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. 2023 Jun 1;141(6):1154-1159.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005204. Epub 2023 Apr 13.

Delaying the Fellowship Start Date in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Erika Banks  1 , Karen E George, George Doulaveris, Gregory M Gressel, Megan Sax, AnnaMarie Connolly
Affiliations

Delaying the Fellowship Start Date in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Erika Banks et al. Obstet Gynecol. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate residents planning fellowship, their preferences for fellowship start date, and the acceptability of resultant gaps in pay and insurance coverage.

Methods: A survey was conducted during the 2022 in-service training examination querying obstetrics and gynecology residents about their desire to pursue fellowship, their preferred fellowship start date (understanding the salary gap), and the acceptability of a medical insurance gap.

Results: Survey analysis of respondents planning to pursue fellowship demonstrated that, acknowledging the pay gap that would occur, 93.9% preferred a fellowship start date after July 1, with the majority (65.1%, 593/911) preferring an August 1 fellowship start date. Most respondents (87.7%, 798/910) found the potential resultant gap in medical insurance coverage acceptable. Survey data showed that racial and ethnic identity was not a determining factor in either of these issues.

Conclusion: The majority of current residents planning to pursue fellowship prefer a delayed fellowship start date, even if it means a gap in salary and insurance coverage. The results of this study, requested by a specialty-wide, consensus-building workgroup, informed a statement signed by the majority (88.9%) of workgroup constituents supporting an August 1 clinical fellowship start date.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial Disclosure The authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest.

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References

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    1. American Board of Surgery. ABS statement regarding August 1 fellowship start date. Accessed January 19, 2023. https://www.absurgery.org/default.jsp?news_aug1fellow
    1. Council of Pediatric Subspecialties. Fellowship start date action team recommendations. Accessed January 19, 2023. https://college.mayo.edu/media/mccms/content-assets/academics/residencie...

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