Balancing Career and Family: Parental Leave for Resident Physicians

Parental Leave for Resident Physicians: Are Top Training Programs Doing Enough?

Mira Elwood in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A new study reveals a significant gap in paid leave policies for resident physicians compared to faculty at top medical schools. Is it time for an overhaul?"

Balancing career and family is a persistent challenge for physicians, particularly during residency. These intense training years often coincide with prime childbearing years, demanding long hours and inflexible schedules. This makes adequate parental leave policies not just a benefit, but a necessity for well-being and gender equity in medicine.

While progress has been made in supporting faculty with families, a recent study highlights a concerning disparity: resident physicians often lack comparable support. A 2016-2017 report found that faculty physicians at 12 top U.S. medical schools received an average of 8.6 weeks of paid childbearing leave. But what about the residents in these same institutions?

A new investigation into institution-level childbearing and family leave policies at 15 graduate medical education (GME)-sponsoring institutions affiliated with those top medical schools sought to answer that question. The findings reveal a significant gap in support for resident physicians, raising questions about institutional priorities and the well-being of future doctors.

The Parental Leave Gap: Disparities in Paid Leave for Residents

Balancing Career and Family: Parental Leave for Resident Physicians

The study, conducted between February and July 2018, scrutinized the leave policies at 15 GME-sponsoring institutions. These institutions were affiliated with the 12 medical schools previously examined in the 2016-2017 faculty leave report and were ranked among the top in funding or academics. Researchers sought to determine the duration, constraints, and provisions related to paid childbearing leave (for birth mothers) and family leave (additional leave for either parent).

Key findings from the study include:

Only 7 of the 15 institutions had a GME policy providing paid, designated childbearing leave.
The mean duration of this leave was just 5.7 weeks (ranging from 2-8 weeks).
When combining childbirth leave with designated family leave for childbearing mothers, the mean maternity leave duration totaled 6.6 weeks (ranging from 2-10 weeks).
6 of these institutions, plus one other that lacked basic provisions for birth mothers, offered paid family leave for non-birth parents.
Among those seven, the mean paid leave for non-primary parents was 3.9 weeks (ranging from 1-8 weeks).

These results underscore a significant disparity between the leave provided to faculty (8.6 weeks) and residents (5.7-6.6 weeks) at comparable institutions. Moreover, the resident leave falls far short of the 12 weeks proposed in federal legislation supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics. While the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) mandates 12 weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees, residents often don't qualify due to the 12-month employment requirement.

Balancing Needs: The Path Forward for Parental Leave Policies

The study's findings reveal that a minority of GME-sponsoring institutions provide paid leave for residents, even though the affiliated medical schools typically offer such policies for faculty. It also shows the duration of paid total maternity leave in programs that do offer leave is less than the leave offered to faculty and less than a potential federal law.

Creating supportive parental leave policies for residents requires a delicate balancing act. Institutions must consider the physical and emotional needs of new parents, the imperative to ensure clinical competence among all residents, and the potential impact on patient care within systems that heavily rely on resident labor.

Further research is needed to identify parental leave policies that support the shared goals of resident well-being, comprehensive medical education, and quality patient care.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1001/jama.2018.14414, Alternate LINK

Title: Childbearing And Family Leave Policies For Resident Physicians At Top Training Institutions

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: JAMA

Publisher: American Medical Association (AMA)

Authors: Kirti Magudia, Alexander Bick, Jeffrey Cohen, Thomas S. C. Ng, Debra Weinstein, Christina Mangurian, Reshma Jagsi

Published: 2018-12-11

Everything You Need To Know

What are the main findings of the study regarding parental leave for resident physicians?

The investigation found that at 15 Graduate Medical Education (GME)-sponsoring institutions, only 7 had a policy providing paid, designated childbearing leave for resident physicians, with an average duration of 5.7 weeks. This is in stark contrast to the faculty at the affiliated medical schools, who often receive significantly more paid leave. The study also reveals that when combining childbirth leave with designated family leave for childbearing mothers, the mean maternity leave duration totaled 6.6 weeks. The implications of these disparities include potential negative impacts on the well-being of resident physicians and may exacerbate gender inequities within medicine.

Why do resident physicians often receive less support compared to faculty?

Resident physicians often receive less support than faculty due to several factors. The study highlights that while faculty at top medical schools received an average of 8.6 weeks of paid childbearing leave, residents often receive less. The study's findings underscore a significant disparity between the leave provided to faculty and residents at comparable institutions. This is further compounded by the fact that residents may not qualify for unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) due to its employment requirements. This disparity highlights the need for policy changes to ensure equity.

What are the specific numbers related to leave duration for resident physicians?

The key findings revealed that out of 15 GME-sponsoring institutions, only 7 provided paid childbearing leave for resident physicians. The mean duration of this leave was just 5.7 weeks. When combining childbirth leave with designated family leave for childbearing mothers, the mean maternity leave duration totaled 6.6 weeks. Furthermore, only 6 of these institutions, plus one other that lacked basic provisions for birth mothers, offered paid family leave for non-birth parents, with a mean of 3.9 weeks. These numbers are important because they show a significant difference compared to the leave given to faculty physicians and fall short of the 12 weeks proposed in federal legislation supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How can inadequate parental leave affect the well-being of resident physicians?

The well-being of resident physicians can be significantly impacted by inadequate parental leave policies. Residency training often coincides with the prime childbearing years, demanding long hours and inflexible schedules. Without adequate parental leave, residents may experience increased stress, burnout, and difficulty balancing their career with family responsibilities. The disparities in leave policies can also affect gender equity. The lack of sufficient leave can disproportionately affect female residents, potentially hindering their career advancement and contributing to gender-based inequities in medicine. Addressing these issues is crucial for fostering a supportive environment for future doctors.

What is the study's focus and why is it significant?

The study focuses on the parental leave policies at 15 GME-sponsoring institutions affiliated with top medical schools. It examines the duration and type of leave provided to resident physicians, specifically focusing on paid childbearing leave and family leave. The study's significance lies in revealing disparities between the support offered to residents compared to faculty, highlighting the need for policy improvements to ensure physician well-being and promote gender equity in medicine. By scrutinizing these policies, the research aims to inform and advocate for changes that better support residents during their demanding training years.