Maternity leave during residency

[mefij]

A good handful of my M4 peers have been discussing their plans to marry this year then have children after during residency. Which made me curious....since residency is generally very organized with fixed # of residents and set shifts - if 1 of 10 residents goes on maternity leave for a few months, does that mean the other 9 residents have to take an 11% increase in their workload/shifts?

And since we're paid by annual stipend, is that factored into our pay? Do we get paid commensurately for the extra shifts we work?

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[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

Yes, generally other people cover the work of a resident on maternity leave. No, they are not paid more for doing so. But an EM resident is not supposed to work more than 60 hours a week in the ED, 80 off service. So in theory they can’t work you more than that.

 

[sfwtboy]

Yes, generally other people cover the work of a resident on maternity leave. No, they are not paid more for doing so. But an EM resident is not supposed to work more than 60 hours a week in the ED, 80 off service. So in theory they can’t work you more than that.

Maybe I'm heartless for ever asking this, but does the person who took maternity leave pay those people back by taking shifts later? Is it even legal to have a policy like that?

 

[NYEMMED]

Maybe I'm heartless for ever asking this, but does the person who took maternity leave pay those people back by taking shifts later? Is it even legal to have a policy like that?

They probably won’t pay the shifts back to the individual residents. They would have to graduate later if they use more than their allowed vacation days.

It is one way a co-resident can impact and affect their residency

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

I worked a shift the day after my youngest daughter was born. In hindsight, this was dumb and I wish I would have paid attention to the paternity leave policy at my job. I was entitled to some shifts off I should’ve taken advantage of.

Granted I am older but now I think people should have kids whenever they want/can. The shifts will get covered by residents or faculty and I honestly don’t believe any EM residency is all that difficult these days. Just about every program I know of has a jeopardy system in place. Contrast that to the average Neurosurgery residency where most residents don’t miss a day of work for 7-8 years straight.

 

[DeadCactus]

Good residency programs will adjust schedules and put flexible rotations, elective time, and vacation time peri-delivery to facilitate parents actually spending time with their new family member and fill in gaps with supportive co-residents. Last resort is taking a leave of absence and making up the time on the other end of residency. Other programs could not care less and expect you to show up at work with little accommodation. Many programs fall in the middle.

These issues are worth finding out about when you interview more than all the consternation about who runs traumas.

 

[gamerEMdoc]

Good residency programs will adjust schedules and put flexible rotations, elective time, and vacation time peri-delivery to facilitate parents actually spending time with their new family member and fill in gaps with supportive co-residents. Last resort is taking a leave of absence and making up the time on the other end of residency. Other programs could not care less and expect you to show up at work with little accommodation. Many programs fall in the middle.

These issues are worth finding out about when you interview more than all the consternation about who runs traumas.

Exactly this. You gotta get creative, but we’ve yet to have a resident not graduate on time because of maternity leave they took in residency.