The Abortion Training Taboo

This investigation reveals how the political battle over reproductive rights has penetrated academic medicine in Texas, forcing abortion training of new doctors ever deeper into the shadows. Some medical professors fear a future where there won't be enough trained obstetrician-gynecologists in Texas to provide abortion.

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Abortion Training Taboo

Part One: How Texas Politics Influence Medical Education

Posted on · Obstetrician-gynecologists are supposed to learn how to perform abortions as part of their four-year residency. That’s become much harder in Texas, which has lost more than 20 abortion clinics in the past few years. Medical professors in Texas fear political repercussions for providing – or even just discussing – abortion training.

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Abortion Training Taboo

Part Two: Will Texas Have Enough Doctors Who Can Perform The Procedure?

Posted on · Professors of obstetrics and gynecology in Texas are struggling to teach new doctors about abortion. This story delves into the specifics of training, explaining why a doctor who knows how to perform a dilation and curettage procedure (the foundation of abortion technique) may still not be competent to perform elective abortions in Texas – and why that matters.