Female Residents Research Articles

Fear of Crime Victimization among Females in Public Spaces

Background: Fear of crime significantly undermines community cohesion, transforming public spaces into perceived no-go areas due to heightened insecurity. This social issue notably affects women, limiting their engagement in public life and escalating safety-related expenditures and avoidance behaviors. Objective: The study aims to explore the fear of crime victimization among females in public spaces, focusing on the intensity of their fear, the factors contributing to it, and the resultant consequences on their personal and social lives. Methods: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured in-depth interviews with thirty female residents of the hostels at the University of Punjab, Lahore. Participants were selected until saturation was achieved, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena. The interview data were thematically analyzed to extract pertinent themes related to the research objectives. Results: The findings reveal that females feel significantly more vulnerable to crime victimization compared to males, with reported feelings of insecurity affecting 90% of the participants. This heightened vulnerability leads to behavioral changes, with 85% of respondents avoiding certain public spaces at night and 75% experiencing induced personality disorders such as anxiety and heightened stress. Conclusion: The pervasive fear of crime among women restricts their participation in urban life and exacerbates dependency and psychological distress. Addressing these concerns requires targeted interventions to enhance public space security and foster a supportive community environment.

The Effect of Intersectionality on Attrition among US General Surgery Trainees.

To examine the association between intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and sex on retention of U.S. general surgery residents. There are limited data on the role that intersectionality plays on the US general surgery resident experience. Analysis was performed using Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data for general surgery residents who started their training between 2005-2015 (followed through completion). Regression analyses were used to assess demographic associations with time to attrition or successful completion of residency training. Associations between faculty and resident demographics were assessed. 25,029 residents were included. Over the decade-long study period, the number of underrepresented in medicine (UIM) residents as a percentage of all residents remained similar from 17% to 19% (P=0.24). The percent of UIM males starting training in 2005 was 11% and 12% in 2015 (P-value=0.38). UIM females comprised 5.5% of trainees in 2005 and increased to 6.9% (P-value=0.003) in 2015; and female non-UIM residents increased from 23 to 28% (P-value<0.001). The overall rate of resident attrition was 15%. UIM females had the highest yearly attrition rate at 21% compared to non-UIM males at 13% (HR 1.7, P<0.001). UIM females were more likely to leave residency compared to UIM males (HR: 1.5; P<0.001). The percent of UIM faculty was positively correlated with percent of UIM residents (r=0.64, P<0.001). Increasing intersectionality is positively associated with attrition during surgery residency. The diversity of faculty appears to be associated with resident diversity.

Quality of antibiotic prescribing for outpatient cystitis in adult females

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are responsible for a significant portion of female, outpatient antibiotic prescriptions. Especially true in uncomplicated cases, where symptoms remain the cornerstone of diagnosis, ensuring the optimal choice of agent, dose, and duration may mitigate future bacterial resistance and lower the likelihood of adverse events and/or recurrence. This study is the first in Canada to examine the quality of antibiotic prescribing to females in the outpatient setting, for uncomplicated UTI–by agent, dose, and duration. Methods: All adult female residents of British Columbia with a physician record for cystitis from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, were identified. Patients with a history of urologic abnormalities, spinal cord injury, catheter use, kidney transplant, as well as pregnant females, were excluded. Primary outcomes included the proportion of total episodes prescribed and the proportion of appropriate antibiotic use, examined using Poisson regression. Results: A total of 182,162 episodes of cystitis were examined, with 70% receiving an antibiotic prescription. The rate of cystitis-associated prescribing was 697 prescriptions per 1,000 population. Overall, 35% of prescriptions were appropriate by guideline adherence or clinical justification. Nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, accounted for 71% of total antibiotic use. Seven days was the most commonly dispensed duration of therapy, followed by 5, then 10. Conclusions: Shortening length of therapy in line with clinical guidelines and encouraging the use of first line agents present clear, actionable targets for provincial stewardship efforts.

Welcomed Pregnancies: Characteristics and Patterns of Adjusting to Unwanted, Unplanned, Untimely or Otherwise Difficult Pregnancies.

