Do pediatricians have to go on call?

[matt46]

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Do pediatricians have to go on call during residency?Is it less than other specialties?

 

[153445]

Yes, peds residents do have to take call, as you will see when you are working on the wards with them. How much call they take depends on the program. At my institution, which is call-heavy, peds residents do a bunch of wards months with q4 call, about the equivalent of internal medicine call. But as I said, call requirements vary from institution to institution, so there are definitely some cushier programs out there.

 

[DoctorFunk]

My institution has the largest children's hospital in the state, and I can tell you that not only do the peds residents take as much call as anybody around here, but their call is the busiest I've seen yet. That probably has more to do with the lack of an admissions cap than anything, though.

My understanding from talking to the residents around here (peds and non-peds) is that our peds residency is among the most difficult programs here with its call and patient load, but you can probably cater your private practice once you finish residency to avoid call if that's important to you long-term.

 

[Top Gun]

Sure peds residents take call. When I did my peds rotation, the residents took 24 hour call q4.

 

[surrender903]

back in my dads residency days (you know uphill both ways, no shoes)

call was q 2 or 3. i dunno he makes it sound brutal.

 

[Top Gun]

back in my dads residency days (you know uphill both ways, no shoes)

call was q 2 or 3. i dunno he makes it sound brutal.

Ditto for my parents' residencies. No 80 hour work week back then either. Back then, when you were on call, you came in at 6 AM and did not leave till 4 or 5 PM the next day.

 

[Tired]

Ditto for my parents' residencies. No 80 hour work week back then either. Back then, when you were on call, you came in at 6 AM and did not leave till 4 or 5 PM the next day.

I'm sick of hearing about how busy they were. They also had time to sleep, fewer inteventions, their patients weren't as sick, and they didn't have nearly the level of paperwork we did.

 

[Top Gun]

I'm sick of hearing about how busy they were. They also had time to sleep, fewer inteventions, their patients weren't as sick, and they didn't have nearly the level of paperwork we did.

Well, excuse me for responding to surrender's post. So sorry to inconvenience you.🙄 Yeah, I happen to know how busy residents are nowadays. I rotated with them.

 

[Law2Doc]

Do pediatricians have to go on call during residency?Is it less than other specialties?

Obviously somebody has to take care of those kids admitted to the hospital or showing up to the Peds ED. It doesn't become Lord of the Flies every night at quitting time. Parents tend to be more apt to run to the hospital with a sick kid during the night then they might if they were sick themselves. So sure, there is overnight call for pediatricians working in a hospital setting. How often depends on the place.

 

[cdreed]

You should read "Intern Blues" by Robert Marion, MD. It depicts what a typical peds residency was like prior to the work hour regulations, and it is a good read.

 

[Tired]

Well, excuse me for responding to surrender's post. So sorry to inconvenience you.🙄 Yeah, I happen to know how busy residents are nowadays. I rotated with them.

Quit crying, clinic kid. I was making a general comment, not insulting you.

 

[Top Gun]

Quit crying, clinic kid. I was making a general comment, not insulting you.

Not crying, just responding with sarcasm. Sorry I misinterpreted your statement though.

 

[RockfordWF]

Do pediatricians have to go on call during residency?Is it less than other specialties?

It's more, actually.

 

[yadayadadude]

Peds interns at my university hospital take more call than anyone else.

 

[The Buff]

Peds interns at my university hospital take more call than anyone else.

True here too--worst call load I have seen so far. Even worse than the surgeons, since they have a night float system