Residency tracts for women who have kids

[cmyoung83]

Are there any residency programs that are prolonged for women with children? I know that one program exists in california. Internal med that is 5 years long- no calls, no weekends, etc. I was wondering if anyone has heard of anything else. I graduated in June and took the year off while my husband is finishing his training. I was planning on applying this september, but found out I will be having a baby in Feb. Instead of starting residency with a 6 month old and a husband in fellowship, I am left having to take another year off (I know plenty of women that are in residency and have kids, but I'm not willing to make that sacrifice at the expense of my children). Please let me know if anyone knows anything

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[maceo]

Are there any residency programs that are prolonged for women with children? I know that one program exists in california. Internal med that is 5 years long- no calls, no weekends, etc. I was wondering if anyone has heard of anything else. I graduated in June and took the year off while my husband is finishing his training. I was planning on applying this september, but found out I will be having a baby in Feb. Instead of starting residency with a 6 month old and a husband in fellowship, I am left having to take another year off (I know plenty of women that are in residency and have kids, but I'm not willing to make that sacrifice at the expense of my children). Please let me know if anyone knows anything

medicine is not afamily friendly profession as you have figured out already. right?

 

[cmyoung83]

Not completely. I know there are some programs that are more so than others. Please respond if you know of residency tracts tailored to women with kids, I'm not trying to have a disscussion about hardships or sacrfice.

 

[Winged Scapula]

One of the search criteria in FREIDA is "part time/shared positions". I have no idea as to the accuracy of the data since it is self-report but its a good place to start.

And while you didn't ask and you may know this already, but the further you get out from medical school graduation, the lower the match rate. Taking another full year off may significantly lower your ability to find such a position (ie, since you are already putting qualifiers on what positions you will take and presumably will also be geographically limited to where your husband is doing his fellowship/gets a job).

 

[JackADeli]

...I was planning on applying this september, but found out I will be having a baby in Feb...

Not looking for explanation or reasons.... but at first glance, I always find this scenario troubling coming from somebody supposed to be intimately knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology. I also know, PDs at first glance also find it troubling. They will be worried you may ~found out again during the training program. Keep that in mind when applying and explaining your delay in enterring the residency work force.

...And while you didn't ask and you may know this already, but the further you get out from medical school graduation, the lower the match rate. Taking another full year off may significantly lower your ability to find such a position (ie, since you are already putting qualifiers on what positions you will take and presumably will also be geographically limited to where your husband is doing his fellowship/gets a job).

Also, keep in mind there are time limitis on completing all USMLE steps. The exact limits can vary from state licensing board to state licensing board. Then the issue arises about completing these exams within a given time frame for one state. Another state may not readily accept it and view your duration to completion of all steps to have exceeded their specific requirements.

 

[cmyoung83]

Thanks for your replies. I am well aware of the limitations it puts me in for applying years after graduation. I have taken ALL my boards. Knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology? Are you kidding me? As far as finding it "troubling" I got pregnant, I guess my wording was poor. I calculated that I am due in Feb, don't want to have a 6 month old starting intern year. I am married, so it was bound to happen. And with me taking the year off, it would have been nicer if it happened sooner so my child would be a little older once I would have started.

 

[JackADeli]

...

...I graduated in June and took the year off while my husband is finishing his training. ...Instead of starting residency ...I am left having to take another year off...

...I am well aware of the limitations it puts me in for applying years after graduation. I have taken ALL my boards...

Didn't know you had completed some residency. If not, you could not have completed all steps unless there is a state out there with different criteria. I am pretty sure most states requires at least 1-2 years residency after graduation in order to complete ALL the USMLE step examinations.

...Knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology? Are you kidding me? As far as finding it "troubling" I got pregnant... I calculated that I am due in Feb, don't want to have a 6 month old starting intern year. I am married, so it was bound to happen...

No, I am not kidding. Yes, you are married and presumably will be so when you start residency. So, is it "bound to happen" again!

Please, no need to answer me or anyone on this forum. You need not get defensive on this forum. You are not applying to me or this forum. I am simply trying to provide you some real advise as to what PDs may think even if they don't come out and say it to your face. i.e.: You either failed at a planning a scheduled pregnancy or failed to plan the timing of your pregnancy based on your wording. Either way, PDs need to take into consideration what their cadre make-up will be year to year and if your marriage status means it is "bound to happen" again.... There are numerous married couples that seem to not be "bound" to this occurance with such timing. again, not meant as judgemental, rather trying to provide you some insight in the thought process of some PDs.

 

[cmyoung83]

Nope. Cali, Nevada, Delaware, Con, and a few other states... dont require any training prior to taking step 3.