Background Women facing problematic pregnancies, defined as "unplanned, mistimed, unwanted, or otherwise difficult," either have abortions or make adjustments to welcome these pregnancies. These adjustments are understudied. Pregnancy resource centers that provide counseling and services to assist in the process of welcoming pregnancies have been the focus of controversy due to their refusal to counsel or refer for abortions. This survey of a national population of women seeks to quantify changes in attitudes toward problematic pregnancies that are not aborted and to gauge levels of contact with pregnancy help centersand perceptions of harm or benefits attributed to those contacts. Methodology A national research firm was enlisted to obtain 1,000 surveys completed by female residents of the United States aged 41-45, inclusive. Women reporting a history of abortion were surveyed along one path. For those who did not have abortions but reported a problematic pregnancy, questions were presented to assess changes in attitude toward their pregnancy from the date they first learned they were pregnant to 90 days later, their considerations of abortion, whether they had contact with a pregnancy help center, and their assessment of that contact on either harming or improving their lives. Results Among 275 respondents who had no history of abortion but had ultimately welcomed a problematic pregnancy, 112 (40.7%) had been at higher risk of abortion. Positive attitudes toward their pregnancies increased most rapidly for women who had been at higher risk of abortion but were lower on the day they first learned they were pregnant. Overall, 34 (12.4%) reported they had contacted a pregnancy help center that did not refer for abortions. Another 37 (13.5%) were uncertain if they had contacted an organization fitting that description. Both groups reported the contact improved their lives, on average. Negative assessments were uncommon and all were of a small degree. Conclusions Women facing problematic pregnancies who did not choose abortion experienced rapid improvements in feelings of wantedness, timeliness, acceptance, welcoming, and desirability toward the pregnancy. The rate of improvement was most rapid among those who had investigated and considered abortion. Women reporting contact with pregnancy help centers almost always assess it as having improved their lives.

Suicide deaths involving opioid poisoning in the United States, by sex, 1999-2021.

Suicide remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and recent data suggest suicide deaths involving opioids are increasing. Given unprecedented increases in drug-poisoning deaths, suicidality, and suicide deaths in recent years, an updated examination of the trends in suicide deaths involving opioids is warranted. In this descriptive epidemiologic analysis, we leverage final and provisional mortality data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's WONDER database to examine trends in suicide deaths involving opioid poisoning from 1999 to 2021 by biological sex. Results reveal complex changes over time: the number and age-adjusted rate of suicide deaths involving opioid poisoning among male and female residents tended to track together, and both increased through 2010, but then diverged, with the number and rate of suicide deaths involving opioid poisoning among female residents outpacing that of male residents. However, the number and rate of suicide deaths involving opioid poisoning among male residents then began to stabilize, while that of female residents declined, closing the sex-based gap. Across all years of data, the proportion of suicide deaths that involved opioid poisoning was consistently higher among female decedents (5.8%-11.0%) compared with male decedents (1.4%-2.8%). Findings have implications for improved suicide prevention and harm reduction efforts. This article is part of a Special Collection on Mental Health.

Impact of changes in malignant tumor death spectrum on life expectancy in Tianjin residents from 1999-2019

Objective: To analyze the effects of changes in the spectrum of deaths from malignant tumors on the life expectancies of residents of different ages, sexes, and regions (urban or rural) in Tianjin from 1999 to 2019. Methods: The Abridged Life Table method and the Arriaga's decomposition method were used to calculate the effects of changes in spectrum of deaths from malignant tumors on the life expectancies of Tianjin residents of different ages, sexes, and regions. Results: During 1999-2019, the life expectancies increased by 4.96 years and 5.69 years for males and females, respectively, in Tianjin. The decreases in the mortalities from malignant neoplasms contributed 0.12 year (3.30%) and 0.03 year (0.77%) for males and females, respectively, to the increase during 1999-2007, and 0.05 year (3.13%) and 0.12 year (6.08%) for males and females, respectively, during 2007-2019. The decreases in the mortality rates of malignant tumors contributed the most to the increase among residents in the 60-69 years group, and the decreases in mortality rates of lung, gastric, esophageal, and liver cancers had relatively larger contribution. Lung cancer had a negative effect on the life expectancies of men and rural residents, but a positive effect on those of women and urban residents. The significant increases in the mortality rates of lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers in the ≥85 years group had a large negative effect on the overall life expectancy. Breast and ovarian cancers contributed negatively to the life expectancy of female residents. Conclusion: The overall increase in the life expectancy in Tianjin from 1999 to 2019 was mainly attributed to the elderly and the decreases in the mortality rates of gastric, esophageal, and liver cancers, among other malignancies, while the increases in the mortality rates of lung, colorectal, gallbladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers were the most significant factors hindering the increase of the life expectancy in Tianjin.

