Choosing the right OB/GYN or family medicine doctor to deliver your baby takes some thought and research. The decision often comes down to word-of-mouth reviews, logistics, and a gut feeling.
Below are the Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask OB/GYNs and Family Medicine Doctors.
1. What Type of Practice are You In?
Here are the Most Common Types of Practices:
- Solo Practitioner:
- In this case, the OB/GYN (or the family medicine doctor) is the only provider in the practice.
- PediaTip: If the candidate is a solo practitioner, ask them who performs the deliveries when they’re unavailable. One person can’t possibly be “on call” all of the time, so there’s likely some degree of outsourcing.
- Small Group Practices:
- Small group practices have a few providers who rotate calls and divvy up the deliveries.
- Large Group Practices:
- A bunch of providers share the workload in these practices.
- Large group practices are often busy, but it can be easier to get an appointment (with at least one of the doctors) because there are so many providers.
PediaTip: It’s tempting to get attached to one practitioner in a large group practice and only want to see them for your prenatal visits. However, it’s best to rotate between the different providers because you never know who’s going to be on call when it’s “go time.”
Trust me, it’s better (and more civilized) to meet the doctor who delivers your baby during an office visit than when you’re in the throes of labor, hurling obscenities at your partner. Just sayin’!
2. Are You Board-Certified?
If the answer is “yes,” it means that your doctor has passed a grueling exam and is certified to practice medicine in their particular field (and location).
You can typically do a Google search to find out whether a doctor is board-certified.
3. How Long Have You Been in Practice? How Many Deliveries Have You Done? Do You Have a High-Risk Specialist that You Refer Patients to for Complicated Pregnancies?
It’s especially important to ask these questions if you see a family medicine doctor (particularly if you have a high-risk pregnancy).
Why? Because family medicine doctors don’t focus solely on obstetrics and, as a result, don’t typically get as much hands-on delivery experience as their OB/GYN counterparts.
4. Will I See You for All of My Visits? Will You Be the One to Deliver My Baby?
The answer to these questions often depends on the type of practice you go to (refer back to Question #1).
5. Do You Do Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) and Amniocentesis Procedures?
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and the “genetic” amniocentesis are diagnostic prenatal tests. Get Wise(r) about them (and other prenatal tests) here.
Note: Not all women need these tests, but it’s a plus if the candidate you’re interviewing does them.
6. How Does the On-Call System Work at Your Practice? How Do I Call You (or the Practice) If There’s an Emergency?
7. Does Your Practice Have Nurse Practitioners (“NPs”). If So, Will I See Them?
8. Where Will I Deliver My Baby (i.e. What Hospital are You Affiliated With)? Does the Hospital Have a NICU (a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
If a complication arises during your pregnancy, you’ll most likely need to see a high-risk specialist and deliver at a hospital with an in-house NICU.
9. Is the Hospital a Teaching Hospital (Will Medical Students & Residents Be Involved in My Care)?
10. Do You Accept My Health Insurance Plan?
Bonus Tips & Questions to Ask Yourself…
- Do You Like the Doctor’s Vibe? Are you a fan of the practitioner’s personality and their approach to prenatal care?
- Do You Have a Gender Preference? Consider whether the provider’s gender matters to you. If you go to a big practice, there will probably be at least one male doctor in the mix who could end up delivering your baby.
- Think About the Logistics: Pick a doctors that’s close by (if possible) since you’ll be seeing a lot of them.
The Bottom Line
Do your due diligence when choosing a healthcare provider for your pregnancy, but don’t stress about it too much. When it comes down to it, there are a lot of wonderful OB/GYNs and family medicine doctors out there.