 

[JackADeli]

Nope. Cali, Nevada, Delaware, Con, and a few other states... dont require any training prior to taking step 3.

I was always under the impression taking the final steps required some post graduate/residency training. I stand corrected. Thank you for the information.

http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_requirementschart.html

 

[Rendar5]

Thanks for your replies. I am well aware of the limitations it puts me in for applying years after graduation. I have taken ALL my boards. Knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology? Are you kidding me? As far as finding it "troubling" I got pregnant, I guess my wording was poor. I calculated that I am due in Feb, don't want to have a 6 month old starting intern year. I am married, so it was bound to happen. And with me taking the year off, it would have been nicer if it happened sooner so my child would be a little older once I would have started.

Why is an 18month old any better a time to do residency than with a 6 month old? And what if you decide to have another baby in 5 years or have an unplanned pregnancy in the next 5 years. The way I figure it, either find a residency that you can somehow share part-time with or make a decision whether you want to be a clinician or not. Because the longer you delay, the less likely you'll find a residency position.

 

[JackADeli]

...what if you decide to have another baby in 5 years or have an unplanned pregnancy in the next 5 years...

This is really my point.

...I was planning ...but found out I will be having a baby in Feb...

...Knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology? Are you kidding me? ...I got pregnant, ...I am married, so it was bound to happen...

Believe it or not, you getting pregnant does NOT matter to me. I really, truely could careless about your family planning choices. That is not the same for PDs. Hence what I was trying to say.

PDs have longitudinal scheduling to consider with each applicant. Yes, any female can get pregnant during residency and they have no way of preventing it. That does not mean it isn't a consideration. Just about every PD looks for track records. Your description suggests your track record in this regard is major choices in an unplanned fashion... i.e. ~accident. Your reply of "it was bound to happen" also sends a message of your reliability.

None of which matters to this forum or to me. But, as I mentioned earlier, you should think carefully how you approach the topic during interviews. The last person we expect to be having accidental pregnancies are those that are most educated on the topic and, if in PC/FM counseling/educating patients. An attitude of, "oh well it just happens" will not help at an interview. You need to be dependable and reliable to the program and your fellow residents. So, be honest but be careful in how you explain and discuss these matters. Because, you may come accross as two years out of medicine and unreliable/undependable/irresponsible.

 

[Coastie]

I'm in a very call heavy specialty (anesthesiology). We have residents who are pregnant. They generally work up til 9 mos, take 4-8 weeks for maternal leave (at their discretion).

Some of them take vacation leave so they aren't behind in the timeline of residency graduation. I'd highly recommend doing a similar path. They take full call, have full responsibilities, etc, and are up to speed clinically/knowledge-wise. I doubt someone taking an official mommy-track residency would be.

Edit addon: Also want to add that the part-time residencies are not top notch, so you'll also be limiting yourself to weaker programs. Just a thought.

 

[JPR22]

I did a rotation at a hospital that had a residency program filled with women with children. The program director let things get way out of control. I remember a resident who had to leave at like 1pm to pick up her kids. Needless to say there was no call, and or weekends for those with kids.

 

[cmyoung83]

Please only respond if you have any information about said "mommy tracts." I'm really not trying to have a moral discussion about raising kids or the hardships or pleasures of having kids in residency. Trust me, I've gone thru med school, met pleanty of women who have done it. My husband is a 7th year resident who also have heard the same story. Simply put it's not for us. I am willing to go to a sub-standard program, I just don't want to completely waste my degree. And honestly, once I'm done with training I plan on taking years off until my children go to school before going back to work. Being a practicing doctor is not my priority right now.

 

[JackADeli]

Please only respond if you have any information about said "mommy tracts." I'm really not trying to have a moral discussion about raising kids or the hardships or pleasures of having kids in residency. Trust me, I've gone thru med school, met pleanty of women who have done it. My husband is a 7th year resident who also have heard the same story. Simply put it's not for us. I am willing to go to a sub-standard program, I just don't want to completely waste my degree. And honestly, once I'm done with training I plan on taking years off until my children go to school before going back to work. Being a practicing doctor is not my priority right now.

I have not seen much of a moral argument made in this thread.

I don't think you listed what specialty you are actually looking for so that makes giving specifics difficult. We don't know if you are looking at rads, path, IM, Pedes, ER, FM, etc... Posting this entire thread within a specific specialty forum may have obtained you more program specific information. You may want to ask a mod to move it to the specialty of your interest.

I think WS has given you some good advice. You may need to cold call. Honestly wish you all the best and hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Freak]

Have you checked out http://www.mommd.com/forum/ ... that website may be more helpful.

