Purpose: To describe contemporary parental leave practice among childbearing and non-childbearing obstetrics and gynecology trainees.
Background: In February 2020, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology changed its leave policy, allowing residents to take up to 12 weeks of leave without extending training. In July 2022, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education instituted a requirement that trainees be provided a minimum of 6 weeks of parental leave, without a stipulation that this be compensated.
Methods: A web-based survey was disseminated on social media in April 2022. The survey collected information about parental leave policies and contemporary practice during obstetrics and gynecology training, as well as beliefs about surgical and clinical experience among those who take leave.
Results: A total of 454 responses were available for analysis with residents and faculty equally well represented. Most reported that childbearing trainees in their program take 6 weeks of parental leave (47.7%) and many use vacation and sick time (57.9%) or go unpaid (27.1%) to do so. When queried regarding how many weeks of leave childbearing residents should be able to take without extending training, faculty and trainee parents were most likely propose childbearing trainees take 12 weeks of parental (57.1% and 70.0%, respectively). For nonchildbearing trainees there was less agreement with 41.0% of trainees and 33.3% of faculty proposing 12 weeks of parental leave. Among non-parent respondents, proposed leave times were similar.
Discussions: Obstetrics and gynecology residents, fellows, and faculty believe trainees should be able to take 12 weeks of parental leave without extending or compromising training.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2023, Student, Resident, Faculty, Residency Director, Systems-Based Practice & Improvement, GME, Advocacy, General Ob-Gyn,
Rosa Polan, MD; Wayne State University; Larissa Mattei, MD; Helen Morgan, MD;
