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OB

The Primary Care Obstetrics Fellowship is a 12-month post-residency program that provides specialty training in the areas of operative obstetrics, high risk maternity care, including substance abuse in pregnancy, combined with continued Family Medicine exposure. Specific training includes cesarean sections, operative vaginal deliveries, post-partum management, obstetrical ultrasound, and assisting with our organizations higher risk OB clinic. Additionally, the fellows will gain knowledge in high risk maternity care throughout the spectrum of pregnancy: antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum. This is integrated with a continued Family Medicine experience through clinic and precepting. Located primarily between St. Luke’s Hospital, Boise Campus, and the Full Circle Health (Full Circle Health), the fellow also has opportunities to work with some surrounding hospitals to enhance their operative skills.

The OB Fellows will have their continuity clinic based at our Idaho Street clinic located next to St. Luke’s Hospital Boise Campus.

Application

Two fellows will be selected each year. Applicants must have completed a 3-year ACGME accredited Family Medicine Residency and be board certified in Family Medicine. At this time, we are not able to sponsor visas for the fellowship. The fellowship year starts approximately the last week of July.  This varies by academic year. Please submit the following to apply:

  • A copy of your CV
  • Concise personal statement detailing the following:
    • Reasons for pursuing additional training in obstetrics, specifically surgical obstetrics.
    • Any previous experience with obstetrical care (both in residency and outside residency).
    • Future career goals.
  • Letter of support from your Program Director
  • Two additional letters of reference, preferably from Family Medicine faculty.
  • Current list of OB & GYN procedural numbers.
  • Picture

Application deadline is September 1st. Interviews will be offered at the end of September through the beginning of October. The fellows will be selected by the end of October.

Send applications to:

Full Circle Health
Attention: Obstetrics Fellowship Director
777 N. Raymond
Boise, Idaho 83704

Please e-mail any inquiries regarding the fellowship to Rhonda Prudhomme at Rhonda.Prudhomme@fmridaho.org

Curriculum

General Overview:

  • Fellowship is divided into 13 four week blocks matching the residency schedule.
  • Fellow starts in Block 2 (approximately the end of July) and finishes at end of Block 1 of the following academic year.
  • Eleven of the 13 blocks are focused on surgical and high-risk OB (see template below).
  • There are 8 weeks total of elective time split into 4 two-week experiences throughout the year.
    • This allows the fellow to develop additional skills of his/her choosing.
    • Examples could include: NICU, gynecologic surgery, urology, general surgery, Planned Parenthood, adult inpatient attending
      • Fellow can still participate in the morning 0730 c/section during these blocks as available.
      • Call can be continued throughout this block depending on the elective.
      • Clinics, both MFM Continuity and FM Continuity, would continue with slightly more FM Continuity clinic, averaging 3 sessions/wk.

Goals for the Fellowship:

  • Learn the surgical skills of cesarean delivery and post-operative management.
  • Gain further knowledge in assisted vaginal delivery.
  • Gain knowledge in high risk pregnancy management: antepartum, intrapartum, post-partum.
  • Assist with labor management, both normal and abnormal, in order to know when to go to c-section.
  • Obtain techniques to perform OB Ultrasound through all stages of pregnancy.
  • Increase obstetrical knowledge through a reading schedule.
  • Maintain Family Medicine skills through participation in continuity clinic.

Objectives for the Fellowship:

  • Perform 100-150 c/s.
  • Participate in as many vaginal deliveries as allowable throughout the year.
  • Follow high risk patients daily, either on antepartum or from admission through delivery and then postpartum.
  • Follow laboring patients while on call.
  • Participate in MFM US clinic twice/block and take a qualified US course, preferably at the beginning of the year.
  • Follow a structured reading plan during the year, which includes up to date articles from OB/GYN Journals, textbooks including Gabbe and Williams, and review of ACOG Compendium.
  • Assist with teaching the annual Full Circle Health ALSO course in April and June.
  • Follow a continuity panel of FM patients on a weekly basis.
  • Give a Grand Rounds type lecture to a large medical audience toward the end of the year
  • Participate and assist in quarterly OB Journal Club.
  • Participate in morning OB lecture series and afternoon teaching sessions for the residents when able.

