What to Expect When They're Expecting: A Structured, Stepwise Approach to Resident Parental Leave
Parental leave can be stressful for programs and trainees. Our workshop aims to take the confusion and stress out of resident parental leave by 1) clarifying the ABIM and ACGME leave policies, 2) demonstrating how parental leave options can be consolidated into a transparent process, and 3) highlighting a novel physician parent elective and mentoring network implemented at an academic residency program. We outline elective goals, milestone-based objectives, and well-rounded curriculum, including topics in peri-pregnancy care, health equity, narrative medicine, and self-compassion training. We share the successes and challenges we have faced implementing the elective and mentoring network at one institution over the past two years. Participants will take home a "starter pack" for de-stressing parental leave at their own institutions, including simple graphics summarizing leave policies, a template for creating a parental leave policy, the physician parent elective curriculum, and a survey for starting a mentoring network of physician parents.
The first portion of the workshop will be a combination of needs assessment and literature review. In small group discussion, participants will work through example scenarios of residents requesting parental leave. The workshop will conclude with large group discussion, with time for additional questions and answers. Although this workshop will specifically focus on parental leave, the concepts can be applied to any extended leave.
The first portion of the workshop will be a combination of needs assessment and literature review. In small group discussion, participants will work through example scenarios of residents requesting parental leave. The workshop will conclude with large group discussion, with time for additional questions and answers. Although this workshop will specifically focus on parental leave, the concepts can be applied to any extended leave.