Intern year vacation

[CaliBone]

Quick question:

I plan to have a major personal event (my wedding) during my internship year. Will need 6 days off (not trying to add on a honeymoon). Is this possible, esp if it is around the holidays?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Depends on the program.

Some tell you when your vacation is.

Some give you all your vacation in 1 block and they tell you when that block is.

Some allow you to request when you want vacation.

Some honor those requests.

Some give priority to senior residents.

Some only allow vacation during certain rotations.

Some do not allow vacation during December/around major holidays.

Some only allow 5 consecutive days off.

There is no way of knowing ahead of time.

IMHO, you are well advised to consider getting married during 4th year of medical school rather than assuming you will get time off during internship. You may, you may not.

 

[CaliBone]

Depends on the program.

Some tell you when your vacation is.

Some give you all your vacation in 1 block and they tell you when that block is.

Some allow you to request when you want vacation.

Some honor those requests.

Some give priority to senior residents.

Some only allow vacation during certain rotations.

Some do not allow vacation during December/around major holidays.

Some only allow 5 consecutive days off.

There is no way of knowing ahead of time.

IMHO, you are well advised to consider getting married during 4th year of medical school rather than assuming you will get time off during internship. You may, you may not.

Actually, would it be too crazy of an idea to ask? (Not to the interviewer, but the program coordinator who probably organizes these things).

 

[Winged Scapula]

Actually, would it be too crazy of an idea to ask? (Not to the interviewer, but the program coordinator who probably organizes these things).

You could...but since vacation schedules are often set by Chief residents (not the program coordinator) and will be up to the vagaries of their personalities and how the schedule for the year shakes out, I'd still say I would not *plan* on having time off. Our administrative Chief Resident makes the vacation schedule and rotation schedules; the faculty and PC have nothing to do with it (outside of the usual guidelines). As I noted above, the schedules and what the rules are can and will vary by program and even from year to year, depending on manpower (ie, if they have more prelims, fellows, etc.).

Obviously most programs will try and accomodate you for something as significant as your own wedding, but it would be prudent to know if there are no vacations granted during holidays (this is common - hospitals are often on skeleton staff but there are still patients, so many do not allow vacations during December. You may get a couple of days off), or only on certain months, etc.

You have to be careful as this can come off as you only caring about vacation time. It might be appropriate to discuss during non-interview time with a resident if the topic of families comes up (say during a social event the night before). But play it cool. If you are in a specialty/program in which is it acceptable to bring the fiance/fiancee to a social gathering on interview weekend, let him or her take the fall for you and do the asking.

 

[CaliBone]

Thanks for the advice! Two things:

a) By major holiday, I meant Thanksgiving weekend. Not sure if that changes anything, perhaps I can sell myself and say in exchange for those days off, I'll gladly do whatever you want me to do during Christmas, New years, etc.?

b) I'll def play it cool...meaning I will only ask residents and coordinators and such. Def won't bring it up during an interview. As a matter of fact, as you mentioned, they probably won't be of much help anyways.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks for the advice! Two things:

a) By major holiday, I meant Thanksgiving weekend. Not sure if that changes anything, perhaps I can sell myself and say in exchange for those days off, I'll gladly do whatever you want me to do during Christmas, New years, etc.?

Of course I think that sounds reasonable. However, it doesn't matter what I think - it will matter what rules your program has. BTW, Thanksgiving is not considered a major holiday. You *might* get Thanksgiving Day itself off; or have to come in and round, going home afterwards but I wouldn't expect to have Thursday - Sunday off. Its just not done that way in residency.

Why are you waiting to get married, if I may ask? Why not save yourself some grief and just do it on a nice weekend during 4th year med school when you CAN take a honeymoon and be able to enjoy it, rather than wondering if it will be possible during residency.

b) I'll def play it cool...meaning I will only ask residents and coordinators and such. Def won't bring it up during an interview. As a matter of fact, as you mentioned, they probably won't be of much help anyways.

Yeah, you don't want to come off as the guy/gal who only cares about vacation or is seeing a wedding as a reason to get an *extra* week off from residency.

Most places are willing to help out, especially for such an event and for someone who is perceived as a hard worker and doesn't leave others in a lurch. I doubt it will be an issue. But again, it will depend on the program and their rules. Hopefully you'll be able to figure something out but I would tell your fiance/fiancee that there are no guarantees until you match somewhere and they do the schedule for the year (which probably won't be until late June).

 

[Gordon Sims]

Depends on the program.

Some tell you when your vacation is.

Some give you all your vacation in 1 block and they tell you when that block is.

Some allow you to request when you want vacation.

Some honor those requests.

Some give priority to senior residents.

Some only allow vacation during certain rotations.

Some do not allow vacation during December/around major holidays.

Some only allow 5 consecutive days off..

But most importantly...

Some know when to hold 'em.

Some know to when to fold 'em.

Some know when to walk away.

Some know when to run...

 

[Law2Doc]

Quick question:

I plan to have a major personal event (my wedding) during my internship year. Will need 6 days off (not trying to add on a honeymoon). Is this possible, esp if it is around the holidays?

Agree with WS on this one -- if there's any way to do the wedding before you start internship, you are better off. It's tough to bank on vacations during intern year -- the chiefs are trying to make everyone happy and not have attendings annoyed with inadequate staffing. As a result, vacations tend to be more limited around the holidays. Furthermore, the more senior residents frequently get priority over vacation dates than interns -- that's simply the pecking order of things. So if the chiefs need to have a body show up on Thanksgiving to help round, it's going to be the intern. It's rare for an intern to get Thanksgiving off, let alone that whole weekend. If you are lucky, you are off on the Thursday but will have to work the next day. A lot of this depends on how big the program is, and how many residents the chiefs have at their disposal and how busy the service is. If it's a busy service that is short on bodies in the first place, forget about it -- that weekend is the same as any other. So no, don't bank on that at all.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sometimes interns do deals with their teamworkers where if the chief of rotation signs a document allowing the permit, you can cover their shift doing a double shift while they pay back the favor covering for you during the time you want off. I did that once to go to a party and didn't find working an Q2 shift to be that tough. The party was well worth it.

Please note that this poster is not familiar with the residency system in the US. The above is not common in the US and in fact, according to ACGME work hour regulations, not allowed.

 

[Law2Doc]

Please note that this poster is not familiar with the residency system in the US. The above is not common in the US and in fact, according to ACGME work hour regulations, not allowed.

Agreed. Also note that based on some of vasca's other posts it does not appear that an "intern" is actually a first year resident in Mexico (as opposed to some sort of med student, as her mention of "semesters" would suggest). So we are dealing with both differences in work hour rules and definitional issues, I think.