Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Maternal instincts in medicine: the dual journey of motherhood and healing

Nicolette Siringo
Education
June 15, 2024
Share
Tweet
Share

It’s 4:57 p.m., and I’m anxiously tapping my foot in a stuffy cubicle, trying to ignore the pain of my compression socks seemingly cutting off circulation to my feet. I quickly glance at the timer. Thirty-one seconds. I close my eyes and say a quick prayer as I feel the agile kicks of my daughter, who this week is measuring the size of a cucumber! I do one final pass of the questions marked with a small red flag before hesitantly hitting submit. Do you wish to end your exam? I didn’t have this on my Bingo card – thirty-three weeks pregnant and sitting for a nine-hour medical licensing exam. Pursuing a medical degree is a taxing sacrifice, but as a nontraditional student who had dabbled in various other career paths before returning to my childhood dream of becoming a doctor, I felt fortunate to be given a chance. The sacrifice felt deeper, however, when I learned I was expecting a baby, and with it came the challenge of navigating motherhood in medicine.

There is an undeniable value of women – and particularly mothers – in medicine. Research has shown that female physicians spend more time with their patients than their male counterparts and have lower rates of mortality, morbidity, and readmission. Women now constitute over half (55.4%) of medical school matriculants in the United States, and the average age at matriculation is slowly increasing, necessitating the need for more emotional support, fertility education and benefits, and clarity in parental leave policies. As an aspiring obstetrician/gynecologist, I was keenly aware of the harsh reality of starting a family during medical training, as well as the potential detriment that comes with waiting until training is complete. Among U.S. female physicians who graduated from medical school between 1995 and 2000, nearly one quarter (24.1%) were diagnosed with infertility by their mid-30s. Similarly, a study of 692 women revealed that 42% had suffered at least one miscarriage, almost double the rate of the general population. Despite these statistics, fertility education is lacking in medical school curriculums. Only a minority of surveyed medical students received lectures on infertility (32.5%), in vitro fertilization (18.7%), or oocyte cryopreservation (9.2%). So, as I watched that second pink line come into view, I recalled the dozens of mentors who told me, “There is never a good time.”

There is a lack of standardized maternity leave among medical schools, residency programs, and hospitals. Current policies, if they exist, are deemed inadequate. In 2022, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education mandated a minimum of six paid weeks off for medical, parental, or caregiver leave once during residency training but does not stipulate that these weeks have to be separate from existing vacation or sick time. In a similar regard, the Family Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees to up to twelve weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, but for many, this amount of time away from work necessitates extending training. As a result, physicians take shorter maternity leave than nonphysicians (10.9 weeks vs. 12.0 weeks, p = 0.017), and 34% of physicians feel their health was negatively impacted by their length of leave. We must do better. Fortunately, the landscape is beginning to change: The American Medical Association has been studying the feasibility of a minimum twelve-week leave allowance as well as policies for those who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. There are also other effective ways in which we can support mothers in the workplace, such as flexible rostering, lactation rooms, and on-site childcare.

When I was on my internal medicine clerkship, deep in the trenches of the first trimester, I stuffed my scrub pants pockets with ginger chews and sour candies to keep the nausea at bay during morning rounds. I concealed my growing belly with one of my husband’s oversized quarter zips in fear that my colleagues would view me as less serious about my education. Unfortunately, this feeling is far from uncommon. One study examined the workplace discrimination faced by female physicians and found that those who had children were often seen as disinterested, unavailable, and unwilling to work extra hours. This perspective has measurable negative effects. Among 22 program directors, 45% reported that their hiring decisions were influenced by the pregnancy plans of potential employees when this information was disclosed. This judgment is an unfortunate reality that so many face, despite the fact that many physician mothers feel their roles are intimately intertwined, with one job simply strengthening the other.

Now, I’m mere weeks into motherhood, and here I am, sitting alone at 3:00 a.m. under harsh hospital lights with a choir of monitors beeping as my only company. EKG leads are peppered across my daughter’s seven-pound body, ready to alert us should things go awry once again. I stare at her lower lip – quivering, yet perfectly at peace – a far cry from the piercing screams they echoed earlier in the day. I can’t help but think about the sixteen-year-old patient on my trauma rotation who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a motor vehicle accident and the eight-year-old on my pediatrics rotation – who was now eleven – and remained hooked up to life-support with no hopes of ever waking up. At this moment, it’s impossible for me not to worry about my own daughter’s long-term prognosis as I am reminded how quickly good fortune can change. Numerous factors play into the difficulty of pursuing motherhood and a medical career simultaneously, namely stressful work environments, poor sleep hygiene, advanced maternal age, lack of institutional support, student loan debt, and more. Yet, physician mothers are innately valuable to the profession and possess unique and desirable qualities that positively contribute to patient outcomes. Motherhood is teaching me selflessness, humility, empathy, and sacrifice, with both roles requiring I put another’s needs before my own. It is teaching me to be more acutely aware of my environment and trust my intuition, yet still support it with my medical knowledge. The synergy of the two allowed me to recognize when my daughter’s skin quickly transitioned from its ruddy newborn red and took on a sullen gray-blue hue. I knew how to act quickly, administer oxygen in the ambulance, and remain calm when at least a dozen health care providers attempted to access her pinpoint-sized veins. In medical school, I’ve spent countless hours objectively assessing patients, developing differential diagnoses, answering UWorld questions, and flipping through Anki flashcards, but there is no study tool for maternal instinct. Medical school has taught me the science needed to be a physician, but motherhood is teaching me how to be a good one.

Gone are the days when middle-aged men were the only ones in the hospital donning a long white coat, as the image of a “physician” has expanded, and society must get on board. Motherhood breeds compassionate, diligent, attentive, and thoughtful physicians. Medical training often coincides with prime childbearing years, and the profession must work to help women excel in their dual roles as parents and physicians. Because, after all, no one works harder than a mom.

Nicolette Siringo is a medical student.

Prev

The troubling trend of violating resident physician rights

June 15, 2024 Kevin 1
…
Next

Appreciate the people in your life: How simple words can make a big difference

June 15, 2024 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The troubling trend of violating resident physician rights
Next Post >
Appreciate the people in your life: How simple words can make a big difference

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • From penicillin to digital health: the impact of social media on medicine

    Homer Moutran, MD, MBA, Caline El-Khoury, PhD, and Danielle Wilson
  • Medicine won’t keep you warm at night

    Anonymous
  • Delivering unpalatable truths in medicine

    Samantha Cheng
  • Why medical writing is essential to medicine

    Steven Zhang, MD
  • My healer, please guide me on this journey

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • What medicine can learn from a poem

    Thomas L. Amburn

More in Education

  • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

    Anonymous
  • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

    Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH
  • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Bridging the rural surgical care gap with rotating health care teams

    Ankit Jain
  • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

    Hiba Fatima Hamid
  • The hidden cost of becoming a doctor: a South Asian perspective

    Momeina Aslam
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...