Many resident physicians are struggling to pay for child care and other living expenses as these costs outpace their earnings, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open and reported by the American Medical Association on June 11.
Here are five takeaways from the study:
- The study evaluated trainees in 295 surgical residency programs in the U.S. and found that 98.3% had a negative net income. This means an average surgical resident parent would face a budget shortfall after covering living and child care expenses.
- These findings were consistent across all U.S. regions and for all child age groups, based on a single resident parent’s salary and the cost of care for one child.
- Resident physician parents in the South had the lowest average negative net income, while those in the West had the highest — averaging a shortfall of $21,278.
- Here’s a breakdown of how costs were calculated for surgical residents in the West: Average salary: $76,576
– Average cost of child care per child: $9,936 to $14,538 (based on child’s age, per the National Database of Childcare Prices)
– Living expenses, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
– Housing: $28,938
– All other living expenses: $15,870
– Transportation: $13,420
– Taxes: $13,064
– Food: $10,699 - The study did not account for a partner’s income or the cost of care for multiple children.
