Residents Donya Derakshani (left) and Christine Jeong (right) go over patient rounds with Program Director Dr. Sarah Hoopes. (Sarah Brager/Community Impact)
Most doctors agree no day at the hospital is guaranteed to look the same. For medical residents, or recently graduated doctors training in a speciality, unpredictability can bring the best learning opportunities.
July 1 marks the one-year anniversary of Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital’s OB-GYN residency, the hospital’s first and only graduate medical education residency. Houston Methodist Willowbrook launched the four-year program in part to expand access to OB-GYN care in northwest Houston, Program Director Dr. Sarah Hoopes said.
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Drs. Katie Kolp and Christine Jeong, two residents in the inaugural five-person cohort of the program, said they love how the hands-on training teaches them to roll with the punches. Depending on their rotation, a day may be spent assisting with patient check-ups in the clinic, newborn deliveries or surgical procedures in the operating room.
In an interview with Community Impact, the residents said being a part of a brand new program helped boost camaraderie within their small cohort and gain confidence making quick decisions under pressure.
“We learned how to be residents while also helping shape what the program would become, and without senior residents or an established structure, we had to step into leadership and responsibility early,” Jeong said.
Hoopes said one aspect of the program that sets it apart from other teaching hospitals is its emphasis on continuity of care, meaning residents are able to see the same patients over time and develop a trusting relationship. Houston Methodist Willowbrook is also known for its low-intervention birth training, with certified nurse midwives available to assist with natural childbirth in the hospital.
“We are unique in our effort to include interdisciplinary training,” Hoopes said. “Our residents train with pelvic floor physical therapists, sonographers, geneticists, certified nurse midwives, lactation specialists and neonatal nurses.”From left: Drs. Stacy Norton, Sarah Hoopes, Donya Derakshani, Rasha Al-Lami, Christine Jeong, Katie Kolp and Program Manager Janiece Dziedzic. Dr. Natalia Wiemann (not pictured) is also a resident in the inaugural cohort. (Sarah Brager/Community Impact)The local impact
Hoopes said northwest Houston needs more OB-GYNs to best serve its growing population. Most of their patients come from the Spring, Cypress and Tomball communities, but many also travel from more rural areas that lack healthcare providers, she said.
Northwest Harris County’s female population has grown approximately 10% in the past five years, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Additionally, births in Harris County as a whole have held steady between 2024-2019, the data shows, with just over 72,000 women aged 15-50 having had a birth in the past 12 months.
Hoopes they’re continuing to build educational experiences to include breast oncology training, increased critical care and internal medicine so the program’s graduates are well-rounded.
Looking forward
After receiving about 450 applications, Houston Methodist Willowbrook is getting ready to welcome a new five-person cohort of residents in July, Program Manager Janiece Dziedzic said.
Hoopes said residents take on more challenging cases as they advance each year, moving from low-risk situations to more intense and specialized care including ICU and C-section patients.
Faculty member Dr. Stacy Norton said launching a new residency is a learning experience for faculty as well, and they will continue to adjust the program as it grows to four full cohorts of doctors. Hoopes also said they’re working to expand the hospital’s academic culture over the next several years.
“We are hoping to provide the community with highly educated, compassionate physicians who are also skilled listeners, lifelong learners and patient advocates,” Hoopes said.
