Welcome Letter from the Director

betty chouDr. Betty Chou, Residency Program Director.

Thank you for your interest in our exciting and robust Johns Hopkins Gynecology and Obstetrics Residency Program. I have had the honor and immense pleasure of being the residency program director since 2016.

Founded in 1889 by Howard Atwood Kelly (credited with establishing gynecology as a specialty), our department has a long history of training the very best clinicians and surgeons in women’s health. We served as the home to many giants in our field, including Johns Whitridge Williams, Nicholson J. Eastman, Richard TeLinde and Howard W. Jones. For well over 100 years, we have consistently stood out as a premiere training program that produces exceptional clinicians, researchers, teachers and leaders in our field.

Every year we welcome nine interns to join our program, and the department provides four years of comprehensive training in general gynecology and obstetrics as well as in-depth exposure to the subspecialties of: 

The Johns Hopkins HospitalWe are thankful for our health care heroes at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The program offers a wide variety and diversity of experiences in both inpatient and ambulatory gynecology and obstetrics. Our residents rotate primarily at three different hospitals:

This is an exciting and dynamic program in which to train. Not only do our residents receive extremely well-rounded, diverse, and in-depth medical and surgical training, our program also offers our residents immense opportunities in leadership, research, quality improvement and patient advocacy. We also have experiences for those interested in medical ethics, community engagement, health care policy and global health. We pride ourselves on working within a “culture of discovery” in which we strive both to seek out and impart new knowledge as well as provide our patients with the best medical care available anywhere. Our faculty are world-renowned clinicians and researchers, and they are dedicated to teaching and mentoring our residents.

You will discover that our residents are the biggest asset to our program. They are talented, compassionate, energized and diverse. It is our priority to foster a learning environment that is nurturing for our trainees. Ours is a supportive program in which the residents and faculty work as a team. We believe that diversity and inclusion is essential to providing an optimal learning experience for all of our trainees. When you visit us, you will find a friendly environment that is conducive to forming long-term friendships with faculty and fellow residents.

Residents pose for photo with PPE on in operating roomOur residents pose for a picture in the operating room.

As a program, we are committed to preparing each of our residents to successfully pursue any desired post-residency career choice or fellowship. We have had an incredible track record of achieving this goal. Well over 70% of our graduates successfully match into fellowship after residency, and we also help our residents pursue nontraditional tracks such as critical care fellowships, bioethics fellowships, advocacy/public policy positions and working with the underserved (Doctors Without Borders, Indian Health Service) after residency.

We are looking for applicants who are motivated, enthusiastic, diverse, open, caring and willing to learn. We love hearing all of your innovative ideas and thinking outside of the box. I hope you find our website content helpful as you decide where to apply for residency. We look forward to meeting many of you during our interview season and discovering how we can help you achieve your career and life goals.

I am proud to be the program director for this exceptional program that is training the best and the brightest to be the leaders of tomorrow. I have been with the Hopkins GYNOB department — my big extended family! — for over 20 years and am thrilled to be part of this history of excellence, this tradition of excellence, and now, the future of excellence in women’s health care! It would be exciting if you joined us in this journey.

Warmest Regards,

Betty Chou, M.D.
Residency Program Director