Jonathan Pierce MD, Joseph Galante MD and Lynette Scherer MD University of California, Davis

1. The Surgical Residency Baby Boom: changing patterns of childbearing during residency over a 20 year span Jonathan Pierce MD, Joseph Galante MD and Lynette Scherer MD University of California, Davis Medical Center

2. Background • Observed increased childbearing in our surgical program. • Worth investigating • Potential result of work hours reform? • Substantial effects on training program

3. Methods • IRB approval • Anonymous email survey of all current residents and program graduates • Questioned regarding timing and perceptions related to childbearing

4. Results • 167 surgeons contacted • 116 alumni & 51 current trainees • 84 responses (50% response rate) • Cohorts –early and late • 44 (1976-1999) v. 40 (2000-2009) • 76 complete Likert surveys • 29 had children DURING residency • 22 had children AFTER residency • 25 NEVER had children

5. Percentage of cohort having children during residency, by gender

6. Likert responses for respondents that HAD children DURING residency.“ How did the following effect your decision to have children during residency?” *Negative responses were evenly distributed between early and late cohorts.

7. Likert responses for respondents that HAD children AFTER residency.“ If you did NOT have children during residency, how did the following effect your decision?” *Negative responses were evenly distributed between early and late cohorts.

8. Likert responses for respondents that NEVER had children.“ If you did NOT have children during residency, how did the following effect your decision?” *Negative responses were evenly distributed between early and late cohorts.

9. Data Summary • Data clearly demonstrates an increased rate of childbearing DURING residency since 2000 in our program. • Likert data does not suggest that these changes are attributable to work hours reform.

10. Discussion • Childbearing changes may be generational. • Childbearing during residency may be beneficial to residents with family ambitions (fertility, complications). • Childbearing during residency can present training programs with significant challenges.

11. Conclusion • Childbearing during residency has increased and appears to be unrelated to work hours reform. This will pose additional challenges to training programs for which we should be prepared.