Obstetricians care for women during and after childbirth.
Obstetricians specialize in childbirth, while gynecologists diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the female organs. However, the two careers sometimes overlap, as many gynecologists are qualified in obstetrics.
Obstetricians
Obstetricians treat women before, during and after pregnancy. They routinely deliver babies and carry out surgical procedures, such as caesarean sections, when necessary. They also advise women on diet, exercise and lifestyle, perform diagnostic scans, order tests, and analyze laboratory test results.
Gynecologists
Gynecologists diagnose and treat disorders and diseases of the female reproductive, genital, rectal and urinary organs. They routinely examine patients, perform scans using diagnostic imaging, and analyze laboratory test results. They prescribe medication, can advise on exercise and lifestyle changes, and carry out surgery to correct abnormalities or remove diseased organs when needed. Hysterectomies are routinely carried out by gynecologists
Career Development for Gynecologists
Some gynecologists choose to specialize in a particular field of gynaecological medicine, such as critical care medicine, fertility treatment or gynecologic oncology - caring for patients with cancer. Gynecologists often train in obstetrics, which qualifies them to treat women during pregnancy and childbirth. They typically care for women who have complicated or difficult pregnancies.
Training and Payscale
Gynecologists and obstetricians complete four years in medical school and one year of internship before embarking on four to six years of residency graduate education. The average salary for gynecologists and obstetricians in the U.S. is $250,343.
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