An Experienced OB-GYN Shares Top Job Search and Career Insights

Obstetrician-gynecologists are an integral part of the U.S. healthcare system. Yet the shortage of OBGYN doctors is considered to be one of the most severe among medical specialties, due to factors like high burnout rates, limited residency spots, an aging workforce, and recent legal and political changes complicating the profession.

The Health Resources and Services Administration estimates a shortfall of 5,170 OB-GYNs by 2030. Experts estimate that by 2050, this gap could widen to 22,000 OB-GYN doctors. By 2030, the supply of OB-GYNs in the U.S. is projected to decrease by 7%, while demand for these services is anticipated to increase by 4%.

Maternity care deserts are a real and growing issue. More than 35% of U.S. counties lack a single obstetrician or hospital that delivers babies and more than 2.3 million women of childbearing age live in these deserts, according to a March of Dimes report. One major factor in the growing shortage is a limited number of OB-GYN residency positions.

In 2022, Swedish, in Seattle, Washington, opened a new OB-GYN residency program that doubled the number of available OB-GYN training positions in the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI) region.

Provider Solutions & Development (PS&D) recruits OB-GYNs for Swedish and for our other partners across the country. Our recruiters are passionate about helping OB-GYNs explore their job options and find their ideal practice. We do this through our holistic recruiting approach – getting to know both our candidates’ personal and professional goals, to ensure they’ll be happy, on and off the job.

Q&A With Dr. Audrey Moruzzi, OB-GYN at Swedish

One of our recent hires is Dr. Audrey Moruzzi, who was working as an obstetrician-gynecologist for Cedars-Sinai Medical Group in Los Angeles when she reached out to PS&D Recruiter Sam Crane about an opportunity at Swedish. Sam helped her throughout this job change, which took place during Dr. Moruzzi’s own pregnancy with her second child.

Sam says he knew after a few conversations that Dr. Moruzzi would be a great match with Swedish.

“I liked her story,” he says. “She was super experienced, had a full scope of practice, she loved teaching and mentoring, and she had ties to the area. I knew she would be here long-term and that she was going to be a good fit for Swedish.”

Dr. Moruzzi took some time to talk with PS&D about her job search, top issues affecting OB-GYNs today and her hopes for the future.

PS&D: Tell me about your career transition from Cedars-Sinai Medical Group to Swedish. What prompted your job change?

Dr. Moruzzi: I grew up in Olympia, Washington, and I did my undergraduate, medical and residency education at University of Washington in Seattle. I moved to California because my husband did his fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. I thought we were going to be in California forever, but he got an opportunity to work at Seattle Children’s Hospital, so we decided to move to Seattle for his job and for family reasons. Both our families are still in the Seattle area, and we have two children now. We wanted to be close to our parents, so our kids could have close relationships with their grandparents.

What appealed to you about Swedish?

I applied widely, but Swedish was my first choice. When I was in residency, we did frequent rotations at Swedish, so I knew firsthand it was well-run, and their doctors were happy. I knew they had great resources but still had a community feel, and I knew that I could provide a nice experience for my patients there. Swedish has launched an OB-GYN residency, and I am thrilled that I will still have the opportunity to mentor and teach.

What were your top job priorities as you searched for a new OB-GYN role?

OB-GYN jobs have really shifted in the last 10 years. In addition to true generalist roles, there are office-only and hospitalist-only roles. I knew I loved all aspects of my job at Cedars-Sinai — the office visits, operating, and labor and delivery. For me, remaining in that full spectrum OB-GYN capacity was my number one priority. I like operating, and it’s something I think you need to do frequently to stay good at, so I wanted to be part of a group that did a fairly even mix of gynecology and obstetrics. My other priority was to find a supportive and positive team. I was lucky in that respect — my partners at Cedars-Sinai are stellar humans. They are mission-driven, they care deeply about their patients, and they’re not at all burnt out. When you’re surrounded by people who love what they do, it creates a collaborative, enjoyable environment. I was definitely looking for that environment again — I want to work with people who are passionate about what they do. Lastly, contributing to the education of residents is important to me, so I wanted to make sure wherever I worked had a teaching component. The job at Swedish meets all of my priorities.

What questions did you ask during your OB-GYN interview process to determine if these job aspects would be present at Swedish?

Before I applied, I made a big list of all the parts of my job that I liked. I stack-ranked them and then I asked about all the top things during my interviews. One question that I think is telling is asking people what they like about their job and then really listening to the way they speak about it.

