Hi Mothers in Medicine,
I am a medical student, a mother, and I am working with a team at my university to further develop its policies on maternity leave and flexibility for mothers in the medical program. Currently women have to withdraw from the year and repeat it the following year, or are allowed only a few weeks off after the baby is born. Surely this can be improved! Part of my role in this initiative is to research the policies that other medical institutions have in regards to this issue. If you went to a medical school that had a great policy in regards to taking time off, being flexible etc would you mind leaving the university information and possibly a contact in a comment on this post?
Many thanks,
A.
*Anyone is also free to send mothersinmedicine@gmail.com your contact information to be forwarded if you don't feel comfortable leaving it in a comment.
I am currently a 4th year med student. I took off after finishing Step 2 in May of 3rd year to have my son. I took off 10 months. I did this so that my husband--who was a year behind--and I could couples match.
ReplyDeleteBut at my school, you're allowed 2 moths of vacation in 3rd and 4th year (total) plus there are a number of very light rotations you could do (as in 4 half day shifts in a month) and online electives.
But is there a maternity leave policy? I''m not sure! That's all that I can offer
There was no maternity leave policy. But there was so much extra time built into third and fourth yr that a few of us successfully had babies and still graduated with our class. Women also did support each other informally by networking, the registrar was very helpful and there were light electives avail for those who wanted. It was sufficient.
ReplyDeleteMy school allowed me to take a whole year off during my 3rd year of medical school when my baby was born. I just started right where I stopped with the following year's class. Students who want to graduate on time can take up to 3 months vacation time in 3rd or 4th year. I'm at an allopathic US medical school.
ReplyDeleteHi Peony, I need to get in touch with the universities to get a copy of the policy so can you post here or email the name of your medical school please?
DeleteMy school allowed me to take a whole year off during my 3rd year of medical school when my baby was born. I just started right where I stopped with the following year's class. Students who want to graduate on time can take up to 3 months vacation time in 3rd or 4th year. I'm at an allopathic US medical school.
ReplyDeleteMy school allowed me to push my graduation year back by a year, and gave me the flexibility to schedule my electives however I wanted over the two years. I could have plowed through and then had a whole year off, taken a whole year off and then come back, or anything in between. I delivered at the end of my third year and had 1 clerkship left to go as well as my fourth year electives. I took 7 months off, then did 5 months of electives, then took another month off, 1 elective, then two months off...inhave only 3 months left to complete before may, so there's a ton of built in flexibility. This way I was able to arrange it around my husbands PhD schedule so that I could be home with my babies during his busier times. Many of my classmates did not push their graduation year and took the built in 10 weeks as maternity leave. My school had been incredibly supportive with scheduling and everything.
ReplyDeleteHi Olga, could you supply me with your university name please?
DeleteSo sorry, I only saw this now. I have emailed it to mothers in medicine.
DeleteMy school allowed me to push my graduation year back by a year, and gave me the flexibility to schedule my electives however I wanted over the two years. I could have plowed through and then had a whole year off, taken a whole year off and then come back, or anything in between. I delivered at the end of my third year and had 1 clerkship left to go as well as my fourth year electives. I took 7 months off, then did 5 months of electives, then took another month off, 1 elective, then two months off...inhave only 3 months left to complete before may, so there's a ton of built in flexibility. This way I was able to arrange it around my husbands PhD schedule so that I could be home with my babies during his busier times. Many of my classmates did not push their graduation year and took the built in 10 weeks as maternity leave. My school had been incredibly supportive with scheduling and everything.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone thanks for your feedback. However I really need contact with the universities to use their policies - anecdotal stories just won't cut it with our school faculty. If you could email mothersinmedicine@gmail.com or post in your comment the school name and possibly a contact I would really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I don't find being "allowed" to take a year off much of an accommodation. Medical school is expensive. Not earning for another year of your life is expensive. It should be possible to work around a short (4-6 week) maternity leave.
ReplyDeleteHowever 3 months off in 3rd or 4th year sounds great. My school basically does not allow maternity leave in 3rd year unless it happens to fit your 6 week elective block. (They should give credit for neonatal care elective).
ReplyDelete