Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) is the medical and surgical specialty focused on the female reproductive system, pregnancy, childbirth, and women's health across the lifespan. With ACOG projecting a national shortage of up to 22,000 OB/GYNs by 2050 and 36% of US counties classified as maternity care deserts, OB/GYN is one of the most acutely undersupplied physician specialties in America.
OB/GYN is a primary medical and surgical specialty requiring four years of dedicated OB/GYN residency training after medical school. OB/GYNs are board-certified through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG), and they provide comprehensive women's health care including obstetric care (prenatal, labor, delivery, postpartum), gynecologic care (preventive, contraceptive, menopausal), gynecologic surgery (laparoscopic, robotic, vaginal, abdominal), and reproductive endocrinology.
Modern OB/GYN practice spans outpatient women's health practices (the largest segment), hospital-based labor and delivery, OB hospitalist (laborist) programs, gynecologic surgery, four ABOG-recognized subspecialty fellowships (maternal-fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, reproductive endocrinology and infertility), and academic medicine. Many OB/GYNs eventually subspecialize informally into GYN-only practice as they reduce obstetric workload mid-career.
OB/GYN faces unique workforce pressures driven by malpractice climate, hospital labor and delivery unit closures, and the obstetric call burden. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has documented a worsening national shortage with particularly acute impact on rural and small-metro markets, where 36% of US counties are classified as maternity care deserts with no obstetric hospital, no birth center, and no obstetric provider.
OB/GYN has multiple distinct subspecialties and practice models, each with its own candidate pool and recruiting profile:
Generalist OB/GYN — Full-scope generalists managing prenatal care, deliveries, gynecologic surgery, and routine office GYN. The largest segment of OB/GYN practice.
OB Hospitalist (Laborist) — Hospital-employed OB/GYNs providing 24/7 in-house labor and delivery coverage. The fastest-growing OB/GYN practice model.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) — Subspecialty fellowship-trained MFMs managing high-risk pregnancies. Severe national shortage.
Gynecologic Oncology — Subspecialty fellowship-trained gyn-onc surgeons treating cancers of the reproductive tract. Concentrated at NCI-designated cancer centers.
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) — Subspecialty fellowship-trained surgeons (also accessible from urology) managing pelvic floor disorders.
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) — Subspecialty fellowship-trained REI physicians at fertility clinics.
GYN-only / Office GYN — Practitioners who have left obstetric practice and now focus only on gynecology — a growing segment of mid-career OB/GYNs seeking lifestyle-friendly schedules.
ACOG projects a national OB/GYN shortage of up to 22,000 by 2050. The shortage is acute today — 36% of US counties are classified as maternity care deserts with no obstetric hospital, no birth center, and no obstetric provider. Hospitals closing labor and delivery units, OB/GYNs leaving high-malpractice states, and a wave of expected retirements are accelerating the access gap.
Subspecialty supply is particularly constrained for maternal-fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, and reproductive endocrinology, with successful searches typically requiring 120–240+ days. The OB hospitalist (laborist) model has grown rapidly as health systems seek to address the call-burden challenges driving generalist OB/GYN attrition.
OB/GYN compensation varies significantly by subspecialty, call burden, and geographic market. Generalist OB/GYNs typically earn $320,000–$450,000, OB hospitalists $300,000–$400,000, MFMs $400,000–$600,000, gynecologic oncologists $500,000–$750,000, and REI physicians $400,000–$700,000+. Rural and high-malpractice states typically pay 15–25% above national averages.
MedicalRecruiting.com operates a dedicated OB/GYN recruiting practice serving hospitals, OB/GYN groups, multi-specialty groups, and academic medical centers across all 50 states. For a complete overview of our OB/GYN recruiting services — including the subspecialties we cover, the organizations we serve, our process, and current OB/GYN compensation benchmarks — visit our ob/gyn recruiters page.
For interim OB/GYN coverage during permanent searches, see our locum tenens services. To browse the full directory of medical specialties we recruit for, visit the specialties hub.
For OB/GYN candidates exploring opportunities, browse current openings on our jobs board, review OB/GYN compensation data on our physician salary comparison tool, and submit your CV through our candidate portal for visibility to our employer network.
ACOG projects a national OB/GYN shortage of up to 22,000 by 2050. Today, 36% of US counties are classified as maternity care deserts with no obstetric hospital, no birth center, and no obstetric provider. Rural and small-metro markets face the most acute access crisis.
OB hospitalists (also called laborists) are hospital-employed OB/GYNs providing 24/7 in-house labor and delivery coverage. They typically work shift-based schedules with no outpatient panel and no continuity call. The laborist model has grown rapidly as health systems seek to address the obstetric call-burden challenges driving generalist OB/GYN attrition.
Generalist OB/GYNs typically earn $320,000–$450,000, OB hospitalists $300,000–$400,000, MFMs $400,000–$600,000, gynecologic oncologists $500,000–$750,000, urogynecologists $400,000–$600,000, and REI physicians $400,000–$700,000+. Subspecialty fellowship and call burden are the dominant compensation drivers.
Visit our dedicated OB/GYN recruiters page for a complete overview of our OB/GYN recruiting practice, the subspecialties we cover, the organizations we serve, and current OB/GYN compensation benchmarks.