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October 27, 2021

The American Board of Surgery Should Reconsider Its Parental Leave Policy

Author Affiliations
  • 1Section of Surgical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
JAMA Surg. 2022;157(1):7-8. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2021.4895

Surgery residency requires tremendous sacrifice. So does parenthood. Add them together, and the sacrifices can become overwhelming. In recognition of the difficult position of resident parents, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) recently issued an updated policy on parental leave, which states that member boards must allow 6 weeks of parental leave without exhausting other leave or extending training.1 This is a needed and welcome change that will result in happier residents, happier families, and, ultimately, happier patients.

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