Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become an Obstetrician or Gynecologist

Official title: Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Also called: GYN (Gynecologist), MD (Medical Doctor), OB (Obstetrician), OB/GYN (Obstetrician Gynecologist), OBGYN (Obstetrician and Gynecologist), OBGYN MD (Obstetrics Gynecology Medical Doctor), OBGYN Physician (Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician), Physician, Physician GYN (Physician Gynecologist), Physician OB (Physician Obstetrician)

Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system. May also provide general care to women. May perform both medical and gynecological surgery functions.

Main tasks

Treat diseases of female organs.
Care for and treat women during prenatal, natal, and postnatal periods.
Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
Perform cesarean sections or other surgical procedures as needed to preserve patients' health and deliver babies safely.
Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical histories, reports, or examination results.
Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
Prescribe or administer therapy, medication, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.

How to become one

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 49 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $292,910 a year The middle half earn $179,810 to $369,390.
About 22,800 people work in this job now, and about 23,200 are projected by 2035. (+1.7%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Obstetrician or Gynecologist?

How much does an Obstetrician or Gynecologist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $292,910 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $179,810 to $369,390.

Is an Obstetrician or Gynecologist a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 22,800 people now and 23,200 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Obstetrician or Gynecologist?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Obstetrician or Gynecologist?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.