flexibility in 3rd and 4th year rotations

[npdoc28]

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I know that if you have an emergency or something you really have to be there for, you just don't go to class that day your first two years. However, how does this work with 3rd and 4th year rotations? I don't have a clue how they are scheduled and how flexible they are. My wife and I were discussing this and wondering if something came up, and if I could be there for it. For example, my wife goes into labor, and I'm in the middle of surgery, what can I do? Or my son is the star of his kindergarten play, can I schedule around it? I know this a couple years away, and I'm not losing sleep over it, but I was just curious how rotations work in this regard.

 

[Jive Turkey]

As a 3rd year you're generally under the supervision of residents/interns 90% of the time. Most, if not all, are very understanding and will have no problem in giving you time off to take care of important personal matters. Its better to let them know in advance, but if something is an emergency nobody will fault you for it. For the most part attendings are the same way, but you might run into 1 or 2 old-timers that don't buy into the concept of "personal emergency" and expect you to hold patients as your #1 priority. This is very rare tho. Basically, I wouldn't worry about this at all.

 

[md03]

Mostly for true emergencies people are pretty flexible. When you wife goes into labor, you'll get to go. (same true for any major medical issue, or major peronal issue, say your house catches fire) Kindergarten plays, on the other hand, aren't necessarily so easy to arrange. It depends a lot on the rotation and your team. If it the play occurs during a light rotation, then you may have a decent chance. Just remember that, if you are allowed to go for things like plays, to be very grateful (and express that grattitude) becuase you residents wont' be able to go to their kindergartener's plays.

 

[npdoc28]

thanks for the replies guys. This made my wife feel a lot better. 🙂