Faculty Chair: Carla Ainsworth, MD
This is an elective for residents (male or female) who become new parents during residency. It was created to provide a time-flexible elective that respects the challenges and demands of parenting a young infant while allowing the resident to expand their expertise in patient-centered management of pregnancy, post-partum and newborn care. This is accomplished through a reading and research requirement that will include a review of the relevant medical literature relating to childbirth and parenting while experiencing these states personally. The resident will also share their new expertise with their resident and faculty colleagues in a formal teaching setting.
The educational objectives are as follows:
Become familiar with the general medical and psychosocial literature relating to childbirth, early childhood development and parenting
Study sociological and cultural aspects of parenting; this could include the evolving role of fathers as primary caregivers, the reemerging role of the midwife, and cross-cultural differences with respect to parenting roles and practices
Complete an independent research project with a 30” presentation to the residents and faculty at the end of the elective. The resident should work with their advisor and/or another faculty member on this project and presentation.
Rotation Requirements:
One block in R2 or R3 year; this does not have to be contiguous with maternity leave or the birth, but generally is within the first 6 months of the new baby’s birth.
Advisor oversight and mentoring.
4 continuity clinics / week. Days and times will depend on their clinic’s scheduling needs, with flexibility to the extent that the clinic schedule allows
4 Tuesday afternoon didactics/ block; you are encouraged to participate in Balint and team meetings.
Readings defined prior to the start of the elective, with at least one clear area of focus (possibilities include newborn care, postpartum care, sleep medicine, breastfeeding and other infant nutrition questions, early childhood development, evidence-based parenting advice, advocacy, etc... )
A presentation in one of our forums (most likely Monday or Wednesday morning teaching conferences) by the resident presenting their project within 1 month of completion of the elective.
Checklist for taking parental leave in residency (approx. timing):
Tell the chiefs when you think you want to be gone so they can build that time into the block schedule. If you have elective time available, look at where you might want to put this in proximity to your leave if you are considering the parenting elective. (early 2nd trimester)
Let Carla and Liz Stahl know so they are aware and can give you information about your leave options. (when you’re happy to tell people)
Sometime before/around 28 weeks, meet with the program director to review dates of leave, use of vacation/sick/CME, and determine new graduation date. (28 weeks)
Contact Sedgwick to open your request for Swedish/Family Medical Leave (28 weeks)
Resources:
Leave of Absence: Swedish Maternity Leave Policy: http://intracm.swedish.org/Stellent/groups/standards/documents/swedstd/swed_008347.pdf
Leave of Absence: Family Medical Leave of Absence Policy: http://intracm.swedish.org/Stellent/groups/standards/documents/swedstd/swed_008343.pdf
ABFM policy on Absence from the Residency: https://www.theabfm.org/cert/absence.aspx
Updated May 3, 2017
Effective through June 2018