Policies to Support Lactation at Highly Ranked US Medical Schools.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Santhosh L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10611993 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Policies to Support Lactation at Highly Ranked US Medical Schools.
Santhosh Lekshmi L Vo Ashley A Wick Caroline C Mourad Michelle M Sarkar Urmimala U Jagsi Reshma R Mangurian Christina C
JAMA network open 20231002 10
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Project description:ImportancePhysician parents, particularly women, are more likely to experience burnout, poor family-career balance, adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, and stigmatization compared with nonparent colleagues. Because many physicians delay child-rearing due to the rigorous demands of medical training, favorable parental leave policies for faculty physicians are crucial to prevent physician workforce attrition.ObjectiveTo evaluate paid and unpaid parental leave policies at medical schools ranked by US News & World Report in 2020 and identify factors associated with leave policies.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional national study was performed at US medical schools reviewed from December 1, 2019, through May 31, 2020, and February 1 through March 31, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All medical schools ranked by US News & World Report in 2020 were included.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was the number of weeks of paid and unpaid leave for birth, nonbirth, adoption, and foster care physician parents. Institutional policies for the number of weeks of leave and requirements to use vacation, sick, or disability leave were characterized. Institutional factors were evaluated for association with the duration of paid parental leave using χ2 tests.ResultsAmong the 90 ranked medical schools, 87 had available data. Sixty-three medical schools (72.4%) had some paid leave for birth mothers, but only 13 (14.9%) offered 12 weeks of fully paid leave. While 11 medical schools (12.6%) offered 12 weeks of full paid leave for nonbirth parents, 38 (43.7%) had no paid leave for nonbirth parents. Adoptive and foster parents had no paid leave in 35 (40.2%) and 65 (74.7%) medical schools, respectively. Median paid parental leave was 4 (IQR, 0-8) weeks for birth parents, 4 (IQR, 0-6) weeks for adoptive parents, 3 (IQR, 0-6) weeks for nonbirth parents, and 0 (IQR, 0-1) weeks for foster parents. About one-third of medical schools required birth mothers to use vacation (29 [33.3%]), sick leave (31 [35.6%]), or short-term disability (9 [10.3%]). Among institutional characteristics, higher ranking (top vs bottom quartile: 30.4% vs 4.0%; P = .03) and private designation (private vs public, 23.5% vs 9.4%; P < .001) was associated with a higher rate of 12 weeks of paid leave for birth mothers.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cross-sectional national study of medical schools ranked by US News & World Report in 2020, many physician faculty receive no or very limited paid parental leave. The lack of paid parental leave was associated with higher rates of physician burnout and work-life integration dissatisfaction and may further perpetuate sex, racial and ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in academic medicine.
| S-EPMC9871796 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8239995 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundResearch into how medical schools support students who are pregnant or with current parental responsibilities has been mostly limited to the US context.ObjectivesTo review pregnancy and parental leave policies for students at Australian/New Zealand medical schools.DesignA cross-sectional survey.MethodsData were collected between June and September 2021. Websites of Australian/New Zealand medical schools (n = 23) were searched for freely available information on pregnancy and parental leave policies. Each school was contacted to provide supplementary information on the processes to support students who apply for pregnancy and/or parental leave. Outcome harvesting techniques were used to analyse the key attributes and processes used by medical schools.ResultsNone of the 23 accredited Australian/New Zealand medical schools had specific pregnancy and/or parental leave policies. Fourteen of the 23 Australian/New Zealand medical schools responded to the request for more information. All confirmed, beyond their University's general student leave policies, they had no additional pregnancy and parental leave policy. Analysis of each school's processes identified the following themes: lack of school specific pregnancy and/or parental leave policies; lack of public statements of support for medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities; and lack of attention to the specific needs of medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities, including those with pregnant partners or are a birth support person.ConclusionThere was a lack of documentation and formalized processes related to the support of this group of students. By creating easily accessible information on pregnancy and parental leave which is nuanced to the challenges of medical school and clinical placements, medical schools and medical education accreditation bodies in Australia/New Zealand can address the needs of medical students who are pregnant and/or with current parental responsibilities and normalize pregnancy and parental status within entry-to-practice medical courses.
| S-EPMC9751152 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMedical faculties have a role in ensuring that their students are protected from undue commercial influence during their training, and are educated about professional-industry interactions. In North America, many medical faculties have introduced more stringent conflict of interest (COI) policies during the last decade. We asked whether similar steps had been taken in France. We hypothesized that such policies may have been introduced following a 2009-2010 drug safety scandal (benfluorex, Mediator) in which COIs in medicine received prominent press attention.MethodsWe searched the websites of all 37 French Faculties of Medicine in May 2015 for COI policies and curriculum, using standardized keyword searches. We also surveyed all deans of medicine on institutional COI policies and curriculum, based on criteria developed in similar US and Canadian surveys. Personal contacts were also consulted. We calculated a summary score per faculty based on 13 criteria. [range 0-26; higher scores denoting stronger policies].ResultsIn total, we found that 9/37 (24%) of French medical schools had either introduced related curriculum or implemented a COI-related policy. Of these, only 1 (2.5%) had restrictive policies for any category. No official COI policies were found at any of the schools. However, at 2 (5%), informal policies were reported. The maximum score per faculty was 5/26, with 28 (76%) scoring 0.ConclusionThis is the first survey in France to examine COI policies at medical faculties. We found little evidence that protection of medical students from undue commercial influence is a priority, either through institutional policies or education. This is despite national transparency legislation on industry financing of health professionals and limits on gifts. The French National Medical Students Association (ANEMF) has called for more attention to COI in medical education; our results strongly support such a call.
