ER Residency Shift

[malusport]

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I just have a quick question about residency. Since ER work in shifts, do a 1st year resident have a choice as to which shift they want to do? I would prefer 6PM to 6AM shift. (Evening or Night Shift). Would that be possible as a 1st year resident?

Regards,
Aaron

 

[beyond all hope]

Most residency programs do not allow you to choose shifts at all: you take what you're given. However, most programs I know of allow you to switch shifts with other people. You'll probably be very popular if you offer to switch day shifts for night shifts.

 

[southerndoc]

I just have a quick question about residency. Since ER work in shifts, do a 1st year resident have a choice as to which shift they want to do? I would prefer 6PM to 6AM shift. (Evening or Night Shift). Would that be possible as a 1st year resident?

Regards,
Aaron

No, you rotate shifts as residents. Most attendings also rotate shifts.

Even if you volunteer for night shifts and another person volunteers for all day shifts, the program director probably won't allow you to do it. There really is a difference in the patient population during the night v. during the day.

 

[malusport]

You said "There really is a difference in the patient population during the night v. during the day." What is this difference?

 

[southerndoc]

More industrial accidents, work-related injuries, and urgent visits during the day. (People can go to their private docs, so more of your stuff is acute during the day.)

During the night, it seems like you get more vag complaints, drunks, etc. You also get more peds during the night (if your program doesn't have a dedicated peds ED).

That's my observation at least. My two cents (five adjusted for inflation). Take it for whatever it's worth.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

For some reason abdominal pain happens more at midnight and chest pain happens more at 6 am. (Cortisol cycle?)

I see more SPAKs at night, (status-post ass-kicking), more drunk-driving related trauma, more vag discharge, more trivial crap, more peds, more stuff that could sit in the waiting room for hours until I came on at midnight.

 

[docB]

For some reason abdominal pain happens more at midnight and chest pain happens more at 6 am. (Cortisol cycle?)

I see more SPAKs at night, (status-post ass-kicking), more drunk-driving related trauma, more vag discharge, more trivial crap, more peds, more stuff that could sit in the waiting room for hours until I came on at midnight.

I make the diagnosis of trivial crap a lot.

 

[margaritaboy]

I make the diagnosis of trivial crap a lot.

But is that a codeable diagnosis? That's the real question.

 

[spyderdoc]

SPAKs (status-post ass-kicking)

That is a great one. Never heard that one before...