Asking about programs' maternity leave policy

[Elfy]

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Could anyone advise when and whom to ask about residency programs' maternity leave policies?

I assume it would be undiplomatic to ask the PD while interviewing.

Should one inquire with the other residents or with Human Resources?

Please share any experiences with inquiring about or going through maternity leave during residency.

Thank you.

 

[dragonfly99]

Don't ask @the interview. If you are doing peds they might not care, but with some specialties I definitely wouldn't risk it. This information should be in the House Staff Manual. You could almost surely get a copy at the Graduate Medical Education Office @the hospitals where you interview. Just walk in and ask for a copy of last year's version. Also, many places have this information posted online. In general, I believe most places will give you 8 weeks maternity leave.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Don't ask @the interview. If you are doing. peds they might not care, but with some specialties I definitely wouldn't risk it. This information should be in the House Staff Manual. You could almost surely get a copy at the Graduate Medical Education Office @the hospitals where you interview. Just walk in and ask for a copy of last year's version. Also, many places have this information posted online. In general, I believe most places will give you 8 weeks maternity leave.

This is DEFINITELY not true! There are certain specialties where you can only be absent from your post for 4 consecutive weeks or that year will not count for your board eligibility. So even if the hospital allows 8 your specialty may limit you to fewer.

 

[dragonfly99]

I agree that departments can do whatever they want/need to do. And of course if you miss more than the allowed time for your specialty you will have to make it up. My point is that I have never seen a residency program/GME office that didn't allow the 8 weeks (isn't it required by law now?). I mean, I don't think they can fire you for having a baby, but they could definitely be displease (most surgical programs would be, for example). Your department definitely might require you to make up the rotations you missed...which IMHO is only fair to the other trainees. I did IM and I'm not sure people actually had to do that...I think they didn't... but it would totally make sense if they did.

 

[Elfy]

Thank you for your responses, they are most helpful. I didn't know about the House Staff Manual. I did research programs online, but the information on this topic is sketchy.

I'm won't be doing anything as family-friendly as peds, nor as demanding as surgery. Rather, neurology or psychiatry. I have almost no idea how the schedule would be affected in those, maybe more so in neuro and a tad less in psychiatry? Also, the first year would be IM in both and I suppose that's call heavy.

And is this 4-8 weeks leave you guys mentioned FMLA or what? I know that FMLA is unpaid and cannot be taken unless previously employed for 12 months with the same employer. Would this mean one wouldn't be covered by leave at all if pregnant in the first (preliminary) year?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

This is DEFINITELY not true! There are certain specialties where you can only be absent from your post for 4 consecutive weeks or that year will not count for your board eligibility. So even if the hospital allows 8 your specialty may limit you to fewer.

Which fields would this be? Seems rather draconian.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thank you for your responses, they are most helpful. I didn't know about the House Staff Manual. I did research programs online, but the information on this topic is sketchy.

I'm won't be doing anything as family-friendly as peds, nor as demanding as surgery. Rather, neurology or psychiatry. I have almost no idea how the schedule would be affected in those, maybe more so in neuro and a tad less in psychiatry? Also, the first year would be IM in both and I suppose that's call heavy.

And is this 4-8 weeks leave you guys mentioned FMLA or what? I know that FMLA is unpaid and cannot be taken unless previously employed for 12 months with the same employer. Would this mean one wouldn't be covered by leave at all if pregnant in the first (preliminary) year?

Neuro and Psych will likely be quite accomodating. As you say, the first year for neuro is prelim IM and that might be less accomodating, and at a minimum your prelim year will get extended by the time missed (neuro boards are pretty strict about the prelim year requirements). Psych is mixed, our program only has a few IM rotations in the PGY-1 year.

Asking vs not is a tough question. Programs that are comfortable with it will be open and honest. Some programs might "hold it against you" although that is clearly illegal -- however, ask yourself if you'd really want to get pregnant in that kind of environment. Might be better to know first.

Asking residents is another way to try to get this type of information, although reisdents can forward info like this to the program, so there is no absolutely "safe" way to ask.

Some programs treat this as FMLA. Some treat it as time-with-pay, usually as disability. You;d have to ask to find out.

In psych and neuro, I personally think it's totally fine to ask. Ortho, NS, etc, not so much.

 

[Elfy]

Thank you very much aProgDirector.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Which fields would this be? Seems rather draconian.

Agreed...I've never heard of any program, board or specialty that makes you repeat the entire year if you take more than 4 weeks off (for whatever reason). Even surgery programs aren't that cruel.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Agreed...I've never heard of any program, board or specialty that makes you repeat the entire year if you take more than 4 weeks off (for whatever reason). Even surgery programs aren't that cruel.

It's 4 CONSECUTIVE weeks. (The wording I have heard used was, "You forfeit your year of training if you are absent from your post for more than 4 consecutive weeks.) And it's radiology, as per my school's rads program director. Some programs are willing to get creative by combining maternity leave and vacation with a day worked in between, but some programs also follow the rules to the letter apparently.

 

[Winged Scapula]

It's 4 CONSECUTIVE weeks. (The wording I have heard used was, "You forfeit your year of training if you are absent from your post for more than 4 consecutive weeks.) And it's radiology, as per my school's rads program director. Some programs are willing to get creative by combining maternity leave and vacation with a day worked in between, but some programs also follow the rules to the letter apparently.

I understood it was 4 CONSECUTIVE weeks but I still agree with aPD, its rather draconian.

According to the American Board of Radiology:

Leave of absence: Leaves of absence and vacation may be granted to residents at the discretion of the program director in accordance with local rules. Within the required period(s) of graduate medical education, the total such leave and vacation time may not exceed SIX CALENDAR WEEKS (30 working days) for residents in a program for one year, TWELVE CALENDAR WEEKS (60 working days) for residents in a program for two years, EIGHTEEN CALENDAR WEEKS (90 working days) for residents in a program for three years, or TWENTY FOUR CALENDAR WEEKS (120 working days) for residents in a program for four years. If a longer leave of absence is granted, the required period of graduate medical education must be extended accordingly.

Thus, I take this to mean that if you take extended leave (beyond the restrictions above), your residency is lengthened. This is SOP in all residencies. It does not appear to me here, or anywhere else on their web site that you must repeat the year to be Board Eligible.

I suspect this is a rule the Rads PD at your program made up/misunderstood or is a program rule rather than it having anything at all to do with Board Certification. Programs have been known to lie to residents in order to bully them into not taking time off.

 

[yadayadadude]

I have a kid and my pregnancy is mentioned in my application materials, so my interviewers all knew I am a mother (assuming they read my application). In any event, my son was a topic of coversation in all of my interviews (including several with PDs) and I didn't get the impression that this impacted me in a negative way. So I think the advice to keep totally mum, while it wouldn't hurt, probably isn't necessary. My experience (in IM) has been that every program provides applicants with a list of residents and their contact information according to various situations (you know, like, "displaced Californian" or "likes to fish" or "lives in X neighborhood") and there was always a list of parents. If I were you, I would handle it by emailing one of those parents and asking them directly about mat leave.