How much of a commute is too much for intern year?

[deleted103644]

Thinking of using mainly public transportation, per Google it's ~40 minutes with 1 transfer, almost any time I might need to commute. Would this be nuts?

What would you say is your threshold for a commute, particularly for PGY1?

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[smq123]

That'd be kind of painful. Especially because it involves a transfer. When all you want to do is get home after a long day in the hospital/clinic, standing around waiting for a bus or train is just...ugh.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

I wouldn't do it.

20 mins is okay

Personally, anything 10 mins or less. I'm actually walking distance from my hospital... and do I love it!

 

[LouisianaDoctor]

Thinking of using mainly public transportation, per Google it's ~40 minutes with 1 transfer, almost any time I might need to commute. Would this be nuts?

What would you say is your threshold for a commute, particularly for PGY1?

Just consider that day you are one minute late, and you get there and the bus or train is just pulling away, and another is not coming for 10 minutes...

 

[CerealBox]

<30 min

 

[diehardobgyn]

I'm probably an outlier but my commute can be anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on traffic. I am not a fan of living in the city and also have a couple of big dogs that make it tough to find places to live so for me the commute is worth it. And I figure it will likely be on the short side since I will be getting to work and leaving when there isn't as much traffic.

 

[arielred]

In along the same vein, any housing advice from current interns? Things like

1. Living within walking distance to hospital or living in a more fun area than commuting in?

2. For those of us who are single, is a roommate a good/bad idea? And if so should I try to share with one of the incoming interns or just someone non-medical? (I ask because someone told me it was difficult sharing with non-residents because of night float)

 

[gutonc]

Thinking of using mainly public transportation, per Google it's ~40 minutes with 1 transfer, almost any time I might need to commute. Would this be nuts?

What would you say is your threshold for a commute, particularly for PGY1?

Part of this depends on where you are. If this is in NYC, that's not an atypical commute. A bit crazy but I know plenty of people who commuted that far during residency in and around NYC.

Anywhere else...forget it. Move closer or drive if you can.

I did have a friend in residency who was married to a guy who had a residency spot (military) ~130 miles away from our hospital. They lived about 50 miles from our hospital and when she had an inpatient rotation she would rent a room near the hospital and go home on her day off.

 

[gutonc]

In along the same vein, any housing advice from current interns? Things like

1. Living within walking distance to hospital or living in a more fun area than commuting in?

That's a tough call. I think you can make the argument either way. You'll be spending way more time in the hospital than doing "fun stuff" so perhaps you should be as close to the hospital as possible. And when you have time to go out, you can just commute to the fun stuff (anywhere it happens to be) But if you live in the "fun" area, you could take more advantage of it when you have less time...but of course, you be commuting a lot more during the week.

2. For those of us who are single, is a roommate a good/bad idea? And if so should I try to share with one of the incoming interns or just someone non-medical? (I ask because someone told me it was difficult sharing with non-residents because of night float)

Again, this will be up to you. Some people like living with roommates, others can't stand it. If you're going to have a roommate, a co-intern (not necessarily in your program) is probably the best bet. A "civilian" roommate may have a tough time dealing with your wacky schedule and night float can be tough simply because they don't get it. Personally, if I were in your shoes, and could afford it, I would live alone. But I know plenty of people who had roommates (almost all co-residents) who had good experiences.

 

[deleted103644]

Part of this depends on where you are. If this is in NYC, that's not an atypical commute. A bit crazy but I know plenty of people who commuted that far during residency in and around NYC.

Anywhere else...forget it. Move closer or drive if you can.

I did have a friend in residency who was married to a guy who had a residency spot (military) ~130 miles away from our hospital. They lived about 50 miles from our hospital and when she had an inpatient rotation she would rent a room near the hospital and go home on her day off.

Yup, contemplating reverse commute to Westchester. Would like to live in Manhattan ideally, either UES or East Harlem. It's a less than half hour drive, but would prefer not to have to drive (otherwise might as well live in Westchester).

 

[gutonc]

Yup, contemplating reverse commute to Westchester. Would like to live in Manhattan ideally, either UES or East Harlem. It's a less than half hour drive, but would prefer not to have to drive (otherwise might as well live in Westchester).

I figured it was something like that. I had a friend who did that from Queens. He drove. If you could stay on the subway the whole time, I'd consider it. But having to change to Metro North would be a deal breaker for me. Drive on your day shifts, consider the train for nights since that will be during rush hour and a total cluster***k in a car. Or...just suck it up and live in Westchester.

 

[Law2Doc]

Just bear in mind that driving after coming off a long overnight call can be a dangerous experience, so shorter is better. At least you guys don't gave 30+ hour calls anymore, but in those days no way I could make it > 20 minutes safely.

