: Ob/Gyn is a podcast aimed at interns and off-service residents beginning their post-graduate training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The views expressed are the speakers' own and do not constitute medical advice.
More from Intern Ready: Ob/Gyn
Your first vaginal delivery will probably happen when you’re pulled into a room mid-shift, with little time for chart review and a patient who is already pushing well. In this episode, Dr. Mahima Krishnamoorthi and Dr. Sonia Hamilton walk through what you need to know before delivery, how to communicate with your patient, how to deliver the baby and placenta safely, and how to identify and repair your first perineal laceration. Topics to Review Over Time:
Induction of labor now accounts for roughly 1 in 3 deliveries in the U.S., so as an intern you'll be part of inductions almost every shift, whether scheduled or a same-day plan from triage. In this episode, Dr. Veena Bhagavathi walks through who gets induced and why, how to use the Bishop score, the cervical ripening options, what to do once the cervix is favorable, and how long to wait before calling an induction "failed." Indications & Contraindications
Placing an IUD is one of the most common procedures you'll be asked to help with as an intern — and one of the easiest to feel unprepared for if you haven't reviewed the device differences ahead of time. In this episode, Dr. Lillian Chen breaks down the five IUDs you'll encounter, how their insertion mechanics differ, what changes in the postpartum and postabortion setting, and the high-yield points you're likely to be tested on. IUD Types at a Glance
Preeclampsia complicates roughly 10% of pregnancies and accounts for up to 9% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. — which makes it one of the highest-stakes diagnoses you'll manage as an intern. In this episode, Dr. Anna Jarvis walks through the hypertensive spectrum, how to get the diagnosis right, when to worry about severe features or HELLP syndrome, how to rule out the mimics, and how fast you need to move when things get acute. Resources:
Gynecologic oncology clinic can feel intimidating for a new intern — the patients are complex and the terminology is dense. In this episode, Dr. Liang breaks down the three visit types you'll encounter (new patient, chemo clearance, and surveillance), what to prechart, and what your role is as the resident in each one. Visit Type 1: New Patient Visits BEFORE CLINIC — PRECHARTING