Abstract 6: Parenting in Plastic Surgery Residency

Abstract

Background: In 1994, Mackinnon and Mizgala advocated that plastic surgery residents should have access to adequate childcare facilities to promote a productive return to work.1 25 years later, the lack of accessible and affordable childcare remains a dilemma faced by many plastic surgery trainees. Our survey aims to evaluate the current status of childrearing during plastic surgery training. Methods: Following approval from The American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons (ACAPS), an anonymous, voluntary, electronic survey was sent to current plastic surgery residents. Respondents were asked about their demographics, training program, basic financial information, current childcare accommodations and availability, as well as attitudes and issues surrounding childrearing during residency. Results: There were 32 respondents, 66% women and 34% men. Seventy-five percent of respondents were married, and 38% had ≥1 child, with no difference when stratified by gender. Seventy-five percent of male parents compared to twelve percent of female parents reported their spouse was the primary source of childcare. One-hundred percent of respondents with children reported that childcare creates a financial burden. Only 3% of respondents felt their institution provided services to arrange adequate childcare. Sixty-three percent of residents felt their training program did not allow flexibility to accommodate childcare needs. Female residents missed work twice as often as male residents and were twice as likely to require a co-resident to cover clinical duties due to difficulties finding childcare when compared to male residents (p=0.296, p=0.145, respectively). Sixty-seven percent of female residents agreed with the statement, “If you had to pick a residency program today, the availability of on-site childcare would influence your decision,” compared to only 9% of male residents, (p=0.002). Conclusion: Currently, training institutions are not meeting the childcare needs of plastic surgery trainees with children. If we as a specialty wish to continue to recruit and retain the most highly-qualified and well-rounded applicants, we must improve the accommodations for childcare for our trainees who are and who wish to become parents. To accomplish this goal, all training institutions with plastic surgery residency programs should provide affordable, accessible childcare that accommodates the 24-hour natures of both patient care and parenthood.