Elizabeth Prsic, MD, Firm Chief for Medical Oncology and Director of Adult Inpatient Palliative Care at Smilow Cancer Hospital, along with former Yale fellow Julia Foldi, MD, PhD, received a Women Faculty Forum grant to identify and reduce barriers to breast milk expression among medical trainees. Their survey of over 150 Graduate Medical Education (GME) House Staff identified greater awareness of the needs of lactating individuals, dedicated lactation space, refrigerator access, and use of hands-free pumps as areas for increased support.
With funding from the Women Faculty Forum Seed Grant, Dr. Prsic’s team was able to purchase $2,000 worth of hands-free, hospital grade, closed system pumps for GME House Staff. Survey results will help direct further initiatives to support lactating individuals, with support of Stephen Huot, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and Andrea Asnes MD, MSW, Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics) and Director of Resident and Fellow Wellbeing, Graduate Medical Education. The Women Faculty Forum was established in 2001 during Yale’s Tercentennial year to highlight the importance of women faculty at the University and advance gender equity through research, advocacy, and community building.
Trainees seeking to use one of the pumps can contact Cindie Petersen in the GME office at cynthia.petersen@ynhh.org. For any related questions, please reach out to andrea.asnes@yale.edu