Intern Hour Restrictions

[Poit]

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Sorry to post a question that could seemingly be answered by google, but I was having a surprising amount of difficulty finding an answer.

For interns, is there a mandatory 24 hour break over a 7 day work period, or am I just completely making this up in my head? Or does this only apply to PGY-2 and above?

 

[HomeSkool]

When I was an intern, there were four mandatory 24-hour breaks over a four-week period, and I don't think it's changed. You could still end up working a lot of consecutive days without a day off. My record was seventeen days, which I hit a couple times.

Also, the 80-hour workweek was an average of no more than 80 hours per week over a four-week period. Individual weeks could still be longer (and they often were). Again, I don't think that rule has changed.

We could also do 30-hour shifts. That rule changed halfway through my residency. I can't remember what the intern limit is now.

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[sinombre]

There is a mandatory 24 hour break per week averaged over 4 weeks (average of one full day off per week) for all residents.

 

[sinombre]

We could also do 30-hour shifts. That rule changed halfway through my residency. I can't remember what the intern limit is now.

The limit is technically the same for all residents (including interns): 24 hours + 4 hours of non-clinical post-call work. I.e. writing notes.

There are exceptions though. The semantics of the exceptions come up at least once a month at our weekly conference.

This rule is pretty frequently violated at my program, although that is probably 90% by choice (residents wanting to go to the OR without having to worry about anything else going on with the service they're on).

 

[Freeinfinity]

Yep, this is all still true as I'm currently experiencing it now. Keep in mind, while the limit is on average 80 hours per week it doesn't mean that you're expected to be doing that every week. This is probably specialty-specific with the surgical specialties putting in significantly more hours than the non-surgical specialties. These rules are laid out by the ACGME, so it should be standard no matter which residency you end up in.

 

[AlexMack12]

The ACGME rules mandate one day off in seven, averaged, as others have pointed out. Therefore, hypothetically, you could work 12 days in a row provided you then have two days off. Or even 18 days in a row provided you then have 3 days off.

The ACGME rules are national. Specific states may have rules that are slightly different regarding work hours so long as they are more generous, not less generous, than the national standard. For example, in NY state, residents must have one 24-hour period off in seven days, period- not averaged.
I cannot speak for other states, of course.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

The ACGME rules mandate one day off in seven, averaged, as others have pointed out. Therefore, hypothetically, you could work 12 days in a row provided you then have two days off. Or even 18 days in a row provided you then have 3 days off.

The ACGME rules are national. Specific states may have rules that are slightly different regarding work hours so long as they are more generous, not less generous, than the national standard. For example, in NY state, residents must have one 24-hour period off in seven days, period- not averaged.
I cannot speak for other states, of course.

I am really, really hoping your username is a reference to The Secret World of Alex Mack.

 

[AlexMack12]

I am really, really hoping your username is a reference to The Secret World of Alex Mack.

100%!! Never was able to achieve my dream of becoming her, settled on being a doctor instead.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

100%!! Never was able to achieve my dream of becoming her, settled on being a doctor instead.

Your username brought back so many memories.