Scallan Oonagh, Field Emily, Cristancho Sayra, LaDonna Kori
Department of Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Centre of Education Research and Innovation, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Centre of Education Research and Innovation, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
J Surg Educ. 2025 Sep;82(9):103621. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103621. Epub 2025 Jul 22.
Surgeon and surgical resident mothers continue to face discrimination and inequities related to motherhood. Current literature reports on the logistical challenges and some of the negative perceptions faced by these individuals, but we do not know the whole story of how women navigate these challenges. With increasing attention to EDI, understanding women's experiences is crucial for transforming surgical culture.
Using constructivist grounded theory, the experiences of surgical residents as mothers were explored as they reflected on their transition back to work after maternity leave. Semi-structured interviews were conversational, and interview questions evolved throughout the study. Interview transcripts were analyzed using constant comparative analysis.
This was a Canadian-wide study, including current trainee or faculty participants who had completed surgical training at Canadian institutions.
Eligible participants were any faculty surgeon or current trainee who had taken a maternity leave from a Canadian surgical program between 2012 and 2022. Twenty-one participants were included from the specialties of general surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Participants detailed the challenges they faced returning to surgical residency after maternity leave, and the factors that made this transition easier. Upon reflection, participants described this transition as transformative for their professional identity, highlighting how motherhood facilitated the development of essential skills including communication, empathy, and setting boundaries.
Despite efforts to better support women in surgery, challenges with the transition back to work following maternity leave persist. Both individuals and systems need to reevaluate priorities, design more flexible call schedules, implement better accommodations for chest-feeding parents, and establish mentorship programs for all parents. Negative perceptions of and biases against surgeon mothers must also be challenged. Notably, this study's novel findings that motherhood enhances, rather than detracts from, surgical skill development should be recognized.
外科医生和外科住院医师妈妈们仍面临与母亲身份相关的歧视和不公平待遇。当前文献报道了这些人面临的后勤挑战以及一些负面看法，但我们并不完全了解女性是如何应对这些挑战的。随着对公平、多样性和包容性（EDI）的关注度不断提高，了解女性的经历对于转变外科文化至关重要。
采用建构主义扎根理论，探讨外科住院医师作为母亲在休完产假后重返工作岗位时的经历。半结构化访谈采用对话形式，访谈问题在整个研究过程中不断演变。使用持续比较分析法对访谈记录进行分析。
这是一项加拿大范围内的研究，包括目前在加拿大机构完成外科培训的学员或教员参与者。
符合条件的参与者是2012年至2022年期间从加拿大外科项目休过产假的任何外科教员或现任学员。参与者来自普通外科、整形外科、血管外科、骨科、泌尿外科、眼科以及妇产科等专业，共21人。
参与者详细阐述了休完产假后重返外科住院医师岗位所面临的挑战，以及使这种转变更容易的因素。经过反思，参与者将这种转变描述为对其职业身份具有变革性，强调母亲身份如何促进了包括沟通、同理心和设定界限等关键技能的发展。
尽管努力为外科领域的女性提供更好的支持，但休完产假后重返工作岗位仍存在挑战。个人和系统都需要重新评估优先事项，设计更灵活的值班时间表，为母乳喂养的父母提供更好的便利，为所有父母建立指导计划。对外科医生妈妈们的负面看法和偏见也必须受到挑战。值得注意的是，本研究的新发现，即母亲身份增强而非削弱外科技能发展，应得到认可。