Temporal trends in exposure to parabens, benzophenones, triclosan, and triclocarban in adult females in Kyoto, Japan, from 1993 to 2016.

Products used in daily life can contain chemicals such as parabens, benzophenones, triclosan, and triclocarban that have potential endocrine-disrupting effects. Little is known about the temporal trends of exposure levels to some of these chemicals in Japan. Our study assessed the intake and risk associated with exposure to commonly used chemicals. We measured the concentrations of five parabens, four benzophenones, and triclosan and triclocarban in 133 single spot urine samples. The urine samples were collected in 1993, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2011, and 2016 from healthy female residents in Kyoto, Japan. With the exception of methylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben, there were no significant fluctuations in the concentrations of target chemicals over the study period; however, methylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben showed temporal changes in concentrations. Methylparaben concentrations peaked in 2003 with a median value of 309μg/g creatinine, ethylparaben concentrations peaked in 1993 with a median value of 17.3μg/g creatinine, and butylparaben showed a decline, with the median values becoming non-detectable in 2009 and 2016. We calculated estimated daily intakes and hazard quotients for each chemical. In the analysis of total samples, 2.3% (3 samples) for butylparaben and 0.8% (1 sample) for propylparaben were found to surpass a hazard quotient of 1. Overall, 3% (n = 4) of the study participants exceeded a hazard index of 1. The potential health risks associated with exposure to butylparaben and propylparaben emphasize the need for further monitoring and research.

Association of Perception, Interest, and Barriers of Learning and Practicing Yoga with Levels of Stress in Life among Residents Living in Saudi Arabia.

Yoga as a mind-body activity and clinical studies on yoga's effects on physical and mental health have produced encouraging results. However, there is little research done on the population's perception and interest toward practicing yoga in KSA. Thus, the current study was undertaken to evaluate the perception, interest, and barriers of learning and practicing yoga with levels of stress in life among residents of Saudi Arabia. This is an observational, cross-sectional study in which people were polled using questionnaires. The study included people of both genders aged 18-70, and Google Forms were distributed through various online platforms. The collected data were statistically analyzed. The study included 906 subjects in total. Participants were mostly female (64%) and non-Saudi residents (70.9%) between the ages of 31 and 51 years, with moderate levels of stress in life. About 58.6% of the study participants were aware of the benefits of yoga. The Chi-square analysis shows low-stress subjects (67.5%) knew more about yoga and meditation, whereas no-stress subjects (35.7%) practiced yoga. About 14.9% of high-stressed people consulted a yoga therapist. The majority of high (15.3%), medium (12%), and no-stressed (19.6%) did yoga for mental health and focus, whereas the low-stressed (19.3%) did it for physical health. C. Most of the study population knew yoga's physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits. The study found a relationship between the everyday stress levels of Saudi Arabian citizens and their opinions about, interest in, and obstacles to taking up yoga. More experimental and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Variation in Oral Board Examination Accommodations Among Specialties

