Our History
Encouraged by the example of their own country, a couple of young doctors in France had the idea to create a world association for OB/GYN trainees. The project was welcomed by the FIGO, whose officers had long wanted to find a way to mobilize the youngest members of our profession.rd.
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A first proposal was officially sent on the 10th November 2008 to Professor Dorothy Shaw, president of the FIGO. With the help and support of Professor Shaw, Professor Hamid Rushwan (Chief executive officer), Professor Andre Lalonde and Professor Ian Fraser the WATOG project took its first steps.
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During the next four years, the first organizing committee managed to contact major large-scale organizations in the field of OB/GYN and elaborated several drafts of the project. In 2011, they worked closely with Professor Hamid Rushwan, and Mr. Bryan Thomas (FIGO Administrative Director) to contact every senior societies and reach a consensual support for the project.
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The World Association of Trainees in Obstetrics & Gynecology (WATOG) was founded on the 7th of October 2012 during the First WATOG General Assembly by the unanimous vote of 51 trainees representing 73 countries. A first Executive Board was elected representing 6 main global regions. The Executive Board elaborated the WATOG Constitution which was ratified by all founding members.
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Throughout 2012 and 2015, WATOG founding members worked hardly to strengthen the network and to promote the establishment of new OB/GYN trainee associations worldwide. This work was done by the valuable help of the assistants of the WATOG Bureau.
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The Second General Assembly of WATOG was held on the 3rd of October 2015, in Vancouver coupled to the triennial FIGO world congress. The Third General Assembly of WATOG was held on the 13th-14thof October 2018, in Rio de Janeiro coupled to the FIGO world congress. New Officers and Executive Committee members were elected for 2018-2021.By early 2019, the WATOG network has contacts in 89 countries all over the world.
