Ob/Gyn Tests Stay Virtual Due to Fears Around COVID-19, Abortion Ruling

TUESDAY, July 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, many ob/gyns around the country are welcoming a change that allows them to continue taking accreditation exams virtually.

The tests, typically hosted in Texas, had been held virtually during the pandemic, but there had been plans to host the exams in Dallas this fall. However, ob/gyns, including some who perform abortions, feared that gathering to take the exam would subject them to potential violence in what is an anti-abortion state, the Associated Press reported.

The three-hour test to be certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology is voluntary, but the certification is required by some employers and it lends credibility to doctors' credentials.

The board decided on Thursday to stay virtual again this year. The decision was made "due to the increase in COVID-19 cases across the country and concerns regarding the U.S. Supreme Court opinion," the board said on its website.

"They're scared. They have nothing to lose but their own personal safety," Jocelyn Fitzgerald, M.D., a Pennsylvania ob/gyn who signed a petition against in-person exams, told the AP. Fitzgerald added that the setup is similar for attending the exam either virtually or in person, and she saw no advantage to taking the tests in person.

Associated Press Article