Parenting in Plastic Surgery Residency

Abstract

Background: In 1994, Mackinnon advocated that plastic surgery residents should have accessible child care to promote a productive return to work. Decades later, lack of adequate child care remains a dilemma for trainees. The authors' survey aims to evaluate childrearing during plastic surgery training. Methods: An anonymous, voluntary survey was sent to plastic surgery residents. It evaluated demographics, childcare accommodations, and attitudes/issues surrounding childrearing during residency. Results: There were 32 respondents: 66 percent women and 34 percent men. Seventy-five percent were married, and 38 percent were parents. Seventy-five percent of male parents compared to 12 percent of female parents reported that their spouse was the primary childcare source. One hundred percent of respondents with children reported that child care creates a financial burden. Three percent of respondents felt their institution provided services to arrange adequate child care. Sixty-three percent of residents felt their program did not allow flexibility to accommodate childcare needs. Female residents missed work twice as often and were twice as likely to require a co-resident to cover clinical duties because of childcare difficulties when compared to male residents (p = 0.296 and p = 0.145). Sixty-seven percent of women agreed with the statement, "If you had to pick a residency program today, the availability of on-site child care would influence your decision," compared to only 9 percent of men (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Training institutions are not meeting the childcare needs of plastic surgery trainees. If the specialty wishes to recruit and retain the top applicants, it must improve the childcare accommodations for residents. All institutions with plastic surgery residency programs should provide affordable, accessible child care that accommodates the 24-hour natures of both patient care and parenthood.

Association of Women Surgeons’ Comprehensive Initiative for Healthy Surgical Families During Residency and Fellowship Training

“…Childcare difficulties caused plastic surgery residents who were female to miss work twice as often as their male colleagues, and they were twice as likely to require a coresident to cover clinical duties. 27 Hospitals should offer on-site childcare facilities with extended and weekend hours. In an analysis of general surgery resident perspectives on pregnancy and motherhood, on-site childcare was reported to "improve physician well-being, is costeffective by reducing lost days of work, and may serve as a powerful recruitment tool for future trainees."…”

“…Furthermore, while parents of both genders experience the consequences of childcare gaps, the burden is not equally shared. Childcare difficulties caused plastic surgery residents who were female to miss work twice as often as their male colleagues, and they were twice as likely to require a coresident to cover clinical duties …”

Evolution in Parental Leave Policies: Plastic Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynecology Lead the Way

“…1,23 In addition, physician-parents are spending on average $21,600 per child per year on child care services. 24 Most residents have significant medical school debt, which further contributes to financial stress.…”

Discussion: Parenting in Plastic Surgery Residency

“…In this issue, Wallace et al demonstrate that shortcomings in child care put parents going through plastic surgery residency programs at risk in all these areas. 1…”

“…When asked if they would select a training program based on the availability of on-site daycare, 67 percent of women resident respondents said yes, compared with just 9 percent of male respondents. 1,2 To accommodate their hours, residents with children spend nearly three times the national average on child care, equal to one-quarter of their household income. Women are more likely to bear this financial burden, because they are less likely to have a spouse as a primary childcare source.…”