 Typical OB Fellow 4-Week Block Schedule:

One fellow starts on week 1 of the schedule while the other fellow starts on week 3 and each works sequentially through the 4-week schedule.

Week 1:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM MFM Attg Service/Call  MFM Attg Service  MFM Attg Service  MFM Service/Call  MFM Attg Service  MFM Attg Service  
PM Call (end at 10pm) Full Circle Health clinic  Yellow Risk   Clinic  Call (end at 10pm) Full Circle Health clinic    

 

Week 2:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM  MFM Attg Service/Call (24hr)  MFM Attg Service MFM Attg Service MFM Attg Service MFM Attg Service MFM Attg Service/Post-call round  
PM  Call (24hr)  Post-call Full Circle Health clinic  Full Circle Health clinic  Call (24hr)    

 

Week 3:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s  0730 c/s  0730 c/s  0730 c/s  0730 c/s    
AM  Full Circle Health clinic   (1030am start)  Call  Off

 US/Genetics/
Admin/Research

 Call (24hr)  Post call   round  
PM  MFM Conti   Clinic  Call (off at 10pm)

 Full Circle Health clinic

 Full Circle Health clinic  Call (24hr)    

 

Week 4:

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
   0730 c/s  0730 c/s  0730 c/s  0730 c/s   0730 c/s    
AM  Full Circle Health clinic   (1030am start)  Call  Off  Call (24hr)  Round,   then off  Off  Off
PM  MFM Conti   Clinic  Call (off at 10pm)  Yellow Risk   Clinic  Call (24hr)  Off    

Typical Call Shift:

0530 (approximately): round on postpartum, prep for daily c-sections.

  •  Check main OR schedule for potential hysterectomies, D&Cs, etc. to participate in if downtime from L&D and c-sections.

0700: multidisciplinary signout near L&D.

  •  Includes laborists, MFM, resident OB team, L&D Charge Nurse, and anesthesia.
  • Goal to obtain updates on overnight events and general schedule for the day.

0730: participate in first c-section of the morning.

  • During the day: monitor L&D board, check in on MFM antepartum patients likely to go to C-section, finish rounding if needed, assist laborist as “senior” on call would if the senior is busy.

0800: participate in Huddle on L&D if available.

During the day: monitor L&D board, check in on MFM antepartum patients likely to go to C-section, finish rounding if needed, assist

  • laborist as “senior” on call would if the senior is busy

Evening/night: manage labor, participate in c-sections when able, assist laborist on call (admitting MFM pts, triage pts, etc), catch up on reading.

  • If Day Call, wrap up any final work and leave by 10:00 PM

0530 second morning: start rounding, check main OR schedule for possible, D&Cs, etc.

  •  Note: this is not a requirement, but if able and interested, fellow may participate in these surgeries.

0700: multidisciplinary sign-out near L&D. 0730: post call c-section. Go home when done with operating, rounding, completing residual tasks from call night.

0730: post call c-section

Go home when done with operating, rounding, completing residual tasks from call night.

 CME/Conferences:

  • $3500
  • Required conferences:
    • Advanced OB US course
    • Idaho Perinatal Project in January
    • ALSO Instructor Course
  • Three additional days for CME allowed to use at your discretion.

Vacation:

  • 15 days plus birthday compensated as appropriate.

Compensation:

  • Salary: $77,475.00
  • Standard benefit package through Full Circle Health

Training Facility

Full Circle Health – Idaho Street Clinic

Our Idaho Street Clinic is located near St. Luke’s Health System’s downtown Boise hospital. We love taking care of families, and provide a variety of services, including general family practice, pediatrics, and counseling. We also have multiple specialty clinics, which focus on obstetrics, pediatrics, gynecology, allergy, and musculoskeletal pain/Fascial Distortion Model. We house four full-time resident physicians, four family medicine faculty, and pediatric faculty physicians, along with an OB fellow, social worker, and dietitian. We also host multiple visiting physicians of various specialties to enhance learning for residents and provide optimal care for our patients.

