UNC Health creates 1st-of-a-kind fellowship program

UNC Health has created an obstetrics and gynecology fellowship program to improve access to high quality maternal care and improve outcomes for patients in rural North Carolina.

It is the nation’s first fellowship training program focused on rural women’s health, the Chapel Hill, N.C.-based system said in an Aug. 26 news release. The two-year program will train physicians out of UNC Health Rockingham in Eden and UNC Health Lenoir in Kinston, which both serve rural counties.

The program comes amid a persistent maternal health crisis in the U.S., where maternal mortality rates are higher than in other developed countries and significant disparities exist by race and geography. Rural communities face particularly acute challenges, with fewer obstetric providers and longer travel times for care contributing to higher risks for complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

“Early and regular prenatal care is critical for reducing the risks of pregnancy and birth complications,” Kavita Arora, MD, director of the new fellowship, said in a statement. “More than half of the women in rural North Carolina live more than 30 minutes away from a birthing hospital. That’s more than twice the distance compared to urban areas in the state. Our new OBGYN fellowship is a big step in the right direction to close that gap.”

Program participants will split their time evenly between providing hands-on patient care and non-clinical education, such as projects focused on career development and leadership in rural healthcare. 

The health system is accepting applications for the new program. 

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