| S-EPMC5221756 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThe education of medical students should be based on the best clinical information available, rather than on commercial interests. Previous research looking at university-wide conflict of interest (COI) policies used in Canadian medical schools has shown very poor regulation. An analysis of COI policies was undertaken to document the current policy environment in all 17 Canadian medical schools.MethodsA web search was used to initially locate COI policies supplemented by additional information from the deans of each medical school. Strength of policies was rated on a scale of 0 to 2 in 12 categories and also on the presence of enforcement measures. For each school, we report scores for all 12 categories, enforcement measures, and summative scores.ResultsCOI policies received summative scores that ranged from 0 to 19, with 0 the lowest possible score obtainable and 24 the maximum. The highest mean scores per category were for disclosure and ghostwriting (0.9) and for gifts and scholarships (0.8).DiscussionThis study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of all 17 Canadian medical school-specific COI policies. Our results suggest that the COI policy environment at Canadian medical schools is generally permissive. Policy development is a dynamic process. We therefore encourage all Canadian medical schools to develop restrictive COI policies to ensure that their medical students are educated based on the best clinical evidence available, free of industry biases and COI relationships that may influence the future medical thinking and prescribing practices of medical students in Canada once they graduate.
| S-EPMC3701639 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The distribution of food and nutrition policies and practices from 28 US states representing 6,732 secondary schools was evaluated using data from the 2008 School Health Profiles principal survey. School policies and practices evaluated were: availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense (LNED) snacks/drinks; use of healthy eating strategies; banning food marketing; availability of fruits and vegetables; and food package sizes. For each school, school-level demographic characteristics (percentage of students enrolled in free/reduced-price meals, minority enrollment, and geographic location) were also evaluated. Schools in small town/rural locations had significantly fewer policies that support healthy eating strategies and ban food marketing, and were less likely to serve fruits and vegetables at school celebrations, have fruits and vegetables available in vending or school stores, and limit serving-size packages. Schools serving the highest percentage of minority students consistently reported the same or better school food environments. However, schools serving the highest percentage of low-income students had varied results: vending and LNED vending policies were consistently better and fruit and vegetable availability-related policies were consistently worse. Disparities in the distribution of policies and practices that promote healthy school food environments seem most pronounced in small town/rural schools. The data also support the need for continued reinforcement and the potential for expansion of these efforts in urban and suburban areas and schools with highest minority enrollment.
| S-EPMC5563466 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundInterest has recently increased in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), a subset of artificial intelligence that can create new content. Although the publicly available GenAI tools are not specifically trained in the medical domain, they have demonstrated proficiency in a wide range of medical assessments. The future integration of GenAI in medicine remains unknown. However, the rapid availability of GenAI with a chat interface and the potential risks and benefits are the focus of great interest. As with any significant medical advancement or change, medical schools must adapt their curricula to equip students with the skills necessary to become successful physicians. Furthermore, medical schools must ensure that faculty members have the skills to harness these new opportunities to increase their effectiveness as educators. How medical schools currently fulfill their responsibilities is unclear. Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (COMs) in the United States currently train a significant proportion of the total number of medical students. These COMs are in academic settings ranging from large public research universities to small private institutions. Therefore, studying COMs will offer a representative sample of the current GenAI integration in medical education.ObjectiveThis study aims to describe the policies and training regarding the specific aspect of GenAI in US COMs, targeting students, faculty, and administrators.MethodsWeb-based surveys were sent to deans and Student Government Association (SGA) presidents of the main campuses of fully accredited US COMs. The dean survey included questions regarding current and planned policies and training related to GenAI for students, faculty, and administrators. The SGA president survey included only those questions related to current student policies and training.ResultsResponses were received from 81% (26/32) of COMs surveyed. This included 47% (15/32) of the deans and 50% (16/32) of the SGA presidents (with 5 COMs represented by both the deans and the SGA presidents). Most COMs did not have a policy on the student use of GenAI, as reported by the dean (14/15, 93%) and the SGA president (14/16, 88%). Of the COMs with no policy, 79% (11/14) had no formal plans for policy development. Only 1 COM had training for students, which focused entirely on the ethics of using GenAI. Most COMs had no formal plans to provide mandatory (11/14, 79%) or elective (11/15, 73%) training. No COM had GenAI policies for faculty or administrators. Eighty percent had no formal plans for policy development. Furthermore, 33.3% (5/15) of COMs had faculty or administrator GenAI training. Except for examination question development, there was no training to increase faculty or administrator capabilities and efficiency or to decrease their workload.ConclusionsThe survey revealed that most COMs lack GenAI policies and training for students, faculty, and administrators. The few institutions with policies or training were extremely limited in scope. Most institutions without current training or policies had no formal plans for development. The lack of current policies and training initiatives suggests inadequate preparedness for integrating GenAI into the medical school environment, therefore, relegating the responsibility for ethical guidance and training to the individual COM member.