Full Circle Health – Raymond Clinic

The Raymond clinic has been the home location of our residency since 1983. All interns spend their first year as Raymond providers, and 6 upper level residents in each class also stay there for their full 3 years of residency.  Raymond is divided into three clinical teams by hallway as part of our PCMH initiative and is our largest clinic.   Patient mix is broad and exciting.   Procedural support is strong at this clinic and it houses many specialty clinics including sports medicine, rheumatology, and dermatology.  All our colonoscopies and EGDs are done here. Although it is an older clinic, it underwent significant remodeling in the last few years. Attending support is a mix of core residency faculty and part-time community preceptors.  This clinic offers a vibrant mix of patients and learning options.

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St. Luke’s Medical Center Boise Campus

For more than 100 years, St. Luke’s Medical Center Boise Campus has been committed to serving the needs of a growing region. Founded in 1902 as a six-bed frontier hospital, St. Luke’s Boise is now Idaho’s largest health care provider, and the flagship hospital of St. Luke’s Health System.

St. Luke’s Boise is known for its centers of excellence in cancer, heart, and women’s and children’s care. Among our many services, we are home to St. Luke’s Heart, St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute’s largest clinic, St. Luke’s Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, and St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, the only children’s hospital in Idaho.

Known for its clinical excellence, St. Luke’s Boise has been nationally recognized for quality and patient safety, and is proud to be designated a Magnet hospital, the gold standard for nursing care.

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Faculty

Jennifer Cook, MD

OB Fellowship Director

Dr. Jennifer Cook grew up in Boise, Idaho, and then moved east for schooling, attending Johns Hopkins University for undergraduate and Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina for medical school. After a quick consideration of going into Orthopedics, she regained her senses and matched into the Family Medicine Residency at Phoenix Baptist Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, where she served as Chief Resident from 2003-04. She then moved closer to home, completing an OB Fellowship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA. After joining the faculty at Swedish Family Medicine, Cherry Hill for a short time, she headed down to New Zealand, where she practiced as a GP in a nationalized health care system, traveled as much of the sheep laden countryside as possible, and picked up a wonderful kiwi souvenir, her husband, Jason.

After three years she decided it was time to come home to Boise and joined the Full Circle Health in January of 2009. Her curricular area of interest is the obstetrics experience, inclusive of directing the OB Fellowship. She moved into the Associate Program Director role in February 2017, assisting  Dr. Abby Davids and Dr. Justin Glass oversee the educational experience as a whole for the residency. During her free time she enjoys going to the park with her three kids, political disputes with her husband, aerobic exhaustion of many varieties, and knitting anything possible.

Suzanne M. Anstine, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Suzanne Anstine, MD is a laborist with St. Luke’s Labor and Delivery. Dr. Anstine has cared for women for many years in a general obstetrics and gynecology practice at St. Luke’s in Boise. She has special interest in high-risk obstetrics and enjoys working with resident physicians. Medical School: Loma Linda University Residency: Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Clarence W. Blea, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Blea is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. His interests include the effect of periconceptual maternal health as a window to gestational, neonatal and maternal health and well-being. He earned his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Blea is fluent in Spanish.

Kylie Cooper, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Cooper is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.She has interests in birth defects, genetic conditions and abnormal placentation. She is passionate about women’s health advocacy and believes in a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth. She earned her medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Vermont.

Mark A. Curry, DO

Obstetrics and Genecology

Dr. Mark Curry is a laborist. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. After completing his OB/GYN residency, Dr. Curry entered private practice in Kansas City, MO. He developed interests in infertility and advanced minimally invasive surgery with a recent emphasis on robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery. He also served as clinical associate professor and clinical lecturer at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences Residency: Henry Ford Hospital Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Joe Jones, MD

OB Hospitalist

Joe Jones, MD is a laborist at St. Luke’s Boise. Dr. Jones holds a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and attended the post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at Goucher college in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied medicine at Tulane University and completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to joining the St. Luke’s team, Dr. Jones’ role as a medical director involved launching several OB hospitalist programs nationwide. His other main career focus is in minimally invasive and robotic assisted GYN surgical device innovation. Dr. Jones is passionate about resident education, and in addition to duties at Full Circle Health holds a Clinical Instructor appointment in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Riverside.

Richard M. Lee, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Lee is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He has interests in preterm delivery, recurrent pregnancy loss, antiphospholipid syndrome and thrombophilias. He earned his medical degree from the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Utah and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is fluent in Spanish.