Board certification can have broad implications for candidates' career trajectories, and prior research has found sociodemographic disparities in pass rates. Barriers in the format and administration of the oral board examinations may disproportionately affect certain candidates. To characterize oral certifying examination policies and practices of the 16 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited specialties that require oral examinations. This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to April 15, 2023, using data on oral examination practices and policies (examination format, dates, and setting; lactation accommodations; and accommodations for military deployment, family emergency, or medical leave) as well as the gender composition of the specialties' boards of directors obtained from websites, telephone calls and email correspondence with certifying specialists. The percentages of female residents and residents of racial and ethnic backgrounds who are historically underrepresented in medicine (URM) in each specialty as of December 31, 2021, were obtained from the Graduate Medical Education 2021 to 2022 report. For each specialty, accommodation scores were measured by a modified objective scoring system (score range: 1-13, with higher scores indicating more accommodations). Poisson regression was used to assess the association between accommodation score and the diversity of residents in that specialty, as measured by the percentages of female and URM residents. Linear regression was used to assess whether gender diversity of a specialty's board of directors was associated with accommodation scores. Included in the analysis were 16 specialties with a total of 46 027 residents (26 533 males [57.6%]) and 233 members of boards of directors (152 males [65.2%]). The mean (SD) total accommodation score was 8.28 (3.79), and the median (IQR) score was 9.25 (5.00-12.00). No association was found between test accommodation score and the percentage of female or URM residents. However, for each 1-point increase in the test accommodation score, the relative risk that a resident was female was 1.05 (95% CI, 0.96-1.16), and the relative risk that an individual was a URM resident was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.00-1.07). An association was found between the percentage of female board members and the accommodation score: for each 10% increase in the percentage of board members who were female, the accommodation score increased by 1.20 points (95% CI, 0.23-2.16 points; P = .03). This cross-sectional study found considerable variability in oral board examination accommodations among ACGME-accredited specialties, highlighting opportunities for improvement and standardization. Promoting diversity in leadership bodies may lead to greater accommodations for examinees in extenuating circumstances.

Early evidence of implementation of District Residency Programme: experiences and challenges of residents in Rajasthan, India

BackgroundDistrict Residency Programme (DRP) was introduced by National Medical Commission as mandatory three-months training program for postgraduate residents. The program was for the first time implemented in April 2023 in Rajasthan. However, it ran into several teething problems, especially for residents. With a lack of any precedence, this study was planned to explore experiences and challenges of residents posted in DRP.MethodsCross-sectional study was conducted at 12 DRP sites attached to SMS Medical College, Jaipur between August-October 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from residents who had completed DRP. Questions were scored on a five-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to show association.ResultsOnly around 17% residents felt that the learning objectives of DRP were fulfilled and nearly 60% residents felt isolated from academic activities and parent department. Over half of the residents were never posted with their concerned specialty services. Around four-fifth residents felt concerned about safety at least sometimes and more than three-fourth residents were dissatisfied with basic amenities. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests showed significant association of gender and specialisation strata with multiple outcome variables.ConclusionThe study finds high degree of dissatisfaction among residents towards learning objectives, academic learning, and basic amenities during DRP. There was also a clear lack of specialty-exposure and high concerns of safety, especially for female residents. The study findings should alarm and inform policymakers and administrators to improve DRP implementation so as to better achieve laid objectives.

Changes in attitudes, beliefs, and experiences related to pregnancy during graduate medical education training from 2005 to 2021.

Today, 50% of medical students are women, and residency and fellowship training years overlap with peak times for starting families. The authors describe attitudes toward pregnancy during residency and fellowship and report pregnancy rates and complications for female residents and resident partners across several decades. A web-based survey was emailed to 1,057 residents in 2005 (period 1) and 1,860 residents in 2021 (period 2). Anonymous surveys were sent to all trainees including pregnant trainees, affected co-trainees and trainee partners. Resident attitudes and pregnancy characteristics were compared between groups using the chi-square (χ2) test for categorical variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for ordinal variables. A total of 442 residents (41.8%) responded to the 2005 survey, and 525 (28.2%) responded to the 2021 survey. Most residents who covered for a pregnant resident had positive feelings about covering for their colleagues during both time periods, although more positive attitudes were present during the period 2. Only about 10% of residents received compensation for their coverage during both time periods. Among residents with a pregnancy during training (i.e., themselves or partners), most characterized having a baby in training as "somewhat difficult" or "very difficult" at both time periods. Pregnancy complication rates were 33% and 44% for training years 2005 and 2021. As medical education evolves, training programs should be proactive in creating structured support systems for pregnant residents and resident partners to minimize adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and to improve training programs. Future studies are needed to elucidate the causality of higher-than-expected pregnancy complication rates.

