Trainee Testimonials
Family Medicine Resident in final year of training – going on to a fellowship
“I feel much more confident discussing and implementing/removing contraceptive devices. I also feel competent at surgical abortions up to 12 weeks. I plan to incorporate these procedures into my practice through moonlighting opportunities and have open and detail-oriented options counseling with all of my patients.”
Family Medicine Resident in final year of training
“It has expanded my confidence with being a solo practitioner, made me think more critically about the challenges of opening an independent clinic. It has given me confidence to manage complications and (provide abortion services) to a gestional age I wasn’t sure I’d have the experience or volume to do.”
Fourth year medical student, going to family medicine residency in the midwest
“MAP got me into the room, literally. Simply stated, there is no substitute for ‘hands on’
learning along with real time feedback from trained professionals. It is what I sought throughout my medical training and is what I found, thanks to MAP. This training has strengthened my commitment to train to provide abortions beyond the first trimester.”
Fourth year medical student, going to family medicine residency in the upper midwest
“My goal is to be a family medicine physician in the Midwest who provides the full scope of sexual and reproductive health to my patients.
During my Midwest Access Project rotation this spring, I was the only trainee. I was able to see a diverse array of patients and work one on one with multiple providers with different teaching styles and advice to convey. Not only that, but I instantly became a part of a community of likeminded people who were eager to help me plan my residency training goals in advance in order to make it work within a busy schedule and rigid framework. The Midwest Access Project was already brainstorming and ready to welcome me back for further stages of my training before my rotation even ended.
Through the Midwest Access Project, I have found a network of incredibly knowledgeable providers and allies who are all working together to improve the lives of their patients across the country, and have doubtlessly already made a huge impact that I hope only grows stronger with more support. Without MAP, I do not feel confident that I would be able to have the necessary skills and mentorship opportunities that I will continue to take advantage of during residency and beyond. Time and time again on the residency interview trail, I heard residents across the country say that they benefited from the Midwest Access Project as a way to get the training they needed to feel comfortable in their future practice.”
Fourth year medical student, going to ob/gyn residency in the south
“MAP exceeded my expectations in every category, and connected me with clinicians and clinic environments that were conducive to and encouraged learning and honing my skills. I feel significantly more advanced than my classmates in providing family planning counseling and care for patients.
This training has exposed me to abortion care in a “non-hostile” state environment, and opened my eyes to the struggles still facing patients even with these more readily available services. It has reinforced my desire to include family planning in my future OB/GYN practice, and highlighted the importance of advocacy and outreach by providers on behalf of patients.”
“My three specific training goals (pregnancy options counseling, medication abortion, and 1st trimester aspiration abortion) were met. I received excellent training in all these areas. MAP scheduled one or more days exclusive to each of these topics.”
“MAP did a tremendous job of creating a rotation that allowed me to experience aspects of reproductive health that I never imagined I’d have access to. None of my classmates who have done the [Reproductive Health Education] elsewhere have had such an incredible depth of experiences. [MAP]’s an embarrassment of riches.”
“Not only did I learn and improve in my procedural techniques, but the doctors also stressed the importance of empathy toward their patients, which was phenomenal to see.”
“During my rotation I saw so many situations I’d never seen before and think I really developed more skills to help me be a more compassionate health care provider.”
““I just finished my rotation with MAP. I am a third-year family medicine resident. It was a great experience. I came to appreciate first-hand how the discontinuity of care that women face when seeking reproductive health makes their lives more stressful and impedes access to contraception. I learned procedural skills that I enjoy. It gave me a perspective to think very concretely about what I want to do when I graduate, what kind of clinic do I want to practice in and what kind of patients do I want to serve.”