Description
Infertility is more prevalent among female physicians than in the general population. Estimates suggest that 1 in 4 female physicians will suffer from infertility - a rate twice that of the general population. Among female physicians, the rate of high-risk pregnancies, and miscarriages have also been associated with higher rates of burnout. Medical training and the culture of medicine are frequently in conflict with family planning and family building. Residents are sent implicit and explicit signals that discourage pregnancy during residency and that pregnancy is an undue burden on peers and the program. Family building, which is defined by some as growing one’s family with the addition of children, is rarely discussed during medical training. Many women physicians who face infertility challenges report that, in retrospect, they would have undertaken cryopreservation, tried to build a family earlier, or changed their specialty choice. Furthermore, lack of support for physician parents during training may lead to changes in career trajectory such as transition to part-time work or quitting careers in medicine. These factors may contribute to decision-making process of the nearly 40% of women in medicine who transition to part-time work within their first 6 years in practice. Lack of education on the risks and consequences of infertility can negatively impact the emotional, physical, and financial well-being of physicians throughout training. While most literature on physician fertility and family planning has focused on female physicians, these issues have not been significantly explored for male, single, or LGBTQI-identified physicians. Given the significant burden on physicians, education in fertility preservation and family building options is important to all physicians, not only those hoping to start families. In our academic psychiatry residency program, we conducted a needs assessment and designed a pilot educational workshop to promote fertility education and awareness. The purpose of our curriculum was to provide information to help trainees make educated decisions about their own fertility and family planning. We also aimed to foster discussions that helped residents benefit from the experience of their peers and faculty in order to protect them from burn-out and isolation. Our final goal was to nurture a supportive family-friendly culture in our residency. During this session we will discuss the creation of this workshop and the results from our needs assessment. We will discuss the literature on fertility preservation and family building and provide a practical introductory lecture on fertility preservation and family planning developed in consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist affiliated with our university. We will then transition to a discussion of the experience of being a parent during residency. The session will end with a LGBTQ-focused section on alternative family building paths.
Format
Recorded webinar.
This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.
Learning Objectives
- To better understand the concerns and family planning goals of psychiatry residents and trainees
- To learn how to assess resident physicians’ understanding of family planning and fertility options
during residency training
- To promote education and awareness of fertility issues and options to preserve fertility among resident physicians
- To foster discussion on topics of family planning to promote self-reflection and identify potential new areas of
curriculum development to help trainees make educated decisions about their own family
Target Audience
Medical Students, Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, non-psychiatrist Physicians
Estimate Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Instructors
- Stefana Morgans, MD
- Rubi Luna, MD
- Isaac Johnson, MD
- Martha Vargas, MD
Planners
- Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance