conflicted

[ACSlater]

i am going to be a PGY1 in ob this year. i know there is another abortion thread going on but this is not to debate that topic. i am prochoice and have always felt really strongly about a woman's right to choose. however, now the program is asking us all if we want to participate in terminations or not. and i dont know quite how i feel about it. i want to do it but part of me has reservations about ending a pregnancy. anybody else feel conflicted?

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[ACSlater]

wow....i guess im the only one!

 

[snowinter]

acslater,

it's natural to feel conflicted. i explored this issue on my fourth year rotations... and found I could not participate.

i think honestly talking to your residency program director and saying you are not sure how you feel is good.. and so if you get into something you can't handle -- they should be flexible in allowing you to change to something else. if you havent' seen many abortions or any for that matter.. you may want to go see a few. they will happen w/or w/out you.

most programs require participation in post-op care... and no program can force you to perform elective abortions.. so all programs have something good set up for those people (like me) who will opt out of the training.

good luck. i know it's hard. but you are not alone ...

the best approach is honesty. ... i'm sure even your program director has been through the same conflicts at some point in their training. either personally, or with a previous resident.

good luck
snow

 

[66Lenses]

Agreed, being prochoice does not mean you must be gung-ho about performing abortions. Prochoice, as you know, means so much more than just allowing abortions to remain legal. Abortions are simply one part of the choice.

Do what you feel is right for you. You may want to witness one or two just to see what they entail (whether they are elective or not). Also, it would be good to know about post-op as the psychology behind it would be good practice for the future, miscarriages happen all the time and probably entail similar emotions.

Talk to your program director, review your options, and stay true to yourself. Remember, just because you aren't comfortable performing abortions does not change the fact that you are an advocate of choice.

You are not alone.