Susan M. Marzolf, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Susan Marzolf, MD is a laborist. Dr. Marzolf has career interest in academics, research, and women’s healthcare in low-resource settings. After working as an OB-GYN in Boise and at Mayo Clinic’s Campus in Arizona, she earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington’s Department of Global Health. Since 2009, she has worked primarily in Eritrea, East Africa, to develop and implement post-graduate medical education for local physicians, and to provide emergency obstetrical care in African countries with high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. She is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Medical School: University of Wisconsin Medical School Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lauren Miller, MD, MPH

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Miller is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has interests in optimizing women’s health prior to conception, caring for pregnant women after bariatric surgery, and managing substance use disorders during pregnancy. She earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital and her fellowship at the University of Rochester – Strong Memorial Hospital.

Stacy T. Seyb, MD

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr. Seyb is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine, a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He currently serves as executive physician leader for St. Luke’s Health System Women’s Health Board. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his obstetrical residency at the University of Colorado and his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Northwestern University.

Marietta I.B. Thompson, MD

Obstetrics and Genecology

Marietta Thompson, MD is a laborist. She has practiced with The Woman’s Clinic in Boise and has served as OB-GYN faculty for Full Circle Health. Medical School: University of Utah Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Darin L. Weyhrich, MD

Obstetrics and Genecology

Darin Weyhrich, MD is a laborist and is Idaho’s state chairman for the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is in private practice. Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Residency: University of Washington School of Medicine Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Cyndi Hayes, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Hayes grew up in Meridian, Idaho and then attended Stanford University, majoring in Human Biology.  She went to the University of Washington School of Medicine as an Idaho WWAMI student and then completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Union Memorial Hospital and Franklin Square Hospital Center in Baltimore, Maryland before returning to Boise.  She was in private practice in Meridian before joining the Full Circle Health faculty in 2008.  In 2013, she became an OB Hospitalist for St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center where she enjoys teaching the residents and high-risk obstetrics.

Current and Past Fellows

Ashwin Chandra, DO

2022-2023

Dr. Ashwin Chandra, DO has completed his Family Medicine Residency at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon VA.  He graduated from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.  Dr. Chandra has been interested in OB since he applied to residency. He is excited to practice in a rural setting and provide full spectrum family medicine to underserved and underrepresented communities. He is pursuing a fellowship in surgical obstetrics to provide more for his patients.   

Caroline Flowers, MD

2022-2023

Dr. Caroline Flowers, MD completed her residency at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.  She graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School with a Doctorate of Medicine.  Dr. Flowers has a special interest in providing health care to women.  She sees the need for high-risk obstetrical training and surgical obstetrics in rural areas and is very excited to continue her training through our OB fellowship. 

Nichole Aker, DO

OB Fellow 2021-2022

Nicky was born in Salem, Oregon where she lived until she was 10 years old. From the ages of 10-16 she lived in China and spent some time in Japan and Chile as well before returning to Oregon. She graduated from Portland State University where she continued her studies in Mandarin and then went on to attend medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Lebanon, Oregon. Before medical school, Nicky worked as a residential treatment counselor for pregnant and parenting teen mothers. She also volunteered her time at a local hospital as a birth doula. Within family medicine, Nicky is particularly interested in women’s health as well as endoscopy and vasectomy.  

In her free time, she enjoys socializing, traveling, skiing with her husband and kids, and singing to herself and to anyone around. 

After fellowship, Nicky and her family will move to Mountain Home, Idaho where she will practice full spectrum family medicine. 

Katie Bressler, MD

2021-2022

Katie is originally from Duluth, Minnesota, where she also completed her family medicine residency. Prior to medical school, she studied abroad in Ecuador, where she interned at a public maternity hospital. She completed medical school at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. In addition to obstetrics, Katie has a passion for rural family medicine, health equity, LGBTQ+ care (including transgender medicine), women’s health, and office-based procedures. 

In her free time, Katie loves exploring the Boise area and greater Idaho with her husband, Patrick, and their much-loved rescue dog, Rebel. Regular weekend activities include camping in the surrounding national forests, trail running, biking, paddle sports, and lounging in a hammock with a good book. 

