I'm not a doctor myself, but I've interacted with many US-based physicians through my work on various health projects, which has given me some insights into the challenges they face concerning family planning and fertility due to their demanding careers. Many physicians have shared that the timing and pressures of their medical training and practice had significant influences on their decisions about when and whether to have children. The high-intensity nature of medical careers, especially during residency, often postpones plans for starting or growing families. From what I've gathered, those who underwent fertility treatments like IVF or egg freezing usually found it difficult to balance the strict timelines and appointments these procedures require with their erratic and demanding work schedules. The lack of support from their workplaces often compounded their stress, with some physicians recounting how they had to use vacation time for treatment-related absences. Others highlighted a workplace culture that wasn't always sympathetic to their needs as expectant or attempting parents, which I found quite disheartening to hear. Many wished they had been better informed about their fertility options earlier in their career, emphasizing the importance of early advice and support from both medical and human resources perspectives. If I were to pass along a piece of advice like I would to a friend, it’d be for training programs and hospitals to foster more supportive environments that recognize and address the unique family planning challenges faced by medical professionals. It'd make a world of difference.