Breast-Feeding Mom Sues For More Test-Taking Time

BOSTON -- Sophie Currier is a breast-feeding mother of two who has just completed an MD-Ph.D. program at Harvard University.

Before she can have the doctor-scientific research career she's dreamed of she must pass a nine-hour medical licensing exam scheduled for next week. But the National Board of Medical Examiners is refusing to let her have the extra time she needs to pump breast milk every three hours in order to avoid serious medical complications.

"Because it's physically impossible for a nursing mom to go nine hours or nine and a half hours without expressing milk, I told them that they were putting me in a position of choosing between nursing my child and taking this exam and advancing my career," Currier said.

Currier has already overcome serious obstacles in her life -- dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To fight this obstacle, she is suing the licensing board, alleging discrimination.

"I think that it's actually discriminating against women because men don't have to do this job. No male will ever have to face this problem of deciding between feeding their child and taking an exam," Currier said.

An attorney for the board said, "We can't have an ad hoc preference for Sophie Currier. It wouldn't be fair to others taking the test or to the public."

But Currier said one of the things that bothers her the most is what she calls the hypocrisy of the board's position.

"The medical community is putting a huge effort out -- or portions of the medical community -- to encourage women to breastfeed. If we are to breastfeed we need to be accommodated to do so," Currier said.

Currier said that she hopes that a federal judge will simply order the board to give her additional break time beyond the total 45 minutes the rules now allow.