What was your experience like working with Sam Crane, your recruiter at PS&D?

Sam was great. He was friendly, and I felt very comfortable talking with him. He was efficient in connecting me with the people I needed to speak with. The interviewing process was unique for me, because I was eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and I couldn’t fly. So I had to do all my interviews virtually, and Sam was very responsive and on top of setting everything up and keeping me looped in about what was happening. It was a great hiring experience.

Knowing that you’re going into the job as a mom of two, what are your thoughts around burnout, workload and that elusive work-life balance?

I think a lot of OB-GYNs find balance by choosing an FTE amount that fits their needs. I like working. I love what I do; I love taking care of patients; I love births; I love operating. That sustains me and brings me joy. I think that making sure you’re happy at your job is the most important way you can prevent burnout. If you are happy and supported at your job, then you won’t feel drained, and you can be fully present for your patients, for yourself and for your family.
 

“Making sure you’re happy at your job is the most important way you can prevent burnout. If you are happy and supported at your job, then you won’t feel drained, and you can be fully present for your patients, for yourself and for your family.”

~ Dr. Audrey Moruzzi, Swedish
 

When I was interviewing at Swedish, I took note that the medical director who interviewed me had that duality of being a mother and a physician, and that gave me confidence that Swedish is a place that supports that kind of balance. In regard to workload, I think as long as you’re working in a job where you feel listened to, you’re going to be OK. Every person is a finite resource. I’ve always worked in a setting where if I say it’s too much, I’m listened to. That’s what you want. That’s the kind of environment where OB-GYNs can thrive and have plenty of energy to give their patients.

What are you excited about when it comes to technology and AI advances? How are they shaping the future of the OB-GYN specialty?

It is 100% shaping our future as doctors. Most health systems are now piloting AI platforms that assist with documentation; I am all for it. I think it's freeing up doctors to have more meaningful interactions with patients. I also see a difference in the information my patients come to their visits with. Patients now have a different knowledge base — they come in with AI insights. I think it’s great, and I am glad they are discussing their findings with their physician.

What do you love most about being an OB-GYN?

What I love is the continuity care I get to provide. I am able to help patients at many different stages of life. I find this continuity with my patients very satisfying. I like making people feel safe in vulnerable situations, and pregnancy is a very vulnerable time. My goal is always to leave my patients feeling empowered, strong and cared for.

What was something unexpected that has happened in your OB-GYN career?

With medicine, surprising things happen all the time. It’s important to have good colleagues who are smart and open to discuss challenging cases. My previous partner was 15 years ahead of me, and she always offered excellent insights. In my job search, I looked for age diversity and experience diversity on the team. I think it really affects the culture of a practice.

Has becoming a mom changed the way you practice?

Yes, my own experience has dramatically deepened my lactation knowledge. I feel better able to understand what my patients are experiencing, to troubleshoot certain issues and to know when to connect them with additional resources.

What is your ‘why’ for being an OB-GYN? What fuels you and inspires you in this specialty?

I went into medicine for the same reason most people do — I love science, and I want to help and care for people. Becoming an OB-GYN for me was about having the ability to care for patients with continuity and variety of practice, ranging from the office visits to labor and delivery to the operating room. It’s very fulfilling.

If you could go back and have a conversation about your career with yourself from 10 years ago, what advice would you give yourself?

I got very lucky with my first job at Cedars-Sinai, where I had excellent partners. I would advise any OB-GYNs coming out of residency to place weight on a supportive team culture that feels like a family.

What concerns you about the OB-GYN specialty?

There are a lot of different political forces intruding on our ability to provide safe and effective care for patients, and I am very concerned about that.

What can health systems do to increase retention rates for OB-GYNs?

Physicians want to feel heard — we’re on the ground; we can see problems not easily apparent to administrators. It’s important to us to be in a collaborative environment where administrators are listening to issues as they arise and are working to address them. I think feeling connected to the mission is important. Everyone wants to feel like they’re part of something bigger, so if you agree with the mission and the direction of the practice and you feel like you are a respected stakeholder, you’ll want to stay.

What makes you hopeful about the future of OB-GYNs?

One of the great honors of my career is working with trainees and residents and seeing how passionate and wonderful they are. Watching them transform in four short years — growing their skill set and their confidence — it’s beautiful. The future is very bright!