Abstract
Introduction
Challenges to work-life balance, including childcare, have been cited as major barriers
to career advancement for women in academic medicine.
Methods
We performed a cross-sectional study to investigate the availability of onsite childcare
at academic health centers (AHCs) for US medical schools and examined institutional
characteristics associated with its provision. Data from the Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC) were used to identify US medical schools by region, type (private
vs. public, community-based vs. not), financial relationship to the university, and
numbers of female medical students, faculty, chairs, and deans. We assessed onsite
childcare from publicly available information on institutional websites, plus phone
calls to human resources departments at medical centers and/or medical schools.
Results
Our study identified 144 US medical schools from the AAMC database and collected complete
data for 136 (95%). Most AHCs offered onsite childcare (62%, 84/136). AHCs in the
Midwest (78%) were most likely to have onsite childcare, whereas AHCs in the Southwest
were least likely (14%, p < .001). No associations were demonstrated between onsite childcare and the proportion
of female chairs or female faculty, or the AHC's financial relationship with the parent
university.
Conclusions
Although accessible childcare is critical to the upward mobility of women in medicine,
more than a third of AHCs do not offer onsite childcare. As more women in medicine
navigate childcare demands, the expansion of accessible, quality onsite childcare
at AHCs is needed to promote a diverse academic workforce.
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Biography
Valerie A. French, MD, MAS, is an associate professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. Her research interests include women's reproductive health care and women in medicine.
Biography
Jackie L. Werner, MD, is a physician with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Kansas City Hospital in North Kansas City, MO. Her resident research explored childcare at academic health centers.
Biography
Emily J.H. Feng, MD, is a resident physician with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. Her research has explored emergency contraception and childcare at academic health centers.
Biography
R. Aurelia Latimer, MD, is a resident physician with the Department of Family Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. Her research has explored access to childcare at academic health centers.
Biography
Sharon F. Wolff, MPH, is a research instructor with the Department of Population Health, University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. Her research focuses on preventive services, with a particular interest in smoking cessation and vaccinations.
Biography
Carrie L. Wieneke, MD, is chair and associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. Her research interests include resident education and women in medicine.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 10, 2021
Accepted:
August 30,
2021
Received in revised form:
August 22,
2021
Received:
January 12,
2021
Footnotes
No funding was received for this study. The authors have no declarations of interest to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, George Washington University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
