Thank you to everyone who shared their responses to the optional, anonymous survey. This was a needs assessment survey to gauge the current climate and conditions for medical students and trainees. The next step is a formal survey (IRB and everything) of potentially all current residents and fellows across the country, and including all specialities. It’s a big endeavor but I intend to create even bigger change. The sentinel article that showed me it could be done was by Halley et al at UCSF (https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4926) which, along with their sub-analysis on demographic data, showed that maternal discrimination is significantly distinct from other forms of gender discrimination and is perpetuated by unique anti-maternal factors. The study is monumental however only 9.2% of their respondents are current residents, and among all respondents greater than 70% identified as white. This leaves room for further analysis which I’ll be doing formally. If you think about it, even with Halley’s study little sweeping change has occurred - that’s because institutions and medicine as a whole wont change out of the kindness of their hearts. Rather there has to be external pressure that directly threatens their financial risk and legal exposures. Which is the goal of my other project.
The results of this survey are below. Overall, all respondents were of reproductive age and mostly age 25-34. Most were current residents (62%), then medical students (30%), and fellows were the smallest group (7.58%). I found the third question to be quite illuminating and helped delineate where our needs are: lack of time, finding a clean/private space, and feeling isolated were top challenges. What i found most interstiung is that ALL respondents had suggestions for change (n=66) and only 36 women shared a positive experience. Moreover, those with positive experiences tended to be current medical students which may suggest that medical schools are probably doing a better job (used loosely) than residencies at imposing barriers on pumping/lactating mothers. It’s no secrete that residents lack basic rights as detailed by labor laws even though we are covered on paper. Women and mothers are far less protected and I suspect than when we cross the threshold from student to employee/cheap labor institutions and programs are comfortable witholding rights because they know 1. We show up and do our jobs regardless, 2. Dont’ have other options, 3. Very few of us are knowledgeable about what actions/recourse is available, and 4. Even fewer of us are in an emotional/financial place to seek out legal action.
The results of this survey are below. Overall, all respondents were of reproductive age and mostly age 25-34. Most were current residents (62%), then medical students (30%), and fellows were the smallest group (7.58%). I found the third question to be quite illuminating and helped delineate where our needs are: lack of time, finding a clean/private space, and feeling isolated were top challenges. What i found most interstiung is that ALL respondents had suggestions for change (n=66) and only 36 women shared a positive experience. Moreover, those with positive experiences tended to be current medical students which may suggest that medical schools are probably doing a better job (used loosely) than residencies at imposing barriers on pumping/lactating mothers. It’s no secrete that residents lack basic rights as detailed by labor laws even though we are covered on paper. Women and mothers are far less protected and I suspect than when we cross the threshold from student to employee/cheap labor institutions and programs are comfortable witholding rights because they know 1. We show up and do our jobs regardless, 2. Dont’ have other options, 3. Very few of us are knowledgeable about what actions/recourse is available, and 4. Even fewer of us are in an emotional/financial place to seek out legal action.
4. If you’ve had positive experiences please share below:
5. What changes would you like to see for mothers in medical school/residency/fellowship as it relates to breastfeeding/pumping?
