Ohio abortion clinic helps university train doctors but can't cite its hospital as backup care

Toledo's only remaining abortion clinic can't get a backup-care agreement from the University of Toledo Medical Center that could help it avoid a potential shutdown, but it has partnered with the public school in a different way, to train doctors in the graduate medical program.

The clinic helps the university fulfill required curriculum, but the hospital can't help the clinic get what it might need most — the patient-transfer agreement mandated, and restricted, by Ohio law.

The recent training agreement between the university's medical college and Capital Care Network-Toledo allows for participants to complete one-month rotations at the clinic to learn and participate in relevant counseling, assessments, surgical procedures and follow-up care.

The clinic's doctor says he thinks hands-on experience helps get doctors interested in providing such services.