Associations between plasma metabolites and heavy metal exposure in residents of environmentally polluted areas

Heavy metals are commonly released into the environment through industrial processes such as mining and refining. The rapid industrialization that occurred in South Korea during the 1960s and 1970s contributed significantly to the economy of the country; however, the associated mining and refining led to considerable environmental pollution, and although mining is now in decline in South Korea, the detrimental effects on residents inhabiting the surrounding areas remain. The bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals leads to metabolic alterations in human homeostasis, with disruptions in this balance leading to various health issues. This study used metabolomics to explore metabolomic alterations in the plasma samples of residents living in mining and refining areas. The results showed significant increases in metabolites involved in glycolysis and the surrounding metabolic pathways, such as glucose-6-phosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate, lactate, and inosine monophosphate, in those inhabiting polluted areas. An investigation of the associations between metabolites and blood clinical parameters through meet-in-the-middle analysis indicated that female residents were more affected by heavy metal exposure, resulting in more metabolomic alterations. For women, inhabiting the abandoned mine area, metabolites in the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, such as ribose-5-phosphate and 3-phosphoglycerate, have shown a negative correlation with albumin and calcium. Finally, Mendelian randomization(MR) was used to determine the causal effects of these heavy metal exposure-related metabolites on heavy metal exposure-related clinical parameters. Metabolite biomarkers could provide insights into altered metabolic pathways related to exposure to toxic heavy metals and improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the health effects of toxic heavy metal exposure.

Assessing the stops framework for coping with intraoperative errors: Evidence of efficacy, hints of hubris, and a bridge to abridging burnout

BackgroundAnswering calls in the literature, we developed and introduced an evidence-based tool for surgeons facing errors in the operating room: the STOPS framework (stop, talk to you team, obtain help, plan, succeed). The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of presenting this psychological tool on resident coping in the operating room and the related outcome of burnout while examining sex differences. MethodsIn a natural experiment, general surgery residents were invited to attend 2 separate educational conferences regarding coping with errors in the operating room. Three months later, all residents were asked to fill out a survey assessing their coping in the operating room, level of burnout, and demographics. We assessed the impact of the educational intervention by comparing those who attended the coping conferences with those who did not attend. ResultsThirty-five residents responded to the survey (65% response rate, 54% female respondents, 49% junior residents). Our hypothesized moderated mediation model was supported. Sex was found to moderate the impact of the STOPS framework—female residents who attended the coping educational conference reported higher coping self-efficacy, whereas attendance had no statistically significant impact on male levels of coping self-efficacy. In turn, higher coping self-efficacy was associated with lower levels of burnout. ConclusionOur results suggest that there is evidence of efficacy in this instruction—female residents presented this material report higher levels of coping in the operating room compared to those who did not receive the framework. Further, increase in coping ability was associated with reduced levels of burnout for both genders.

An observational study to assess awareness of cervical cancer among the adult women of field practice area of urban health training center in Kolkata

Background: Cervical cancer is a major public health problem, especially worldwide. Lack of awareness about the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and danger signs has led to a rise in the prevalence of the disease in countries like India. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the awareness of cervical cancer and its risk factors among the adult female population residing in the urban slum of Kolkata Municipal Corporation area and their attitude toward the disease. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 720 adult female residents of the field practice area of the urban health training center of NRS Medical College using a predesigned pretested questionnaire. Results: In the current study, 58.3% of subjects were married at &lt;18 years of age and 38.3% with &gt;2 children. A significant association was found among inter-menstrual bleeding and persistent low back pain with a family history of cancer, persistent vaginal discharge, and postmenopausal bleeding with education, dyspareunia showed significant association with age, education, and family type, heavy menstruation with religion. Furthermore, the association between postcoital bleeding with education and blood in the urine or stool with marital status was found to be significant. A significant association was found between confidences about noticing a symptom with marital status (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Unsatisfactory knowledge about cervical cancer among adult women in an urban slum poses the risk of the disease. Awareness of risk factors of cervical cancer, along with early diagnosis and treatment, can decline the burden of the disease.

