Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Sep;225(3):411-418e2.
doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2017.05.018. Epub 2017 Jun 13.

Impact of Procedural Training on Pregnancy Outcomes and Career Satisfaction in Female Postgraduate Medical Trainees in the United States

Jennifer S Davids  1 , Rebecca E Scully, Nelya Melnitchouk
Affiliations

Impact of Procedural Training on Pregnancy Outcomes and Career Satisfaction in Female Postgraduate Medical Trainees in the United States

Jennifer S Davids et al. J Am Coll Surg. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Compared with nonprocedural fields, procedural specialization requires longer training, less flexible schedules, and greater physical demands. The impact of these factors on pregnancy, maternity outcomes, and career satisfaction has not been well described.

Study design: Data were gathered from 738 US postgraduate medical trainee mothers via an anonymous, IRB-approved online survey. Univariate analysis was performed using chi-square tests. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the impact of procedural training on odds of assisted reproduction use and pregnancy complications, adjusting for age at first pregnancy.

Results: Of the 738 respondents, 221 (30.0%) were in procedural fields. A greater percentage of procedural trainees were more than 30 years old at the time of first pregnancy (52.9% vs 43.1%; p = 0.01). Controlling for maternal age, procedural trainees were significantly more likely to require assisted reproduction (odds ratio [OR] 1.28; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.61; p = 0.04), and trended toward increased odds of prolonged time to conceive (OR 1.62; 95% CI 0.99 to 2.65; p = 0.06). After delivery, procedural trainees also had higher adjusted odds of shorter maternity leave (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.18; p = 0.03) and were significantly more likely to report a desire to have chosen a less demanding specialty or job (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.40 to 2.72; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Procedural trainees have higher rates of assisted reproduction, shorter maternity leave, and are ultimately more likely to express career dissatisfaction. These findings illustrate the need for adequate support for trainee mothers, particularly in procedural specialties.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. US Medical School Applications and Matriculants by School, State of Legal Residence, and Sex, 2016-2017. AAMC.org. Available at: https://www.aamc.org/download/321442/data/factstablea1.pdf . Accessed March 28, 2017.
    1. 2012 Physician Specialty Data Book: Center for Workforce Studies. Available at:. https://www.aamc.org/download/313228/data/2012physicianspecialtydatabook... . Accessed March 30, 2017.
    1. Pham DT, Stephens EH, Antonoff MB, et al. Birth trends and factors affecting childbearing among thoracic surgeons. Ann Thorac Surg. 2014;98:890-895.
    1. Willett LL, Wellons MF, Hartig JR, et al. Do women residents delay childbearing due to perceived career threats? Acad Med. 2010;85:640-646.
    1. Scully R, Melnitchouk N, Davids JS. Fertility and pregnancy outcomes in female physicians in procedural specialties: a large national survey. J Am Coll Surg. 2016;223:S109.