4-8 years                     Janaury or July

The course of study for DM will be a minimum of four years from the date of entry and is divided into two parts. The first part (Part I) is of one year’s duration and admission to the second part depends upon satisfactory performance in the Part I examination at the end of this period. The second part (Part II) is of three years duration and may include a period of six months in a related discipline or in an approved hospital or institution provided that approval has been obtained from the Specialty Board beforehand. At least three years of the course must be spent in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Throughout the course, the student must hold recognized posts in accredited hospitals or be on an “Elective” approved by the Specialty Board.

Assessment

• Students will be assessed (by observation, orally or in writing) at the end of each rotation and the assessment will be recorded on prescribed forms. A satisfactory standard of in-course assessments is mandatory prior to taking the Part I and Part II examinations.
• Entry to Part II is dependent on satisfactory completion of the Part I.

Portfolio/Clinical Research Project

All students must submit to the Specialty Board or Director of the Postgraduate programme at least six months before the final (Part II) Examination: 

a) A Portfolio consisting of at least twenty cases (ten Obstetrical and ten G ynaecological). Students are advised to discuss the preparation of case records and commentaries with their consultant or supervisor, while the portfolio is in preparation. The portfolio should also contain but is not limited to, critical reflections, Workplace based Assessments and all evaluations received during the course of the postgraduate programme. From these records, the examiners will assess the critical faculties of candidates, their powers of observation and their evaluation of various methods of treatment.

AND

b) A Book consisting of Two major Clinical Research Projects limited to 5,000 words each. The Clinical Research Projects should be based on a Clinical Research approved by the student’s supervisor and must include references to the literature. Students are advised to discuss the preparation of the Clinical Research Project with their consultant or supervisor, while the book is in preparation and not wait until it is complete. The Clinical Research Projects offer students the opportunity to study in detail, conditions of their own choice and to express views formed from personal investigation and on a study of the literature. The Clinical Research Projects allow for work on clinical material within the department to be later developed into a publication.

OR

c) A research thesis. The alternative must have been previously agreed on by the Specialty Board and the work carried out under the guidance of a supervisor appointed by the Board.

Following the submission of the work, the examiners may:

d) accept the work, and the candidate proceed to the examination

or 

e) reject the work, and they will then outline what additional or new work is required and when the work should be resubmitted.

Examination

• Examinations are in two parts: Part I and Part II (Final). No candidate will be allowed more than two attempts at either examination.
• The Part I Examination is held after completing one year in the DM programme but no later than having completed two years in the programme and comprises:

a) Two written papers in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and related disciplines in the Basic Sciences.

b) Candidates must pass both written papers to be awarded a Pass.

• The Part II Examination consists of:
• Two written papers and a Structured Extended Oral Examination (SEOE) consisting of: -

a) A Section for Obstetrics & a Section for Gynaecology

b) Candidates must pass both written papers and both sections of the SEOE examination to be awarded a Pass.

• The Part II examination must be attempted for the first time, three (3) years after successfully completing the Part 1 examination but no later than four (4) years after successfully completing the Part 1 examination
• The Part II Examination must be taken within one year of the submission of the Clinical Research Project or case book.
• The Part II examination must be completed within 12 months of the first attempt.