How We Do It: Surgery IMPACT - Integrated Mentorship Program for Advancing Clinical Training

Effective mentorship plays a crucial role in the professional development of surgical residents by providing guidance, support, networking, and facilitating personal, and career growth. This is particularly significant for female and underrepresented minority residents who often encounter additional challenges due to discrimination and historical lack of representation. Our objective is to present a framework for structuring a progressive and inclusive formal mentorship program- Surgery IMPACT- which embodies a panoramic perspective of surgery residency. A holistic mentorship program was created through the conceptualization of WISE Domains (Work-Life Balance, Interpersonal and cultural proficiency, Scholarly and career advancement, Effective learning and study techniques). Mentor-Mentee partnerships were created between current surgical faculty and general surgery residents. The foundation of the program is built upon four essential mentor roles: Core faculty mentor, research mentor, fellowship mentor, alongside a concurrent incorporation of peer mentorship. Over the academic year, we encouraged at least 3 formal mentorship meeting prefaced by a reflective exercise by the residents. The implementation of Surgery IMPACT has been successful in formalizing mentorship opportunities at our institution. By incorporating WISE domains, structured meeting centered on well-defined objectives, we have effectively created an all-inclusive mentorship program to foster resident growth and equal opportunities. Our ongoing commitment is to further refine and expand this innovative program with the aspiration of galvanizing similar mentorship models across diverse surgical programs.

Women in Gastroenterology: What Is the Current Situation? Results of an Italian National Survey

BackgroundMany women grow up dreaming of becoming doctors, preferring specialties that allow more focus on time outside the hospital and on family life. Nowadays, specialties, like gastroenterology, have still a significant gender gap.MethodsBased on this known discrepancy, a web-based questionnaire was designed by the Young Component of the Scientific Committee of the Federation of Italian Scientific Societies of Digestive Diseases 2023 (FISMAD) to examine the current situation of female gastroenterologists in Italy. The survey, designed specifically for this study, was sent by email to all female gastroenterologists and residents gastroenterologists, members of the three major Italian societies of Gastroenterology.ResultsA total of 423 female physicians responded to the survey: 325 (76.8%) had full-time employment, and only a few had an academic career (7.2%). The main occupations were outpatient clinics (n = 288, 68%) and diagnostic endoscopy (n = 289, 68.3%); only 175 (41.3%) performed interventional endoscopy. One hundred and forty-seven (34.7%) had the chance to attend a master in advanced or interventional endoscopy, while 133 (31.4%) faced disadvantages that enabled them to attend. Of the 244 (58%) who reported feeling underappreciated, 194 (79.5%) said it was due to gender bias. We found that women doctors considered themselves disadvantaged compared with men doctors due to career opportunities (n = 338), salary negotiations (n = 64), and training opportunities (n = 144).ConclusionsIn conclusion, gastroenterology still has a long way to go before approaching greater gender parity.

Investigation of a Building with Male and Female Residents to Achieve Equality of Thermal Sensation Associated with Rational Use of Exergy and Energy