 

[MoskD]

10 minutes! If you must, then 20 minutes. It's paniful enough and that kind of commute is terrible. Keep in mind the random times you may have to show up and leave as well.

 

[deleted103644]

This may be a stupid question, but can you ever crash in a call room when you're not on call? Or do hospitals start getting in trouble with work hours if their residents never leave the hospital? I can just imagine that if I'm on call until 12 and need to be back by 5, it might be easier not to leave.

 

[ShyRem]

you are required to have a certain number of hours off between shifts. You should never have only 5 hours off between work hours.

 

[smq123]

This may be a stupid question, but can you ever crash in a call room when you're not on call? Or do hospitals start getting in trouble with work hours if their residents never leave the hospital? I can just imagine that if I'm on call until 12 and need to be back by 5, it might be easier not to leave.

I've done that.

You just have to count the number of hours that you're not on duty; not necessarily where you are during those hours. You could spend your off hours lounging in the gift shop for all the ACGME cares; what matters is that you got to CHOOSE where you spent your hours, and were not required to be anywhere during that time.

However, as ShyRem said, you're supposed to have 8-10 hours off between scheduled shifts. If, as a unique circumstance, that doesn't happen, then yes, you can spend those 5 hours sleeping in a spare call room.

 

[Law2Doc]

This may be a stupid question, but can you ever crash in a call room when you're not on call? Or do hospitals start getting in trouble with work hours if their residents never leave the hospital? I can just imagine that if I'm on call until 12 and need to be back by 5, it might be easier not to leave.

Theoretically yes. But there are a few issues 1. If there are a small number of call rooms, since theres someone on call every night, there may be someone else staking claim to that room when you aren't on call and it's really their turn to take the key and lock up their stuff and get settled in there, etc. 2. The cleaning people can't make up the room if someone is sleeping there, so the person on call after you ends up with dirty sheets. 3. Some hospitals are concerned about duty hour abuses of residents who are off duty but still in the hospital, so they really want you out the door for at least 10 hours between shifts. You should never be in a situation where you are on call until 12 and need to be back by 5 under the current rules, BTW.

 

[Buzz Me]

At least you guys don't gave 30+ hour calls anymore, but in those days no way I could make it > 20 minutes safely.

They might as PGY-2s.

This may be a stupid question, but can you ever crash in a call room when you're not on call?

I've napped in the call room post-call quite a few times in the past when I was exhausted.

you are required to have a certain number of hours off between shifts. You should never have only 5 hours off between work hours.

That doesn't always happen, though, especially when you take more and more home call. Home call = the dirty little secret of Gen Surg, when you can be on call every single day, work all night long and not have to go home early the next day.

 

[Law2Doc]

They might as PGY-2s.



I've napped in the call room post-call quite a few times in the past when I was exhausted.



That doesn't always happen, though, especially when you take more and more home call. Home call = the dirty little secret of Gen Surg, when you can be on call every single day, work all night long and not have to go home early the next day.

As PGY2, you can have 24 hour shifts. That still doesn't seem as taxing as the 30 (really 30+) hour shifts we used to have.

Home call sux. It's a trap. Not only can you be on call more than the rules allow, but you will never have unbroken sleep (nor will others in your household), because even on days you don't need to come in, nurses will page you 24-7 to see if you know dr x's phone number, or whether Y patient needs to be NPO and whether that includes meds. It's much better to be in the hospital and know what to expect.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

As PGY2, you can have 24 hour shifts. That still doesn't seem as taxing as the 30 (really 30+) hour shifts we used to have.

Home call sux. It's a trap. Not only can you be on call more than the rules allow, but you will never have unbroken sleep (nor will others in your household), because even on days you don't need to come in, nurses will page you 24-7 to see if you know dr x's phone number, or whether Y patient needs to be NPO and whether that includes meds. It's much better to be in the hospital and know what to expect.

24 hrs? Eh, I've seen plenty of folks hitting 28-30hrs as PGY2s and 3s.

Personally, I've slept in the call room after working an overnight shift in the ICU. Did it every morning after I signed out patients and made sure everything was squared away. I'd usually sleep til 2 or 3pm and then I made sure to call up the cleaning folks so that the room was clean for the next person. I never really slept while working my overnight shift, though.

 

[gutonc]

24 hrs? Eh, I've seen plenty of folks hitting 28-30hrs as PGY2s and 3s.

The current rules are 24+4 (used to be 24+6). The reality is that you stay until the work gets done.

 

[Buzz Me]

I worry about the current interns who are only used to working 12 hours at a time...what's going to happen to them in July when they're on-call in the ICU and have to work for 30 hours?

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

I worry about the current interns who are only used to working 12 hours at a time...what's going to happen to them in July when they're on-call in the ICU and have to work for 30 hours?

Good thing that aint me.