Assessing the Accessibility of Information Regarding Integrated Abortion Training for Family Medicine Residency Applicants

Context: Family medicine doctors are important for filling gaps in access to full-spectrum reproductive healthcare including abortion. Previous studies show that integrated abortion training during family medicine residency is a strong predictor for future abortion provision. Thus, in a time with a critical shortage to access post-DOBS, identifying how applicants access information regarding integrated abortion training is important.

Objectives:

1. Identify common terminology used to describe integrated abortion training

2. Compare the most accessible tools to identify programs with integrated abortion training

Study Design and Analysis: Cross sectional

Setting or Dataset: Reproductive Health Education In Family Medicine (RHEDI) website, family medicine residency websites, family medicine resident applicant google spreadsheets (20-21, 21-22, and 22-23), and Reddit

Population Studied: Verified integrated abortion training family medicine residencies as of July 2023

Intervention/Instrument: Observation

Outcome Measures: Percentage of verified family medicine programs using specific terminology related to integrated abortion training and percentage of verified family medicine programs listed on websites used by applicants.

Results: There are 32 publicly verified family medicine residency programs that offer integrated abortion training. Of those, 93% of programs had information on their website regarding this training. Terms used by these programs on their website included, but not limited to, “abortion” (65%), “reproductive health” (65%), “RHEDI” (56%), “abortion care” (31%), “reproductive healthcare” (25%), “abortion curriculum (6%), “reproductive medicine” (3%), and “reproductive care” (3%). These programs were listed on other sources including the RHEDI website (100%), Reddit (100%), 20-21 spreadsheet (28%), and 21-22 spreadsheet (34%). Notably, the 22-23 spreadsheet did not contain a section for identifying programs with abortion training.

Conclusions: Identifying verified integrated abortion training family medicine residency programs is most accessible using the RHEDI website (100%) or Reddit (100%). However, this requires applicants to be aware of the training RHEDI programs offer. RHEDI is also not explained on many of the program sites making this a barrier for applicants when assessing information related to these programs. Most common terms used on program websites include “abortion” (65%), “reproductive health” (65%), and “RHEDI” (56%).