Abortion restrictions and medical residency applications

Abstract

Residency selection is a challenging process for medical students, one further complicated in the USA by the recent Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization (Dobbs) decision over-ruling the federal right to abortion. We surveyed medical students to examine how Dobbs is influencing the ideological, personal and professional factors they must reconcile when choosing where and how to complete residency.Between 6 August and 22 October 2022, third-year and fourth-year US medical students applying to US residency programmes were surveyed through social media and direct outreach to medical schools. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from 494 responses was performed to assess downstream effects of Dobbs on residency applicants' family, health and career choices.Most respondents said changes in abortion access would likely or very likely influence their decision regarding location of considered residency programme (76.9%), where to start a family (72.2%) and contraceptive planning for them or their partner (57.9%). Cis-gender females were more influenced by Dobbs regarding where (5 (4, 5) p<0.001) and when (3 (3, 5) p<0.001) to start a family. In qualitative responses, medical trainees highlighted the importance of abortion access for their patients, themselves and their loved ones.Medical trainees are incorporating state abortion access into their residency programme choices. Future physicians care about both the quality of care they will be able to provide and their own health. For personal and professional reasons, reproductive healthcare access is now a key factor in residency match decisions.

Keywords: Abortion - Induced; Education; Personal Autonomy; Quality of Health Care; Women's rights.