SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Parental Leave in Hospital Medicine: We Can Do Better

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This study explored parental leave experiences in hospital medicine using virtual focus groups with 21 participants from 15 sites, most of whom were women and held leadership roles. Researchers used qualitative methods to identify major themes across the parental leave process.<br /><br />Four themes emerged: preparation for leave, taking leave, returning from leave, and the way forward. Participants described parental leave policies as often vague, unfair, or poorly communicated. Hospitalists faced challenges in early planning, budgeting, and managing the tension between academic work and parenting. Taking leave could negatively affect income, research productivity, career advancement, and relationships with colleagues. Women were disproportionately impacted, and childcare added further stress. Returning to work was also difficult, with many clinicians feeling that they were “gone but not completely gone” because of lingering work responsibilities. Some returning birth mothers reported reducing their full-time effort, often because the current system did not adequately support their needs.<br /><br />The authors conclude that parental leave in hospital medicine presents unique and significant challenges, especially for women. They argue that meaningful improvement requires multifaceted changes in policy, staffing, workplace culture, and expectations, spanning the time before leave, during leave, and after return. They also suggest that broader interventions to improve daily work conditions, such as safe workloads and use of discharge nurses, may help support hospitalists throughout their careers.

Asset Subtitle

Nila S. Radhakrishnan

Meta Tag

Author List Andrew D. Auerbach, Angela Keniston, Anne S. Linker, Areeba Kara, Benji K. Mathews, Gopi J. Astik, Gregory Bowling, Kirsten N. Kangelaris, Marisha Burden, Matthew Sakumoto, Natalie v. Schwatka, Nila S. Radhakrishnan, Shradha A. Kulkarni

Category Research

Concept Parental Leave

Concept Hospital Medicine

Concept Leave Policy

Concept Income

Concept Scholarly Productivity

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization University of Florida

Presenting Author Nila S. Radhakrishnan

Track Other

Keywords

parental leave

hospital medicine

virtual focus groups

qualitative study

workplace policy

return to work

women physicians

career advancement

childcare stress

workplace culture

Parental Leave

Hospital Medicine

Leave Policy

Income

Scholarly Productivity