The Detroit Medical Center Department of Radiology advocates for stronger parental leave policies for radiology residents
AUTHOR: Natalie George1 and Avani Pathak1
1Michigan State University College Osteopathic Medicine
Radiology residency programs often have parental leave policies that fail to adequately support residents who choose to start families during their training programs. In an opinion article published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, Avani Pathak from Michigan State University and her colleagues at the Detroit Medical Center Department of Radiology examine parental leave policies in both diagnostic and interventional radiology residencies and offer recommendations for a revised policy.
The authors mentioned
“The myriad and well-documented benefits of parental leave, including maternal or paternal leave, continue to remain out of reach of radiology residents.”
The authors highlight the benefits of parental leave for physicians, emphasizing its positive impact on both personal well-being and professional growth. According to the research team, an adequate parental leave policy supports a healthy parent-child bond, improves mental health outcomes, reduces infant mortality, and lowers the risk of rehospitalization for both mother and child. Additionally, it allows mothers who choose to lactate to establish more manageable routines.
“Currently, residency training programs accredited by the ACGME in the United States are required to provide a minimum of 6 weeks of parental and caregiver leave with benefits and full salary at least once during training. However, for decades, nearly every industrialized nation has provided at least 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.”
Pathak and her team, along with multiple other organizations, recommended that parental leave in radiology residency should include at least 12 weeks with job protection and benefits, separate from vacation or sick time. This recommendation aligns with and even exceeds recent policy statements released by various radiological organizations including the American Board of Radiology, the Society of Interventional Radiology, the American Association for Women Radiologists, the American College of Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America, the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments, and the Association of Program Directors in Radiology. While all groups agree on the leave duration and job protection, their specific recommendations differ slightly. The article explores these variations, as well as the potential benefits and challenges of implementing this policy change.
“Furthermore, parental leave policies should be the same for men and women and employ inclusive language for all genders. Such a policy has the potential to increase female representation in radiology, support residency recruitment from underserved demographics and disadvantaged medical students, and create a more equitable and hospitable solution for medical students to choose radiology residency, whether diagnostic or interventional”.
Pathak and colleagues further discuss how parental leave reform can advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in radiology, particularly by recognizing the importance of robust parental leave policies as an equitable solution for all genders. Beyond the direct benefits to parents, the authors also note that such policy changes could enhance the field of radiology by attracting highly qualified medical students and improving job satisfaction.
This article acknowledges the potential challenges of expanded parental leave policies for radiology residencies. During residents' absence, patient care may be disrupted, potentially increasing the demand for residents. Moreover, the research team recognized some programs may lack the financial resources to accommodate this demand, resulting in heavier caseloads for those still working.
The authors quoted,
“should not physicians be the strongest advocates of paid parental leave policy and urge its universal adoption—not only for residents, but for patients and for society as a whole?”
In recent years, multiple radiological organizations have increasingly advocated for more inclusive and equitable policies for radiology attendings and residents. Along with the aforementioned radiology organizations, the authors have taken on the responsibility of advocating for policy reform for the benefit of their current and future colleagues in the field, potentially with aspirations that such policies might reach specialties beyond radiology to improve working conditions as well as patient care.
The full article can be found here.
About the Author
Natalie George is a third-year medical student at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine with a strong interest in radiology. She is exploring both the diagnostic and interventional fields of the specialty and has developed a particular passion for imaging and procedural medicine. She is dedicated to advancing her knowledge through research and hands-on experience. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, coordinating weddings, and staying active with soccer and pickleball.