Importance: The lack of family-friendly policies continues to contribute to the underrepresentation and attrition of surgical trainees. Women in surgery face unique challenges in balancing surgical education with personal and family needs.
Observations: The Association of Women Surgeons is committed to supporting surgical families and developing equitable family-friendly guidelines. Herein we detail recommendations for adequate paid parental leave, access to childcare, breastfeeding support, and insurance coverage of fertility preservation and assisted reproductive technology.
Conclusions and relevance: The specific recommendations outlined in this document form the basis of a comprehensive initiative for supporting surgical families.