Do surgeons adjust clinical productivity after maternity leave?

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical practice
• Workforce productivity

Background:

• Speculation suggests women's productivity declines post-maternity leave.
• This study investigates surgeon clinical productivity changes after maternity or other leaves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the impact of maternity and other leaves on surgeon clinical productivity.
• To determine if productivity ratios (post-leave to pre-leave) differ significantly.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of surgeon productivity data from a major medical center.
• Calculation of post-to-pre productivity ratios using operative volumes and Relative Value Units (RVUs).
• Multivariate linear regression to adjust for surgeon characteristics.

Main Results:

• Fifty leaves of absence from 30 surgeons were analyzed.
• No significant difference in productivity was observed after maternity leave or other leaves.
• No significant difference in productivity ratios between maternity and other leaves (volume: p=0.52; RVU: p=0.58).

Conclusions:

• Surgeons maintain clinical productivity after maternity leave.
• Productivity is not significantly impacted by other types of leaves of absence.
• Findings challenge assumptions about decreased productivity post-leave.