The Women’s Hospital

The Women’s Hospital is responsible for basic education in obstetrics and gynaecology organised by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Helsinki. The course on obstetrics and gynaecology is organised during the fifth year of studies. There are altogether five professors at the Women’s Hospital: one full-time Finnish-language professor, one part-time (35%) Finnish-language professor and one part-time (35%) Swedish-language professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, one part-time (35%) professor of reproductive medicine and one part-time (35%) professor of perinatology.

Basic education in medicine includes advanced studies, which can be completed at the Women’s Hospital in the form of a research project. A wide variety of research subjects are available from the various sub-fields of the discipline, such as gynaecological oncology, endocrinology, infections, reproductive medicine, perinatology and contraception. 

Presentations on research projects are given annually. To many students, the commencement of an advanced research project has served as an impetus to writing their doctoral dissertation.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology of the Helsinki University Hospital has two trainee positions for medical students / foreign medical graduates.  Medical students from University of Helsinki have a priority for all Helsinki University Hospital trainee positions. Faculty of medicine allocates these positions each fall and spring. During study periods Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology can only accept medical students from University of Helsinki for the trainee positions.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology may also accept medical students / foreign medical graduates outside of the study periods (May – August and December – January) in case there are unused positions.   However, the decision of accepting students from outside can only be made during late spring (April - May) or fall (November) once we know the number of medical students from the University of Helsinki willing to do a traineeship. A completed course in obstetrics & gynecology is a prerequisite for the trainee positions.  

Inquiries: University of Helsinki, Faculty of medicine, meilahti-student@helsinki.fi 

No less than six months of the specialist education must be completed at a surgery unit. On a case-to-case basis, six months of service completed in any clinical specialist field in medicine or as a researcher can be incorporated into the programme. It is recommended to complete the programme in the following departments: anaesthesiology and intensive care, paediatrics, general surgery, urology, and medical genetics. Specialist education is completed at the University hospital and training units approved by the Faculty with a valid training agreement.

After completing the programme, specialists in gynaecology and obstetrics must be proficient in

• Monitoring normal and abnormal pregnancies
• Providing care and intensive monitoring during normal and complicated deliveries
• Diagnosing and treating gynaecological disorders
• Conducting procedures and surgical operations mentioned in the log book

At each training unit, specialising physicians will be appointed a personal tutor with whom they will regularly assess their learning. An individual specialisation plan will be drafted for each specialising physician, in addition to which the specialisation programme coordinator will regularly evaluate their progress. Each specialising physician will keep a personal log book. The log book is a central tool of self-assessment in evaluating progress in the programme.

After graduation, specialists in gynaecology and obstetrics have an opportunity to complete two years of specific training in the following fields: reproductive medicine, perinatology, gynaecological oncology and urogynaecology.

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