Parental Leave

A survey study found that there are still concerns, disparities, mixed attitudes and some degree of discomfort surrounding parental leave among North American ophthalmologists.

Despite strong evidence of the mental and physical health benefits of paid parental leave on parents, children and the community, the Unites States is one of only six countries that does not offer it.

Compared with women in other fields, women in medicine were less likely to take parental leave and more often took shorter leaves, according to research presented at the Women in Medicine Summit.

Physicians-in-training have few affordable, accessible options for child care and a lack of paid parental leave, according to the AMA.

The AMA reports that in the 2019-2020 academic year, 53.7% of students matriculating into medical school were female. Yet, female physicians are more likely than their male counterparts to leave the profession.

Male residents in fear of stigma do not take long paternity leave, even though they would like more time off, according to perspectives from surgical program directors published in JAMA Surgery.

According to a presenter at the Women in Medicine Summit, female trainees compared with male trainees still experience disproportionate stress burdens, especially regarding parental leave and breastfeeding support.

For orthopaedic physicians, commitment, structure, parental leave and partner relationships are key factors for improving work/life balance, according to a speaker at the Virtual EFORT Congress.

Most internal medicine program directors do not fully understand ABIM’s leave policies for graduate medical students, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Infants were less likely to be late on vaccinations when their parents received 6 weeks of paid family leave, especially those born to families living below the poverty line, according to a report published in IZA Institute of Labor Economics Discussion Papers.