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I have noticed that some of the topics we think have been thoroughly covered are actually pretty hard to find when searching. We frequently tell new users to search their questions first. I think we should try to address some of these topics in an informative manner. I will then link to these threads in the FAQ and hopefully we will have created a useful resource.
Schedules in EM
There are as many ways to do EM staffing as there are EM groups which is a lot. The decision about how to staff is made by each group. Those groups decide what the most important aspect to their members is and choose a system based on that. Considerations include more than just the nights and weekends that concern most students. Meetings and other administrative activities, circadian rhythms, vacations, hours requirements and even individual physician capabilities must be accommodated.
So what are some of the systems groups use to do their staffing? Lets look at some of the most common.
Set schedules In this system each doc works the same shifts every week. For example a particular doc may have Monday and Tuesday days and Thursday and Friday nights as their regular shifts. The advantage of this system is that you always know what your schedule is. For example you can tell your friends that Sundays and Wednesdays are good for you. The disadvantage is that it can be really hard to switch out with a colleague. They are locked into a given schedule too so if you need coverage it can get pretty tight.
Random schedules- This is how my group does it. We submit our requirements months in advance specifying such things as hours needed, facilities preferred and the all important days needed off. The advantage of this is that we can get just about any time off we need. The disadvantage is that I never know what Im doing a few days down the road without checking my calendar.
Circadian schedules- Its really nice on the body to work later and later every day. Some schedules use this and have docs work days then evenings then nights. This is less physically disorienting than the others but you run into problems with being locked in just as with the set schedule scheme. This schedule also demands that everyone work nights and that doesnt fit with some groups.
The things that most students worry about are the nights and weekends. Some groups require that everyone work nights and weekends and others dont. Some groups pay their night and weekend shifts more (often called a shift differential) to entice docs to pick up the difficult to staff shifts. Some groups require nights and weekends be worked by the newest docs. Some of these groups make a lot of promises about big benefits after working the tough shifts for several years. Some groups specifically exclude their older docs (usually over 55 or 60) from having to work nights.
So for the student contemplating EM and the resident considering various jobs its important to remember that there are a lot of options out there. You will probably have to work some nights and weekends. Be careful about groups that make a lot of promises if you will work all nights and weekends.
Schedules in EM
There are as many ways to do EM staffing as there are EM groups which is a lot. The decision about how to staff is made by each group. Those groups decide what the most important aspect to their members is and choose a system based on that. Considerations include more than just the nights and weekends that concern most students. Meetings and other administrative activities, circadian rhythms, vacations, hours requirements and even individual physician capabilities must be accommodated.
So what are some of the systems groups use to do their staffing? Lets look at some of the most common.
Set schedules In this system each doc works the same shifts every week. For example a particular doc may have Monday and Tuesday days and Thursday and Friday nights as their regular shifts. The advantage of this system is that you always know what your schedule is. For example you can tell your friends that Sundays and Wednesdays are good for you. The disadvantage is that it can be really hard to switch out with a colleague. They are locked into a given schedule too so if you need coverage it can get pretty tight.
Random schedules- This is how my group does it. We submit our requirements months in advance specifying such things as hours needed, facilities preferred and the all important days needed off. The advantage of this is that we can get just about any time off we need. The disadvantage is that I never know what Im doing a few days down the road without checking my calendar.
Circadian schedules- Its really nice on the body to work later and later every day. Some schedules use this and have docs work days then evenings then nights. This is less physically disorienting than the others but you run into problems with being locked in just as with the set schedule scheme. This schedule also demands that everyone work nights and that doesnt fit with some groups.
The things that most students worry about are the nights and weekends. Some groups require that everyone work nights and weekends and others dont. Some groups pay their night and weekend shifts more (often called a shift differential) to entice docs to pick up the difficult to staff shifts. Some groups require nights and weekends be worked by the newest docs. Some of these groups make a lot of promises about big benefits after working the tough shifts for several years. Some groups specifically exclude their older docs (usually over 55 or 60) from having to work nights.
So for the student contemplating EM and the resident considering various jobs its important to remember that there are a lot of options out there. You will probably have to work some nights and weekends. Be careful about groups that make a lot of promises if you will work all nights and weekends.
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