Leadership | 07.22.20
ABMS Announces Family Leave Policy
by NAMSS Government Relations
The ABMS Board of Directors approved a progressive leave policy on Parental, Caregiver, and Medical Leave During Training effective July 1, 2021. ABMS Member Boards with training programs that are two or more years in length will allow individuals to use a minimum of six weeks for parental, caregiver, and medical leave during training. This time will not affect vacation or sick leave and does not require additional training. This policy addresses the concerns of residents and fellows by implementing more flexibility, autonomy, and reduced stress for those who need family and parental leave.
The ABMS Task Force on Parental Leave worked hard to implement this policy. In February, ABMS and ACGME held a workshop regarding resident and fellow parental and family leave with 80 multidisciplinary stakeholders to discuss the issue and potential solutions with current leave policies.
The ABMS Task Force includes the following individuals:
- Carolyn Kinney, MD, Executive Director, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and ABMS Board of Directors Member
- Nancy Rose, MD, representing the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics
- Julius Hamilton, MD, a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and a member of the ABMS Stakeholder Council
- Jo Buyske, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Board of Surgery and ABMS Board of Directors Member
NAMSS acknowledges the hard work of the ABMS Task Force and encourages members to share this new policy with colleagues as appropriate.