I am recently considering Urology early in my MS3 year. I am also planning to have baby #2, if all goes well, during MS4. This would likely involve being very pregnant during any Sub-I's I do. I realize in general the Sub-I helps run the floor - not always a lot of OR time, depending on the site. But I have seen Sub-I's invited on cases as much as possible - obviously great way to make an impression on attendings. Any ideas how a very pregnant Sub-I would be received? Obviously fluoro procedures are off the table. And a one-month impression of being a walking mom is subconsciously not always well received. ... The reason I want a baby in my fourth year is to be done with childbearing by the time residency starts. ... So it seems silly to think of waiting to make a good impression and then ending up pregnant in a small program with all the disruptions that causes. Anyway ... thoughts?
I just finished my 4th year sub-I. In order to make a good impression and get strong letters, I had to work harder than any MS-3 year rotation. I got there early and left late and scrubbed in on as many cases as I could. I am sure you don't have to do that, but I am not sure how strong the letter would be. It's a really slippery subject, as I am sure they can't discriminate against you for being pregnant, but I am just not sure how you would be able to display your best work ethic if you were not feeling great.
Best of luck on baby and rest of third year. Urology is AWESOME!
I just finished my 4th year sub-I. In order to make a good impression and get strong letters, I had to work harder than any MS-3 year rotation. I got there early and left late and scrubbed in on as many cases as I could. I am sure you don't have to do that, but I am not sure how strong the letter would be. It's a really slippery subject, as I am sure they can't discriminate against you for being pregnant, but I am just not sure how you would be able to display your best work ethic if you were not feeling great.
Best of luck on baby and rest of third year. Urology is AWESOME!
I would not assume that you won't be "invited" to many cases on sub-I. 2/3 of my sub-I had us going to the OR 4-5 days/week.
Current resident here, I agree that you're in a tricky spot. There will certainly be some attendings (old school ones) who will notice that you're pregnant, realize it's baby #2, and question how committed you can be during residency. If you have an easy explanation for your plan (independent funds to pay for full time child care, stay at home spouse, etc) then you can quickly allay those fears. If not, yea, some of the old school guys (and old school gals, many of whom carry serious chips from their *brutal* experiences with sexism coming up through training and carry blindspots as to their own behavior) will notice, and not in a necessarily good way.
On the other hand, you can make a decent argument that you don't want to be at a program where people have attitudes like that anyway. How much you want to come down on that side of the fence likely hinges on how confident you feel about your chances of matching. If you're going to be highly sought after, you can afford to have a random attending or two disapprove (you'll be able to find someone to write a good letter on merits as long as you perform well). If not, you might want to delay the kid until a more convenient time. As a parent I understand these things can't be planned down to the month, but maybe start trying the spring/summer of 4th year so you're not showing on sub-I's and can deliver in the spring? Or seek out a residency with a research year which gives you another great window?