Expecting the Expected: Creating Inclusive Practices to Support Resident Goals for Parenthood and Fertility Preservation

Medical training coincides with a period of life in which many consider parenthood. Residents may be at different stages in the spectrum of parenthood: deferred, new and current - each of which has unique challenges, influenced by financial and time constraints. Significant gaps remain in institutional and programmatic support for residents who are current or future parents. While deferral of parenthood is common among residents, knowledge of fertility preservation among trainees is low. Moreover, rates of infertility among physicians are estimated to be as high as 25%, more than double that of the general population. The costs of cryopreservation are often prohibitively high, rarely included in benefits, and those who are able to access this resource require scheduling support and flexibility. Presenters will share published data on the full spectrum of trainee parenthood, review ABIM policies around extended leave, discuss a process for inclusivity (parents of either gender, and parenthood by any means). Based on successful advocacy, the presenters will provide guidance in advocating for inclusion of fertility preservation in resident benefits and the associated support needed for successful utilization of this resource by trainees. The workshop goal is to raise awareness, share successful interventions and highlight experience in creating support structures at the institutional, programmatic and individual level; presenters will share strategies to make parenthood accessible to as many trainees as possible, regardless of age, gender, financial and socio-economic considerations and other social determinants.