 

[Rendar5]

Please only respond if you have any information about said "mommy tracts." I'm really not trying to have a moral discussion about raising kids or the hardships or pleasures of having kids in residency. Trust me, I've gone thru med school, met pleanty of women who have done it. My husband is a 7th year resident who also have heard the same story. Simply put it's not for us. I am willing to go to a sub-standard program, I just don't want to completely waste my degree. And honestly, once I'm done with training I plan on taking years off until my children go to school before going back to work. Being a practicing doctor is not my priority right now.

I'm not really getting moral with you. I'm just pointing out that if you're not able to find a mommy tract residency, you'll have a hard choice to make, and some of your thought processes may be off (that it'll be easier to do residency with an 18month old instead of a 6 month old, or that you suddenly won't get pregnant in the middle of residency, or that you can just jump right back into medicine after being out of the field for several years). In that case, I think you'll really to consider sucking it up and doing what other moms in standard residencies do, or giving up on residency.
I know it's not what you want to hear, and I do hope you find a more mom-friendly residency like WS suggested so that you'll be able to avoid such a difficult decision

 

[ozzidoc]

Have you checked out http://www.mommd.com/forum/ ... that website may be more helpful.

Which, interestingly enough, was set up by a woman who attended medical school in England, where one can indeed train part-time.

 

[Neuronix]

Also, keep in mind there are time limitis on completing all USMLE steps.

As an MD/PhD, we have all become experts in this topic of time limits of USMLE scores for board certification, considering some states don't exempt MD/PhDs from the time limit. You'd have to take more than 4 years out between Step 1 (end of second year) and Step 3 (before end of internship) to hit this limit.

 

[dpmd]

Being a practicing doctor is not my priority right now.

Which begs the question, was it ever and was going to medical school the best use of your time (leaving out the question of whether it was the best use of the med school slot)?

I think someone else already pointed out that programs that have part time/shared positions available can self report that info on the FREIDA site.

 

[BobBarker]

Let's be serious. Your husband is doing a 7 year residency, so he is going into a high paying field. You won't ever need the money, so you won't have any great need to work. Therefore, you just need to somehow complete one year of training to get your unrestricted license so that you can assist him with patient follow ups in his clinic. Doing a 3 year residency would be a waste as you have no interest in practicing medicine, except when it meets all of the conditions of your schedule with your children. Also, in closing. Nuvaring. It works.

 

[psychforme]

are daddy md eligible for these tracts? even if they dont have a baby but just want no call?

 

[Neuronix]

are daddy md eligible for these tracts? even if they dont have a baby but just want no call?

That's what I was thinking... Any residency easy enough to be family friendly will instantly be extremely competitive by those who have families and those who don't. In fact, there already are some pretty cush residency options, and they already are extremely competitive!

 

[michaelrack]

Let's be serious. Your husband is doing a 7 year residency, so he is going into a high paying field. You won't ever need the money, so you won't have any great need to work. Therefore, you just need to somehow complete one year of training to get your unrestricted license so that you can assist him with patient follow ups in his clinic. .

That would be an unusual practice arrangement

 

[BobBarker]

I don't see it any different than seeing his PA which is essentially what she would be functioning as.

 

[michaelrack]

I don't see it any different than seeing his PA which is essentially what she would be functioning as.

You make perfect sense. However, the type of practice situation you describe (wife who completed internship assisting extensively-trained husband in clinic) is very rare-in fact, I have never seen it before.

 

[shopsteward]

Thanks for your replies. I am well aware of the limitations it puts me in for applying years after graduation. I have taken ALL my boards. Knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology? Are you kidding me? As far as finding it "troubling" I got pregnant, I guess my wording was poor. I calculated that I am due in Feb, don't want to have a 6 month old starting intern year. I am married, so it was bound to happen. And with me taking the year off, it would have been nicer if it happened sooner so my child would be a little older once I would have started.

Just what social and contraceptive rocks have you been hiding under for the last 50 years?

It's probably a good idea to complete a residency, if you can, as it will give you more options after the divorce.

And please, you say you want children in the plural, so you might think about applying more maturity than that of a 17 year old over the planning for your next pregnancy.

Sorry if you find this harsh. I'm having trouble getting past the "residency tract" thing.

 

[SoCuteMD]

.

 

[yadayadadude]

Track, people. TRACK.

 

[michaelrack]

It's also rare to graduate medical school without understanding how contraception works.

And, it's also rare to graduate medical school, pop out a baby, and decide that you don't really want to do residency all that much.

1. agree about the conception

2. as far as popping out baby and not wanting to do residency that much; I wouldn't call it rare.