Project PARENT: A Family Leave Database for US Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics Residency Programs

Recent national policies have championed new standards in family and medical leave for graduate medical trainees. We hypothesize there remains variability in residency program leave policies. Project PARENT aimed to create a database of parental leave policies at US radiation oncology and medical physics residency programs.

A mixed methods design was used in this study. A 29-question survey was distributed in 2024 to all US radiation oncology physician (RO) and medical physics (MP) residency programs by email and remained open for 6 weeks. For programs that did not supply a survey response, document analysis (data abstraction) was performed with information from program websites. All programs were offered a data verification opportunity.

The survey was distributed to 84 US RO, 107 MP therapy, and 43 MP imaging residency programs. Composite survey responses were completed by 32 of 84 (38%) physician residencies and 75 of 100 (50%) MP programs (62 therapy + 13 imaging). Altogether, website data abstraction for programs without responses resulted in a final program representation of 99% and 100% in RO and MP programs, respectively. Among programs who provided a specific value, the median 'maximum parental leave' provided was 12 weeks (IQR, 8-12) for RO birthing parents, 12 weeks (IQR, 12-12) for MP birthing parents, 12 weeks (IQR, 6-12) for RO non-birthing parents, and 12 weeks (IQR, 8-12) for MP non-birthing parents; the median length of paid leave provided to all parents in RO and MP residency programs was 6 weeks.

Project PARENT is the first comprehensive parental leave information source in any medical specialty. We anticipate this family leave program policy database will empower residency program leaders and applicants to navigate family leave policies to the mutual benefit of all.