Survival of departments of obstetrics and gynecology: ten points for Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics action in the 1980s.

Major changes have occurred in medicine during the past few years: the number of medical students who graduate per year has recently doubled, the federal government pays a significant portion of health care costs, and the body of scientific information is expanding logarithmically. The changes which will occur during the next 10 to 15 years will be equally dramatic, and in order for our specialty to increase its presence and position in medicine, it needs to begin to consider these changes and take actions to capitalize on them. Four areas of change were singled out and discussed in terms of their significance and possible plans of action to address them. The four include the increased numbers of women in obstetrics and gynecology, the demand for departments to generate more practice income, the reduced support for research, and the large numbers of physicians being trained in obstetrics and gynecology. Ten places for action by academic departments of obstetrics and gynecology were outlined, and these are listed in Table III. Continued review of the past and the present will allow us to be prepared for the future.