Knowledge and Perceptions of Family Leave Policies Among Female Faculty in Academic Medicine

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this research was to examine the knowledge and perceptions of family leave policies and practices among senior leaders including American Association of Medical College members of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) to identify perceived barriers to career success and satisfaction among female faculty. Methods In 2011–2012 GWIMS representatives and senior leaders at 24 medical schools were invited to participate in an interview about faculty perceptions of gender equity and overall institutional climate. An inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted to identify themes represented in participant responses. The research team read and reviewed institutional family leave policies for concordance with key informant descriptions. Findings 22 GWIMS representatives and senior leaders comprised the final sample. Participants were female, 18 (82%) were full professors with the remainder being associate professors. Compared with publicly available policies at each institution, the knowledge of nine participants was consistent with policies, was discrepant for six, with the remaining seven acknowledging a lack of knowledge of policies. Four major themes were identified from the interview data: 1) Framing family leave as a personal issue undermines its effect on female faculty success; 2) Poor communication of policies impairs access and affects organizational climate; 3) Discrepancies in leave implementation disadvantage certain faculty in terms of time and pay; 4) Leave policies are valued and directly related to academic productivity. Conclusions Family leave policies are an important aspect of faculty satisfaction and academic success, yet policy awareness by senior leaders is lacking. Further organizational support is needed to promote equitable policy creation and implementation to support women in medical academia.

Inadequate Progress for Women in Academic Medicine: Findings from the National Faculty Study

“…They reported a lack of role models for combining career and family, frustrations with funding and work-life balance, and a noncollaborative institutional environment. 24 Mentoring women in multiple role management and planning was suggested as a means to increase retention and advancement of women in academic medicine. Addressing a necessary skill set earlier in training and initial faculty roles could be an important factor in the success of women faculty.…”

Longitudinal Analysis of Gender Differences in Academic Productivity Among Medical Faculty Across 24 Medical Schools in the United States

“…However, having children had no effect on publications for the cohort at this stage in their career; effects of young children earlier in career may be the issue, as women in academic medicine are more likely than their male counterparts to take leave for family reasons and carry a disproportionate burden of family responsibility, and these may compromise academic productivity in the early years of child rearing. 17–18 One study found that among married faculty with children, women reported on average 8.5 additional hours per week in domestic responsibilities than men, and women were more than three times more likely to interrupt their work activities for childcare disruptions. 19 Such distribution of domestic labor on gender lines compromises academic productivity for women, but it may also compromise opportunity for positive engagement in family life among men.…”

“…Institutions may need to consider how to provide more family friendly environments for both women and men, such as child care support at a reasonable cost and flexible hours/schedules. Recent research findings documents that senior faculty in leadership, including those in the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (i.e., gender focused leadership) positions, are commonly unaware of their institutions’ family leave policies, 17 such lack of awareness from the designated advocates for women faculty suggest that family friendly policies and supports may not be at the forefront on institutional considerations.…”

Assessing the Gap in Female Authorship in Radiology: Trends Over the Past Two Decades

“…Despite significant concerns and plans for improvement with the inclusion of more women in medicine, they continue to remain a minority in leadership positions in academia [1]. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges from 2012 show that although women account for 50% of medical school entrants and graduates, they represent only 37% of medical school faculty members (up from 29% in 2001) and only 13% of full professors [2][3][4]. Thus, despite the increasing number of female practitioners in the medical profession, there remains a distinct underrepresentation of women in academic medicine, in particular within the specialties [3,4].…”