Navigating Infertility As An EM Physician

This the first episode in our three part series on infertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding as an Emergency Physician. In this installment, we shine a light on the often unspoken struggles of infertility among physicians, specifically focusing on the emergency medicine community. Join us and expert, Dr. Melissa Parsons, as we delve into the personal experiences, professional challenges, and nuanced perspectives of emergency physicians navigating the complex journey of infertility.

In part two, we’ll explore what it’s like to be a pregnant as an EM physician, and in our final episode of the series, we’ll talk about some of the challenges surrounding breastfeeding and pumping in the ED. 

Do you have questions about fertility as an EM Physician? Or want to share your own experience?  Hit us up on social media @empulsepodcast or at ucdavisem.com

Hosts:

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Dr. Julia Magaña, Associate Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Guests:

Dr. Melissa Parsons, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Residency Program Director at University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, FL

Resources:

Physicians should talk about the F word: fertility. Melissa E. Parsons, MD Physician  March 3, 2019. KevinMD.com 

Levy MS, Kelly AG, Mueller C, et al. Psychosocial Burdens Associated With Family Building Among Physicians and Medical Students. JAMA Intern Med. 2023 Sep 1;183(9):1018-1021. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.2570. PMID: 37486671; PMCID: PMC10366942.

Parsons M, Mannix A, Gore K, et al. The current landscape of emergency medicine resident scheduling. AEM Educ Train. 2024 Jan 16;8(1):e10926. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10926. PMID: 38235394; PMCID: PMC10790185..

Pfennig CL, Wilson CA, Britt TW, et al. A comparative analysis on fertility success among physician specialties. Acad Emerg Med. 2022 Jun;29(6):792-794. doi: 10.1111/acem.14463. Epub 2022 Feb 27. PMID: 35178827; PMCID: PMC9305146.

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Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.