California Offers a Lifeline for Medical Residents Who Can’t Find Abortion Training

KFF Health News (01/10/24) Udesky, Laurie

The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022 has made it difficult for medical residents to receive abortion training in many states. Such knowledge is essential for comprehensive OB-GYN training, most doctors believe, and they note abortion training is not only about ending pregnancies. Dilation and curettage is commonly used to terminate pregnancy; however, it is also used to treat heavy bleeding and other conditions, for example. A recently enacted law in California facilitates in-person training for out-of-state trainees, allowing them to receive up to 90 days of in-person training under the supervision of a physician licensed in the state. The law no longer requires a training license, and it now allows training through programs — such as Planned Parenthood — affiliated with accredited medical schools. "By allowing physician residents to come to California, where there are more opportunities for abortion training, and by allowing them to be reimbursed for this work, we're sending a message that abortion care is healthcare and an essential part of physician training," said Lisa Folberg, CEO of the California Academy of Family Physicians. The Ryan Residency Training Program in Abortion and Family Planning reports that with 18 states now restricting or banning abortions, approximately 20% of OB-GYN medical residents nationwide are essentially denied an opportunity to obtain abortion training. However, some residents in states with abortion restrictions cannot travel to states that do allow abortion training, as administrators for state-funded programs have expressed concern about the risk of potential litigation for residents if they do go elsewhere.

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