The intensive use of air conditioning systems, primarily refrigerating, to promote thermal comfort in countries such as Brazil (a hot climate country) is changing the electrical energy consumption patterns and peak demand. Even with the increased number of appliances, we must learn to consume less energy to achieve similar outcomes with higher energy efficiency. Consequently, exergy analysis is used to evaluate the quality of these energy conversion systems. Four computational human thermal models were used to assess thermal comfort conditions: one man wearing lighter clothing, one man wearing traditional office clothing, and two women in the two types of clothing. We chose these four models since the body composition and basal metabolism rates for males and females differ. In addition, the insulation of clothes influences the temperature of the thermal environment, leading to a significantly lower percentage of people being unsatisfied, from 12.8% to values close to 5%. The outputs of these occupants are used as inputs for a computational model of the room to calculate its associated thermal loads and evaluate different temperature setpoints and their effects on thermal comfort and energy consumption. Results indicate that environmental temperatures above 24 °C and below 26 °C may lead to thermal comfort conditions, depending on the occupants’ clothing. Clothing would represent a thermal resistance of 0.7 CLO for men and women (when in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle) and 0.8 CLO for women in the follicular phase when the environment is at 25 °C. Therefore, there is a significant reduction in the compression power of the central cooling system by about 2.2% compared to 24 °C and around 8% compared to ambient temperatures around 21 °C.

Residents' Perspectives of Pregnancy and Growing a Family During Surgical Training: A Review of the Literature.

As more female surgical residents choose to start families during training, concerns regarding program support and peer perceptions emerge. Delayed parenthood, stress, and even attrition can result from inadequate support systems. Database search (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE) in June 2022 identified 17 relevant studies published between 2012-2022, including systematic reviews and qualitative surveys, focused on surgical residents/fellows and program directors. The thematic analysis explored themes related to supporting residents navigating parenthood. Thematic analysis of 17 studies (systematic reviews and qualitative surveys with residents/fellows and program directors) identified key recurring themes related to challenges experienced by surgical residents navigating parenthood. The themes includedmodified work schedules, mentorship programs, cross-coverage plans, lactation support, childcare options, and clear leave policies. By understanding these challenges and implementing tailored support strategies, surgical residency programs can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for residents starting families. This can improve resident well-being, reduce attrition, and create a significantly more enjoyable training experience for all involved. This review aims to provide insight into residents' difficulties while pregnant or considering pregnancy and identify changes programs could implement to promote a more supportive culture for pregnant residents.

Holistic Review of Applicants by the United States Postgraduate Training Programs Is Not Associated With the Percentage of Female Residents.

Introduction Given the underrepresentation of female physicians in most specialties and the aim of holistic review in residency applicationsto improve the diversity of matriculating resident physicians in the United States (US) postgraduate medical training programs, we examined the association between holistic review and female resident representation among US postgraduate training programs. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of US postgraduate training programs to inquire about their use of holistic review for resident applications (independent variable). The primary outcome was the percentage of female residents in each program, which was obtained along with other program-level characteristics from the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA) catalog in April 2023. We limited the analysis to the 10 specialties with the most training spots in 2022, including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery (general). We also examined the interactions between holistic review and specialtyand the percentage of female facultyusing model comparison and simple slopes analyses. Results Of the 3,364 total programs surveyed from the 10 specialties, 222 (6.6%)responded. Responders and nonresponders had similar program-level characteristics, including program type (e.g., university, community), specialty, and reported minimum board examination scores. Of the 222 responders, 179 (80.6%) reported performingholistic review. The percentage of female residents was 49.0% (interquartile range 37.5 to 66.7) in the no holistic review group and 47.8% (35.4 to 65.0) in the holistic review group (median difference 0.9%, 95% confidence interval -6.7 to 8.3). Furthermore, there was no evidence of interaction between holistic review and either the specialty or the percentage of female faculty on the outcome of the percentage of female residents. Conclusions Holistic review of residency applications in this limited sample of US postgraduate training programs was not associated with the percentage of female residents. The role of holistic review in addressing the imbalance of male and female physicians in the healthcare workforce, particularly between specialties, remains unknown.

Healing While Hurting: The Unspoken Burden of Female Medical Residents in Pakistan

Gender stress, particularly among female healthcare professionals undergoing postgraduate training, is a pressing issue that warrants urgent attention in Pakistan's medical landscape. This pressure is particularly intense in areas like gynecology, pediatrics, cardiology, gastroenterology, and general medicine, where there's a high demand for female providers. The convergence of family stressors, marital status, parental responsibilities, financial constraints, grueling work hours, and a shortage of female healthcare workers exacerbates the problem, posing significant challenges to both individuals and the healthcare system at large.