(1100) Availability of Parental and Family Information on Otolaryngology Residency Websites in a Post-Signaling Era

Introduction: Since the introduction of signaling in 2021, otolaryngology applicants increasingly rely on residency program websites to guide their decision-making on where to apply and train. Decisions around parenting and childbearing have been recognized to have an impact on overall wellness. These policies may influence applicants’ choice of residency programs, but may be difficult for applicants, particularly female applicants, to inquire about directly. This study aims to characterize the availability of family and parental information on OHNS residency websites.

Methods: Websites for all 125 U.S. OHNS residency programs and related graduate medical education (GME) websites were reviewed for 12 content items focused on family, parental, and wellness support resources. Each site was reviewed for the presence or absence of these items, either directly on the program website or via clearly accessible links.

Results: Among the 125 OHNS programs reviewed, 52.8% provided information about parental leave policies and 12.8% provided general family planning resources. Information on insurance for prenatal and delivery care was available for 25.6% of programs, with fertility benefits noted in 21.6%. Information on childcare support and adoption assistance were present on 26.4% and 21.6% of program websites respectively, with 8.8% providing information on flexibility in training for residents with familial responsibilities.

Conclusions: As applicants increasingly rely on program websites when making long term training decisions, the limited availability of family planning and parental support information identified in this study may influence perceptions and preferences. In the post-signaling era, program websites represent a key platform for communicating existing policies and resources, and variability in the information provided may limit applicants’ ability to readily access this information.