The summer months in residency often bring a lighter rotation schedule, fewer lectures, and a general breather from the year’s intense pace. But this “off-season” lull can come at a cost; without regular reinforcement, both medical knowledge and surgical skills can fade faster than expected.
In primary and secondary education, students have been shown to lose up to 40% of their school-year learning over summer break, and medical trainees face a similar risk. For example, 87.5% of surgical residents who took time away for research reported a noticeable decline in their technical skills and confidence. Compounding this, today’s OB/GYN residents get significantly less surgical exposure than in years past. According to Dr. Miyazaki of Miyazaki Enterprises, current trainees perform far fewer hysterectomies than he did two decades ago—a trend that shows no signs of slowing.
Studies have also found that medical students may retain as little as 35% of foundational knowledge if not reinforced over time, and newly trained surgeons can begin to lose robotic surgery skills in just four weeks of inactivity.
With that in mind, summer doesn’t have to mean stagnation. With the right tools and strategies, programs can keep OB/GYN residents learning, growing, and even having fun. In this article, we’ll break down effective, evidence-based approaches to keeping residents engaged throughout the summer.
5 Ways to Keep OB/GYN Residents Engaged During the Summer
1. Utilize Simulation Tools for Hands-On Practice
During the off-season, simulation-based training is one of the most effective ways to keep surgical skills sharp. High-fidelity simulators provide lifelike scenarios without risking patient safety. A great example of this is The Miya Model, a pelvic surgery training model developed by Miyazaki Enterprises. This model recreates the feel of real tissue so that trainees can clamp, cut, and suture as if in an actual OR, even feeling the characteristic “pop” when passing needles through tissue planes.
The Miya Model and similar high-fidelity simulators allow residents to continue honing their skills in a safe environment on their own schedule. Program directors can also organize weekly or monthly simulation labs throughout the off-season to keep residents sharp and their confidence high.
2. Encourage Active, Self-Directed Learning and Review
With a more relaxed summer schedule, it is the perfect time for residents to consolidate knowledge through self-directed learning. Residents shouldn’t be reading textbooks on the beach but instead employing active learning techniques that force them to recall, apply, and engage with their material. Here are some good examples of strategies for individual study.
- Structured Review Plans: Set aside some time each week to revisit high-yield topics from the past year. Block out small but dedicated study periods and stick to the schedule—consistency is key.
- Flashcards & Spaced Repetition: Use flashcards or apps to create quizzes.
- Active Summarizing and Note Updates: Take an important guideline or protocol and try to summarize it from memory, then check for accuracy.
- Hands-on Skill Refreshers: Practice knot-tying or suturing at home with a knot board, review surgical videos, and visualize yourself performing the steps. This kind of mental rehearsal can strengthen muscle memory and OR preparedness.
To support this type of learning, residents can also use the Miya Model App for on-demand access to surgical videos, best practices, and procedural guidance. The app makes it easy to reinforce techniques visually and revisit key steps before or after simulation sessions.
3. Foster Teaching, Mentorship, and Peer Collaboration
Another powerful way to keep residents engaged is to turn them into teachers and mentors. The old adage “to teach is to learn twice” holds true, and when residents explain a topic or demonstrate a skill, not only are they providing a refresher to their peers, but also reinforcing their own knowledge.
4. Research Participation
Whether it’s a research study, a quality improvement (QI) initiative, or even creating a simulation curriculum, engaging in such projects keeps residents intellectually active and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Many residency programs (including OB/GYN) require or strongly encourage research participation—and for good reason. Undertaking research during residency builds analytical thinking and can significantly advance a trainee’s career development.
5. Maintain a Light, Structured Educational Schedule
Many successful programs continue a pared-down but regular educational schedule during summer months. This doesn’t mean full lecture days or intense exams, but rather periodic touchpoints to keep residents intellectually engaged. For instance, a program might hold monthly Grand Rounds or invite guest speakers for interactive sessions on specialized topics (e.g., updates in reproductive endocrinology or a recap of highlights from the recent ACOG conference).
Scheduling a monthly case conference or Morbidity & Mortality review can also ensure residents continue to practice clinical reasoning and ethical discussion. The key is to keep these sessions brief, interactive, and low-pressure so they complement the relaxed summer vibe while still stimulating learning.
Keep Medical Residents Learning All Summer Long
Summer doesn’t have to mean stagnation. With the right tools and structure, residency programs can turn the off-season into a time of meaningful growth, skill reinforcement, and renewed motivation. Whether through peer teaching, simulation labs, or self-directed study, the key is keeping learning continuous and engaging.
Tools like the Miya Model® make it easy for OB/GYN residents to practice core surgical skills independently—even outside of standard clinical rotations. If you’re a program director, educator, or resident looking to keep momentum going during the summer months, we encourage you to explore how Miyazaki Enterprises is redefining surgical training year-round.
