Ob/Gyn programs where residents have kids?

[sequoia]

I'm married and have a son. I love Ob/Gyn and cannot be swayed to go into anything else.... I may be crazy but I love the work.

I'd like to find ob/gyn residency programs where the residents are married and have kids too. I don't mind having to work hard but I want to go somewhere where people will have the same priorities I do.

Please suggest programs ....

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[goodsamob]

I'm sure it makes our chairman cringe, but I would say we are a very family friendly program. The vast majority of residents are married, and most have children.

During my four years of residency there were 15+ babies born. I lost count. Several residents had 2 kids during their tenure. And this was at the time when we only matched 4 residents per year (now 8)!

I won't lie, ob/gyn is a demanding field, but it is definitely doable with a family.

Good luck!

 

[Diane L. Evans]

There are very few programs that are NOT family friendly. The best time to plan another is between year 3-4 when you have a good grip on your roles and responsibilities. I graduated from Sinai hospital in Baltimore and over 50% of us had kids. Where you run into trouble is in a smaller program being out for 6 weeks can cause some to have a grudge.

Don't let a family sway your choice of career

 

[sequoia]

Thanks for your programs... keep 'em coming. I'm NOT looking to have another child during residency. I just want to go somewhere where that the residents also have families to get home to like I do. I did a sub-I at a program where the residents didn't seem to have anywhere better to be than the hospital, even after all the work was done. I don't want to go somewhere that I'll be resented for taking off when my work is done.

 

[caliprincess]

UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School...there are residents in each class that either already have children or become pregnant while in the program. Good luck!

 

[keithslc]

Banner Good Sam Phoenix has residents with families. I think we are the best program around. I would welcome any residents with families.

 

[anamarylee]

Albany Med. Currently 9/24 residents have kids. We are all very understanding when kids are sick and you need to cover for someone else.

 

[lulubean]

Our program is super family friendly. We have several children in our program, born both during and before residency, and the culture is really supportive of family.

 

[NatashaRachell]

So what do you guys consider to be "family friendly"? It's nice to see that so many OB/GYN residents are having children, but do they have any family time?

I'm a current 2nd year and can't stop thinking about OB/GYN. My daughter is 19 months, and I'm considering having my 2nd/final baby soon. What can I expect from one of your programs? How often are you home? What kind of hours and call?

Thanks for your valuable input on this forum

 

[sequoia]

So what do you guys consider to be "family friendly"? It's nice to see that so many OB/GYN residents are having children, but do they have any family time?

To me family friendly means:
(1) other residents have spouses/kids and therefore social events include family and aren't routinely held in adult only type situations, like clubs.

(2) residents in "family friendly" programs have a priority of getting home to their family when the work is done... they have better places to be than the hospital when they aren't on duty.

(3) Have a schedule that accommodates for family leave without maiming the residents who are covering for that person. I'm not planning to have another child in residency but if one of my fellow residents does, I want to be somewhere that I can back her up without making my own family suffer.

(4) Allow and are understanding for residents who want to pump breast milk for their baby.

There are probably other definitions but these are the things that come to mind to me. If someone else has anything to add, PLEASE chime in.

 

[DocDiva]

Hi there,
I have a few questions and this seems to be the perfect thread!
The way my time line works out (according to my clinical coordinator) as far as residency etc I will be matching in 2012... I will have about 7 months off to finish my electives, etc... since i went to a carrib school and we have 3 entering semesters.

We plan on attempting to have a baby in those months that i have off, hoping to time it (IF it goes according to plan.....) just right so that I can have a baby sometime in the spring and start residency in July. Is this feasible?

How will that impact interviews in Nov-Dec? If I am not showing by the time of the interview am I supposed to disclose that information? Would that have a negative impact on my interview/selection? especially being that I am an IMG? I still have time to polish off my CV/app for those programs any advice?

I also looked into maybe doing a residency in AZ (thats why i jumped on this thread!) I am from NY but DH is from AZ and I absolutely LOVE it there!! And yes i have been there in August...still love it.

From what i understand is that there are only 3 ob/gyn programs in AZ? How friendly are they towards IMG? How competitive are those programs?

Just a side note for anyone wondering....The reason I would like to do this in that time is because I am a product of older parents; they put their education/careers first and my mother had me at 36, my father was in his 50's and aside from having an extremely hard time growing up (and even now) and feeling a huge generational gap, I witnessed my fathers long and painful illness/death when I was only 19. I don't want to be putting my own children through that, and would like to have one before I am 30. So even though to someone else it would seem that I have plenty of time (im 26 now) and DH is 30, to me its a personal choice.

Any advice about the programs would be appreciated! thanks

 

[sequoia]

Hi DocDiva,

Here is advice on having babies from my perspective, take what you want, leave the rest.

It took me 6 months to get pregnant with one miscarriage. I was only three months pregnant in the "window" when I had "planned" the baby to be born. Trust me, these little people are your first lesson in plans not going according to plan. Since you are interested in OB, I'm thinking that is all the more reason to have one before residency since DURING is NOT a good time. If you definitely want a baby before residency, start trying NOW. It can take us young healthy women up to a year and still be considered "normal".

Once you have the baby, you have his warm little body cuddled up to you, breastfeeding, you might find that you don't want to leave him after a short 8-12 weeks. You need to be in position where you could have that option. Once you've signed the contract to start residency, its done... you start.

I love being a mom, more than ANYTHING. It transforms you and is completely worth the sacrifices that you will make gladly. Don't be surprised though if after having a baby, you find yourself reconsidering OB and looking at other lifestyle specialties.

I always thought I could pop out babies and let someone else take care of them but I was wrong. I love caring for my baby and I could not hand him off to a day care or nanny at 6 weeks. Its hard to leave him with a babysitter at 7 months. This is why I'm resolved not to have any more children until after residency.

I'm all for starting a family before residency, just know that you may love that baby more than ANYTHING in the the world. The most carefully laid plans.......