After fellowship, Katie is excited practice in rural western Minnesota in the town of Fergus Falls, where she will be practicing family medicine with obstetrics. 

Elena Phoutrides, MD

2020-2021

Coming Soon…

Scott Hippe, MD

2019-2020

Hello, my name is Scott and I’m doing an OB fellowship at Full Circle Health for the 2019-2020 year. I joined the Full Circle Health as an incoming resident in 2016 and am very excited to continue my training here in Boise for a “victory lap” year. By victory lap, I mean another year of low pay and hard work. I’ve had to convince people I’m doing this voluntarily—some friends and family members jokingly assume it’s all a guise to cover up the fact that bad grades are finally catching up to me. But seriously, I am fired up about the practice of broad scope family medicine. I’ve been planning to practice rurally in the northwest for a long time now, and it is eerie to be nearing the end of training. Have I found a job yet? No way, that would be far too responsible.

My wife and I have had a wonderful time calling Boise home. We are regularly out on the foothill trails that start a few blocks from our house running, biking, and otherwise placating our indefatigable dog, Chicha. Have you ever read “indefatigable” in a resident bio? Note it doesn’t refer to myself, rather to my dog. When not working or spending time in the outdoors I entertain (very) amateur ambitions with writing and also playing bass guitar in the residency band “Todd Palmer and the Post-void Residuals.” I grew up in western Washington state in a town called Snohomish. A big chapter of life took place in Spokane, WA for undergrad and the first few years of medical school through the WWAMI program at the University of Washington. And after four years, another part of my soul has found itself here in Idaho. We’ll see who I can convince to give me a job after fellowship…

Robert Crouch, DO

2018-2019

Robbie is an Idaho native, born and raised in eastern Idaho near the Tetons. Summers were spent hiking, biking, backpacking, and camping near Driggs, and winters skiing at Grand Targhee. He studied microbiology with a minor in Spanish at Idaho State University in Pocatello. He left Idaho briefly for med school at Des Moines University, then came back for residency with the Full Circle Health Magic Valley rural training track in Twin Falls, ID. He was brought back to Boise for OB fellowship with a goal of staying in Idaho, practicing in a low income clinic or rural area, continuing to practice broad spectrum family medicine.  He and his wife still spend their free time in the outdoors with their 2 dogs, but do appreciate the fun things Boise has to offer.

Tom Wonderlich, MD

2017-2018

Tom was born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho. He went to college at Gonzaga University where he studied biology. He worked for the Forest Service during the summers in Stanley, Idaho with the trail crew and later as a botany tech. After graduating,  he joined the Peace Corps for 2 years with the health and sanitation project in Paraguay. Afterwards, he attended Tulane School of Medicine in Louisiana; where he discovered his love for rural medicine, Cajun food, and the culture. He completed his family medicine residency at McKay Dee in Ogden, Utah where he developed a passion for obstetric care. He then went to Full Circle Health and completed the Primary Care Obstetrics Fellowship. He is now working in Nome, Alaska, a small town in the North West accessible only by plane, at an IHS hospital providing full spectrum care including obstetrics, ED, inpatient, and endoscopy. He enjoys gardening, cooking, biking, hiking, hunting, and fishing.

Stephanie McCullough, MD

Core FM Faculty (Outpt, Inpt, Operative OB) in Bangor, ME 2015-2016

Stephanie is from Brooksville, FL, a small town just north of Tampa. She attended the University of South Florida for undergrad (Go Bulls!), where she majored in Biology. She married her brilliant and totally hilarious husband, Brian, in 2008 just prior to beginning medical school at the University of Florida. There, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Society and served as a student director for the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. She and Brian were drawn to the mountains of the Northwest and the friendly, open feel of Boise. She was an Full Circle Health chief resident 2014-2015, received the Resident Teacher Award and Resident Researcher Award in 2015, and then became the first OB fellow in Boise.  She performed 175 primary c-sections and multiple other cases over her fellowship year.  She had abundant high risk OB experience partnering with our MFM team. After fellowship, Stephanie took a job working in a FQHC in Newport, TN doing full spectrum FM including operative OB. Stephanie currently holds a faculty position in Bangor, Maine.