The Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Lakeland Regional Health is a fully accredited, four‑year program designed to develop confident, skilled physicians who are prepared for independent practice in general obstetrics and gynecology or subspecialty fellowship training.
Residents train in our state‑of‑the‑art Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, where they gain hands‑on clinical experience across the full spectrum of women’s health. Their training includes prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, ambulatory gynecology, and advanced gynecologic surgery. Through these real‑world clinical experiences, residents build the judgment and technical expertise needed to care for both routine and complex cases. This strong foundation is further strengthened by dedicated subspecialty rotations in maternal‑fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, urogynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and family planning.
Equally important is the culture in which our residents learn and grow. Our commitment to kindness, responsibility, and integrity is reflected in how we care for patients, support one another, take ownership of our work, and uphold the highest professional and ethical standards.
At Lakeland Regional Health, residents learn from faculty who are approachable, invested, and deeply committed to their development. Graduates emerge as confident, capable physicians who are prepared to shape the future of women’s health.
Residents will enjoy our new state-of-the-art Women’s Pavilion when caring for patients. Teaching in robotic surgery will offer the resident a further skill set in gynecologic procedures. Moreover, the kind nature and empathetic spirit among the faculty and staff will have a positive influence on the resident. We hope that our graduates will be leaders in Women’s Healthcare.
Lakeland Regional Health is an award-winning, tertiary level, multidisciplinary, not-for-profit health care system that has provided outstanding healthcare to the population of Central Florida for over 100 years. Its motto is to “Put People at the Heart of all We Do.” There is a culture of caring and inclusivity among all the hospital providers, nurses, and ancillary staff.
The Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children at Lakeland Regional Health offers an exciting training environment anchored by nationally recognized maternity care. Lakeland Regional Health has been named High Performing in Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, one of only 13 hospitals in Florida to earn this distinction, reflecting excellence in evidence‑based maternal outcomes and equitable care. The Pavilion brings together the core elements of highly regarded and functional care: beautiful Labor and Delivery and postpartum units, advanced women’s operating rooms with robotic surgery, a comprehensive Center for Fetal Care, a dedicated Obstetric Emergency Department, and the region’s only Level III NICU, ensuring exposure to high‑acuity maternal and neonatal care without families needing to leave Polk County. With more than 4,500 births annually, the Pavilion provides the clinical volume, complexity, and modern facilities that allow resident physicians to grow rapidly as clinicians while training in one of Florida’s most advanced and trusted centers for women’s and children’s health
The city of Lakeland is a bustling city and is continually ranked as one of the fastest growing communities in the country during annual rankings. Patients treated at LRH come from a wide variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Residents gain extensive experience caring for healthy pregnant patients as well as managing high‑risk obstetric conditions and complex gynecologic surgical pathology, ensuring broad exposure to both routine and advanced clinical care.
Lakeland’s central geographic location, socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, language, cultural and religious diversity allows LRH’s OBGYN residents to be exposed to patients with diverse backgrounds. Residents will be exposed to a complete spectrum of obstetric and gynecologic pathology in which to develop their clinical skills.
Residents will engage in a balanced training program that incorporates all of the knowledge necessary to be a successful and independent provider in general obstetrics and gynecology. The program will also provide the necessary skill set for those who wish to pursue a fellowship.
The third-year resident will continue to improve their skill set on the following rotations: Labor and Delivery (including night float rotations), Maternal Fetal Medicine, Gynecologic Surgery, Urogynecology, and Gynecologic Oncology.
Family Planning- The resident will spend four weeks with the Family Planning faculty. This rotation will provide required ACGME experience to gain knowledge in medical and surgical management of first trimester and second trimester abortions.
The fourth-year resident will take an administrative role on the following rotations: Labor and Delivery (including night float rotations) and Gynecologic Surgery. The resident will serve as an educator and mentor to the lower-level residents.
Urogynecology– The resident will spend four weeks with Urogynecology faculty. Focus will be on advanced surgical experience, including robotics.
