Ep. 106 Dobbs vs Jackson: How Changing Abortion Laws are Impacting the Medical Workforce with Drs. Beverly Gray and Chloe Peters

In this episode of BackTable Urology, Dr. Aditya Bagrodia speaks with PGY4 urologist Dr. Chloe Peters (University of Washington) and OB/GYN Dr. Beverly Gray (Duke University) about their work in women's health and advocacy, and how the Dobbs ruling has impacted their respective medical fields.

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SHOW NOTES

First, the doctors explore the implications of state abortion laws on the OB/GYN and urology workforces and how they may directly impact where people choose to live and work. Dr. Peters and Dr. Gray explain the complexities of state abortion policies, as well as the differences between restrictive and nonrestrictive states. The Dobbs ruling in June 2022 gave individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion not protected by federal law, thus overturning Roe v. Wade. Both doctors emphasize that this ruling affects all urologists and OB/GYNs in private and academic settings, because they provide unsafe environments for patients who need them.

Recent studies and surveys show how restrictive abortion laws are impacting the urology rank lists and applications. One in five applicants to the urology match took programs off their list because they are located in states with illegal abortion laws, and almost 60% said they would worry about their health and safety if they matched in a state with restrictive laws. In summary, all three doctors agreed that restrictive laws can have a direct impact on residency and urology recruitment efforts.

Finally, they observe that the increasing diversity in the field of urology has encouraged younger, female members to advocate for better access to healthcare. They remain optimistic that the current generation can use their voices to create change and provide better access to care for all.

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RESOURCES

American Urologic Association (AUA) Position Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

https://www.auanet.org/about-us/aua-statement-on-overturning-roe-v-wade

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) Abortion Policy

https://www.acog.org/clinical-information/policy-and-position-statements/statements-of-policy/2022/abortion-policy

Ryan Residency Training Program

https://ryanprogram.org/