Maternal leaves are more harshly felt in surgical residencies and sub-specialty training, simply because these programs are smaller. The team feels an extended leave more acutely, as compared to a larger internal medicine program.

It is interesting to read that this continues even after a surgeon becomes an attending:

Interestingly, several of my female friends who have entered small private practices after training also experience similar pressures as childbearing would impact their partners’ lives significantly.

Even as female students comprise more than 50 percent of medical students and doctors in training, surgery remains male-dominated.

It is no surprise that it is amongst the slowest fields to appropriately deal with maternity leave.