Ambulatory Women’s Care– The resident will spend four weeks with support of Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty in the ambulatory clinic. This rotation will provide the resident with essential training in outpatient practice management, including schedule organization, patient flow coordination, and longitudinal care.
Our curriculum mirrors the educational requirements set forth by the ACGME and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Curricular content follows recommendations by the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) and The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).
Residents will have a protected half day each week in order to attend didactic sessions.
Sessions will be led or facilitated by our OBGYN core faculty as well as faculty accredited in: Gynecology/Oncology, Family Planning, Reproductive and Infertility, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Urogynecology. Interdisciplinary specialists will also contribute to a resident’s education.
Our simulation center is on-site and accessible to our residents.
Utilizing the most up-to-date simulation tools, the lab will have activities in:
Formal mentored sessions will be held once a month, but informal practice sessions will also be encouraged and available.
Journal Club is held monthly. The focus is on in-depth learning and discussions with literature selected by residents and attendings. Articles selected will represent “Landmark” articles as well as new innovations and discoveries. In addition to reviewing the literature, the residents will also learn how to evaluate readings scientifically and systematically in order to incorporate Evidence-Based Medicine into their practice.
Grand Rounds are held monthly and feature presentations from experts across a wide range of surgical and clinical disciplines. Sessions highlight topics spanning basic science, emerging technologies, medical ethics, physician wellness, and advances in obstetrics and gynecology. Designed to be engaging and interactive, these conferences expose residents to new ideas, broaden clinical perspective, and strengthen their foundation for lifelong learning.
Quality and Safety Case Conference are held monthly. This meeting brings residents and faculty together to review selected clinical cases from across all OB/GYN services, focusing on opportunities to strengthen patient care and enhance systems‑based practice. This often-interdisciplinary forum encourages open discussion, supports the development of clinical reasoning and critical thinking, and builds the communication skills essential for high‑quality, team‑based care.
Read Bio
Dr VanderMark is a board-certified obstetrician‑gynecologist and experienced medical educator dedicated to shaping the next generation of women’s health physicians. After completing her OB/GYN residency through programs affiliated with Michigan State University, she built a career centered on developing learners across both undergraduate and graduate medical education. Her pursuit of excellence led her to earn a Master of Healthcare Administration and complete the AAMC Teaching for Quality (Te4Q) program, strengthening her ability to integrate quality improvement and patient safety into training.
Dr. VanderMark is a nationally recognized educator, honored with multiple awards including Educator of the Year, the Outstanding Faculty Award, and the Excellence in Teaching Award. Known for her supportive, learner‑centered approach, she brings warmth, clarity, and purpose to her role as Program Director at Lakeland Regional Health. She is committed to preparing future OB/GYN physicians to lead with compassion, integrity, and a deep commitment to elevating the care of women and families.
Read Bio
Read Bio
Read Bio
Read Bio
Bio Coming Soon
Lakeland Regional Health offers a competitive benefits package. Visit careers.mylrh.org/benefits to view the benefits package provided to LRH team members.
Beyond our standard tuition reimbursement program, retirement plans, paid time off and a comprehensive health and benefits plan, we also offer the following extended benefits for residents of our Graduate Medical Education Program:
Lakeland, the largest city in Polk County, has kept its small-town personality over the years and yet continues to become a vibrant and growing city. Conveniently located between Tampa and Orlando, Lakelanders have many ways to celebrate the climate, culture and opportunities available both in the local area and throughout Central Florida. World-class shopping, major sports franchises and entertainment venues in Tampa and Orlando and beaches on both the east and west coasts of Florida are all a quick drive away.
Applicants must submit a complete application via the ResidencyCAS application system. Residents will be chosen through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
NRMP Number: 2323220C0
Required Supporting Documents:
We are excited to welcome all candidates to apply for our Graduate Medical Education programs. However, please note that applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visas at this time. Thank you for understanding.