The elective, created in 2010 by physicians at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, was set up to address the lack of maternity leave for doctors in residency programs, a time when many get pregnant. "When we first created this elective, our residents had to take vacation days, about four weeks, if they wanted time off with their newborns. Some took unpaid Family and Medical Leave combined with vacation time. For some, this meant not being able to pay back student loans. Others faced career setbacks," says Dr. Melanie Cree-Green, pediatric endocrinologist and assistant professor at the CU School of Medicine.
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