Lactation challenges of resident physicians- results of a national survey
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(2020) 20:762
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Lactation challenges of resident physiciansresults of a national survey Gabrielle W. Peters1, Aleksandra Kuczmarska-Haas2, Emma B. Holliday3*
and Lindsay Puckett4
Abstract Background: There are unique challenges to parenting in residency and there is limited data to guide policy regarding lactation facilities and support for female physicians-in-training. We aimed to assess issues surrounding breast-feeding during graduate medical training for current residents or recent graduates from United States (US) residency programs. Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was sent to current and recently graduated (2017 and later) female residents in June 2020. This questionnaire was administered using the Qualtrics Survey tool and was open to each participating woman’s organization for 4 weeks. Summary statistics were used to describe characteristics of all respondents and free-text responses were reviewed to identify common themes regarding avenues for improvement. Results: Three hundred twelve women responded to the survey, representing a 15.6% response rate. The median duration of providing breastmilk was 9 months (IQR 6–12). 21% of residents reported access to usable lactation rooms within their training hospital, in which 12% reported a computer was present. 60% of lactating residents reported not having a place to store breast milk. 73% reported residency limited their ability to lactate, and 37% stopped prior to their desired goal. 40% reported their faculty and/or co-residents made them feel guilty for their decision to breastfeed, and 56% reported their difficulties with breastfeeding during residency impacted their mental health. Conclusion: Residents who become mothers during training face significant obstacles to meeting their breastfeeding/pumping needs and goals. With these barriers defined, informed policy change can be instituted to improve the lactation experience for physicians-in-training. Keywords: Graduate medical education, Lactation, Support, Pumping, Maternity
Background The number of women physicians has been rising since the 1990s. Today, women comprise over 50% of graduating medical school classes and more than one third of actively licensed doctors nationally [1, 2]. In the United States (US), 4 years of medical school is followed by 3 to 7 years of specialty specific post-graduate education, termed residency, prior to board certification. For those * Correspondence: [email protected] 3 Department of Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd Unit 1240, Houston, TX 77030, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
desiring a family, it is common to have children during residency, which typically constitutes childbearing years; the number of women electing to have children as trainees has increased in recent years [3]. Several studies have assessed perceptions of pregnancy during medical training, the availability of maternity leave, and the impact of motherhood on academic career p
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