Maternity and Parental Leave Policies at Medical Schools:
The Medical Student-Parent
Experience
Co-Investigators:
Jacquie Poitras,
Dr. Anna Day, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre
If you are an
administrator, please click here.
Background
The goal of this project is to learn about the policies that exist to support students who become parents during medical school. Although a considerable amount of research exists on the policies and resources available to residents who become parents, very little is known about medical students who take on this new role.
National organizations including the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) and the American Medical Women’s Association have supported the right of medical students to take a leave of absence after becoming a new parent. The CFMS National Medical Student Charter states:
“Each medical school should have a policy on parental leave in place
which emphasizes flexibility for the student.”
Do medical schools actually have these policies in place? More importantly for students, do these policies adequately address the challenges faced by medical student-parents?
Why Participate?
By participating you will help to paint an accurate picture of the resources and barriers that exist for medical student-parents. The ultimate goal of the project is to inform policy change so that every medical school can provide adequate support to medical students in their dual role of student/parent.
The
Survey
Please take 20 minutes to complete our survey. You can download a copy of the survey here. Please also fill out and send in a copy of our consent form.
Completed surveys may be returned via:
Email: Jacquie Poitras at jacquie.poitras@utoronto.ca
Fax: Dr. Anna Day at 416-323-7550
Mail: Dr. Anna Day
Department of Medicine
Women’s College Campus
Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1B2
The survey has been approved by the Sunnybrook & Women’s Health Sciences Centre Research Ethics Board.
Feedback
Please share your comments on the survey and this project with Jacquie Poitras.