Opinion | Medical Students After Roe vs. Wade

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The repeal of Roe vs. Wade has been a hot topic in many spheres of conversation. The recent marches in Washington DC, organized by reproductive rights activists, and restrictions on contraceptives in universities, show that this critical debate is far from over.

The philosophical approach to guaranteeing the term of pregnancy from conception is complicated. The implications of ending the protections of Roe vs. Wade are unclear, but they will indeed crystallize in the months and years to come. “States that are trying to limit abortion from the moment of conception (not from the moment of pregnancy as the medical professional would define it) could also challenge the right to contraceptives, potentially intrauterine devices (IUDs),” explained Wendy Parmet, Director of the Center for Health Policy and Law at Northeastern University for NBC News.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, marking lines that arbitrarily place the beginning of life (and sometimes even the dimension of a person from conception) at implantation or different stages of pregnancy without a consensus produces disastrous consequences for female and neonatal public health. Their site, specializing in research on reproductive health, explains that the most accepted definition in the medical community and the policies of federal governments was the one that defined pregnancy as a process that begins at the time of implantation. If you are trying to legislate from a philosophical and moral position that understands conception as the beginning of pregnancy, then contraceptives technically not only prevent it; they also stop it. What do these considerations mean for those who teach and study medicine?

The Medical Career Without Reproductive Health

The most visible impact on the educational experience of medical students may be the absence of programs with comprehensive reproductive health training in states and universities that conform to conservative policy. The shortage of women’s health clinics was already a severe problem; the exodus of doctors with skills to fill them would be even more critical.

A comprehensive article in The Guardian addresses more detailed and direct consequences on the quality of medical education. Dr. Carrie Cwiak, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and Director of the division of Family Planning at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, explained how programs and accreditations in her area could be affected by restrictive reproductive health legislation: “If we can’t show that we’re providing enough of an experience for them to gain competency in that area, then that threatens the accreditation of any program that’s meeting that challenge.”

Technical training is not the only one that could face a decrease in quality, also ethics, which is crucial in medical professional training. The manuscript The implications of the repeal of Roe vs. Wade for Medical Education and Future Doctors, written by Ariana M. Traube, Kellen Mermil-Bunnell, and a group of six students from the Emory School, discusses the need for discourses on abortion in universities about teaching professionalism and deconstructing biases.

“Students need to reflect on the relationship between their personal beliefs and their obligations as medical professionals, particularly when these diverge,” the authors maintain, defending academic training. Instead of closing discussions on sensitive issues, they must educate themselves to address them with humanity and professional ethics. At the same time, the authors argue that programs that include a complete syllabus of reproductive health topics should improve respect for the privacy and autonomy of the patient, a fundamental practice in all branches of medicine.

As a doctor, student, or professor in the medical area, what impact do you think that restrictive legislation could have on the education and administration of reproductive health? Have you noticed changes in your institution’s policies or programs? Do you think these decisions may affect the future training of new doctors? Let us know in the comments.