INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana University School of Medicine is adjusting abortion training for future OBGYNs as a result of Indiana’s near-total abortion ban going into effect last month.
”It’s a recruitment nightmare,” former resident Dr. Beatrice Soderholm said.
Dr. Soderholm graduated from the school’s OB/GYN residency program just before the ban went into effect. She said she’s concerned the ban could keep future OB/GYNs from pursuing residency programs in the Hoosier State.
”That’s going to play into more of a recruitment aspect, even getting people to come here for training let alone, stay, choosing to stay for permanent practice,” Dr. Soderholm said.
Others agreed
“May we be less attractive to those medical students looking at residency? Yes, because they can’t get the training that they need,” Dr. Nicole Scott, IU School of Medicine’s residency program director, said.
Dr. Scott said abortion training is still a requirement to be an accredited OBGYN program.
”Some of that we can accomplish here with kind of the exceptions that are allowed within SEA 1, but not to the degree we were doing before SEA 1,” Dr. Scott said.
Dr. Scott said the school is sending residents to an out-of-state program twice a week for five weeks to obtain training no longer allowed in Indiana.
”It has so many logistical nightmares to accomplish this,” Dr. Scott said.
She said residents who participate in that training must also obtain a medical license in that state, which could take months to complete.
”I’m concerned that after they practiced in an environment that has this law they will choose to go somewhere that is more friendly,” Dr. Soderholm said.
