Pregnancy among residents enrolled in general surgery: a nationwide survey of attitudes and experiences

Abstract Background Medical student interest in general surgery has declined, and the lack of adequate accommodation for pregnancy and parenting during residency training may be a deterrent. We explored resident and program director experiences with these issues in general surgery programs across Ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of surgery 2013-10, Vol.206 (4), p.605-610
Main Authors: Merchant, Shaila J., M.D, Hameed, S. Morad, M.D, Melck, Adrienne L., M.D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age
Attitude of Health Personnel
Breast Feeding
Canada
Directors
Faculty, Medical
Female
General Surgery - education
Humans
Hypertension
Internship and Residency
Likert scale
Male
Maternity
Organizational Policy
Parental Leave
Personnel Staffing and Scheduling
Physicians, Women - psychology
Policy
Polls & surveys
Postpartum period
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy
Residency
Surgery
Surveys and Questionnaires
Workload
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Summary:Abstract Background Medical student interest in general surgery has declined, and the lack of adequate accommodation for pregnancy and parenting during residency training may be a deterrent. We explored resident and program director experiences with these issues in general surgery programs across Canada. Methods Using a web-based tool, residents and program directors from 16 Canadian general surgery programs were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward and experiences with pregnancy during residency. Results One hundred seventy-six of 600 residents and 8 of 16 program directors completed the survey (30% and 50% response rate, respectively). Multiple issues pertaining to pregnancy during surgical residency were reported including the lack of adequate policies for maternity/parenting, the major obstacles to breast-feeding, and the increased workload for fellow resident colleagues. All program directors reported the lack of a program-specific maternity/parenting policy. Conclusions General surgery programs lack program-specific maternity/parenting policies. Several issues have been highlighted in this study emphasizing the importance of creating and implementing such a policy.
ISSN:0002-9610
1879-1883
DOI:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2012.04.005