As we enter a new century and millennium, departments of obstetrics and gynaecology in American medical schools face a number of challenges. Of primary concern among these is the relative dearth of physician-scientists to explore and connect the basic mechanisms and clinical aspects of the diseases of women. This report reviews some aspects of three programmes designed to educate such investigators: The Reproductive Scientist Development Program, The American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society--American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation Fellowship Program and the Women's Reproductive Health Research Career Development Centers. Based on a decade of experience with the first two of these programmes, the prospects for the relatively new third programme are promising. Nonetheless, the need for and opportunities for obstetrician-gynaecologist reproductive scientists far exceed the supply.