Updated on Nov. 4, 2024
For more than 50 years, the maternity care program has been a crucial component of the six specialized areas of care through the Family Residency Program at MemorialCare’s Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach.
Dr. Rose Swords serves as the faculty director for the maternity care program, where she teaches maternity care residents to perform low-risk obstetric procedures for community patients. This comprehensive training includes areas such as abortion care, birth control, fetal strip rounds, and delivery.
From preconception to birth, the maternity care program ensures expecting mothers receive holistic and personalized care in a safe and welcoming environment. The program’s commitment to a diverse set of maternal health resources guarantees a comprehensive approach to maternal care focused on the well-being of both mother and baby.
The program collaborates care with the Cherese Mari Laulhere BirthCare Center at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach as they not only enhance the quality and reach of maternal health services but also play a crucial role in training the next generation of health care professionals, where residents benefit from hands-on experience in a variety of obstetric procedures.
This collaborative approach ensures that trainees receive comprehensive and specialized instruction, equipping them with the skills needed to provide exceptional care. The integrated training includes areas such as prenatal care, birth control, fetal monitoring, delivery, and postnatal support. By fostering a rich learning environment, the program and its partners are dedicated to advancing maternal and infant health while preparing future physicians to deliver high-quality care.
One of the key pillars of the maternity care program is its dedication to creating a safe environment for expecting moms. In alignment with this goal, the program collaborates with other community programs such as the Welcome Baby Program and Black Infant Program. These programs represent the commitment to acceptance, safety and inclusion to ensure maternal care is accessible and consistent for mothers of all backgrounds.
“Being able to provide moms a safe environment where they feel accepted and can trust their care team throughout their pregnancy journey is the main goal of the maternity care program,” says Rose Swords, M.D., faculty maternity care director, MemorialCare Family Residency Long Beach.
Annually, the Family Residency Program receives an impressive influx of over one thousand applications. Thanks to the significant advancements in the field of family medicine, the program offers its residents exceptional training opportunities in other specialized areas to provide compassionate care and treatment to the Long Beach community.
“We help our residents become experts in their chosen concentrations so that when they graduate, they are ready to provide the best care to the community with all they have learned during their residency,” says Dr. Swords.
The Family Medicine Residency Program at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center remains dedicated to educating excellent, compassionate, and socially conscious family physicians. Set in one of California’s most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse cities, the program thrives in an inclusive and supportive environment.