| S-EPMC11835596 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundConcerns around staffs' and students' interactions with commercial entities, for example drug companies, have led several North American medical schools to implement conflict of interest (COI) policies. However, little is known about COI policies at European medical schools. We analysed the content and strength of COI policies at Scandinavian medical schools.MethodsWe searched the websites of medical schools in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and emailed the Deans for additional information. Using comparable methodology to previous studies, the strength of the COI policies was rated on a scale from 0 to 2 across 11 items (higher score more restrictive); we also assessed the presence of oversight mechanisms and sanctions.ResultsWe identified 77 unique policies for 15 medical schools (range 2-8 per school). Most of the policies (n = 72; 94%) were University wide and only five (6%) were specific for the medical schools. For six of eleven items one or more schools had a restrictive policy (score of two). None of the schools had a restrictive policy for the five additional items (speaking relationships, sales representatives, on-site education activities, medical school curriculum, and drug samples). Honoraria was the item with the highest score, with eight of the 15 schools having a score of two. Thirteen of the 15 schools had policies that identified a party responsible for policy oversight and mentioned sanctions for non-compliance.ConclusionOur study provides the first evaluation of all Scandinavian medical schools' COI policies. We found that the content of COI policies varies widely and still has shortcomings. We encourage Scandinavian medical schools to develop more stringent COI policies to regulate industry interactions with both faculty and students.
| S-EPMC9701355 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSmoke-free campus (SFC) policies prohibit smoking and vaping on all university grounds and for all users. The literature on SFC shows that these policies reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and increase smoking cessation. Engagement from high-level leaders has been proven to be a key determinant in the SFC implementation process, but their attitudes toward SFC has rarely been investigated, and only in the USA. The aim of this research is to analyze deans' perceptions of SFC in medical schools in France, where smoking prevalence remains high despite broad awareness of the harms of tobacco.MethodsWe used semi-structured interviews to explore medical school deans' perceptions of SFC implementation in France. Between October 2022 and January 2024, we interviewed 31 deans and two associate-deans, representing 31 out of the 35 medical schools in mainland France. Interviews were transcribed and the results were thematically analyzed using Nvivo 14, mobilizing the "individuals domain" from the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.ResultsOne school had a SFC policy, 6 were in the SFC implementation process, 23 had no SFC policy, and 1 had abandoned it. A majority of deans were unaware that a SFC goes beyond a smoking ban. However, 28 deans held a net-positive perception of SFC, arguing that it is a coherent multi-modal intervention and is effective in reducing smoking. However, SFC were also perceived as stigmatizing smokers and displacing the problem rather than solving it. Perceived barriers to SFC implementation were competing priorities, lack of funding, and opposition from smokers. Perceived facilitators of SFC implementation were access to existing resources, support from medical students, and natural legitimacy of medical schools. Deans felt they had a leadership role to play in initiating, promoting, and enforcing the SFC policy.ConclusionsSFC are poorly developed in medical schools in France, mostly because medical school deans prioritize other issues over smoking prevention and are under-aware of the benefits of SFC policy. However, they hold a net-positive opinion on SFC policy and express a willingness to implement it. We provide a set of practical strategies to help remove the main barriers to SFC implementation.
| S-EPMC11863392 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThis systematic review aims to estimate the proportion of medical schools and teaching hospitals with conflicts of interest (COI) policies for health research and education, to describe the provisions included in the policies and their impact on research outputs and educational quality or content.MethodsExperimental and observational studies reporting at least one of the above mentioned aims were included irrespective of language, publication type or geographical setting. MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane Methodology Register were searched from inception to March 2020. Methodological study quality was assessed using an amended version of the Joanna Briggs Institute's checklist for prevalence studies.ResultsTwenty-two cross-sectional studies were included; all were conducted in high-income countries. Of these, 20 studies estimated the prevalence of COI policies, which ranged from 5% to 100% (median: 85%). Twenty studies assessed the provisions included in COI policies with different assessment methods. Of these, nine analysed the strength of the content of medical schools' COI policies using various assessment tools that looked at a range of policy domains. The mean standardised summary score of policy strength ranged from 2% to 73% (median: 30%), with a low score indicating a weak policy. North American institutions more frequently had COI policies and their content was rated as stronger than policies from European institutions. None of the included studies assessed the impact of COI policies on research outputs or educational quality or content.ConclusionPrevalence of COI policies at medical schools and teaching hospitals varied greatly in high-income countries. No studies estimated the prevalence of policies in low to middle-income countries. The content of COI policies varied widely and while most European institutions ranked poorly, in North America more medical schools had strong policies. No studies were identified on impact of COI policies on research outputs and educational quality or content.
| S-EPMC9808354 | biostudies-literature