Night Float--your thoughts

[wifeofaDO]

I'm new here and curious as to your thoughts on this issue, especially from the perspective of family/support. Hypothetically speaking, if your spouse were interviewing and researching residency programs, what would appeal to you more and why--

An intern year with Q5 call that goes from 5-9pm with occasional weekend call and OB pager call from home

or

An intern year with 4 2-week blocks of night float (where you also do in-house OB) with occassional weekend call? (This would also mean one less rotation--in this case, one less ER rotation).

Thanks!

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[radspouse]

I don't know that I have an opinion on the exact options that your spouse has, wifeofaDO, but I can comment on the differences I've seen in my husband between his current program (with nightfloat) and the program of his transitional year of residency (nightcall system).

He is BYFAR much happier with the nightcall system - as am I. Our lives are much more predictable, he only has two weeks per year of a screwed-up sleep schedule, and there is MUCH less stress than he experienced with his transitional year schedule. The call system was miserable for him.