over night call

[spaslam]

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is it true that some psych programs have no/limited amount of overnight call? how do you manage this at say the VA or the Univ. Hospital? do attendings cover? NPs?

 

[whopper]

Most have overnight call. Some don't.

The program I graduated from, you didn't have to be in the hospital, though you got beeped at night for admissions.

Its all going to depend on the program. Just ask the program what the call schedule is like.

 

[atsai3]

is it true that some psych programs have no/limited amount of overnight call? how do you manage this at say the VA or the Univ. Hospital? do attendings cover? NPs?

San Mateo does not have mandatory overnight call beyond some minimal requirements during PGY1. Upper years may take call as moonlighters.

From the FAQ:

8) What is the on-call schedule?

We believe that exessive overnight call detracts from the ability of residents to devote full attention to their clinical and didactic experiences during the day and to enhance their education by continually reading on their own. Therefore, at this time our only formal call requirement is that PGY 1 residents take call in our Psychiatric Emergency Services one night each week during their six months of inpatient psychiatry and take one weekend day of call during one month of neurology. PGY 2-4 residents do not take evening or overnight call. As at all residencies, we cannot guarantee that the on-call schedule will not change, but this has been the typical schedule over the recent years at our program.

9) Are residents allowed to moonlight?

Yes. Once licensed, residents may moonlight as long as it does not interfere with their training or violate ACGME work hour restrictions or county policies. Many residents moonlight on weekends in Psychiatric Emergency Services and consider it a useful addition to their clinical training. Any moonlighting is considered work outside the residency, and residents must arrange their own pay and malpractice coverage with the employer of the moonlighting job.​

 

[Regnvejr]

Our overnight call was staying till 9 pm and then on pager till next morning.

As attending, it actually got worse.🙄

 

[Tours2]

It seems a lot of programs only have call the first 2 years. After that, it either disappears or drops to maybe once every 3-weeks or so.

MUSC has no call outside of your medicine months. You just go through two months of night float, if I recall directly. Much nicer than being on-call, I'd think. Regular hours are nice, though it could be a little tough with a working and unsympathetic spouse.

This just really varies by program. Be aware that some programs will tell you that you're only on-call until X-time, but X-time usually translates into several hours of work beyond X. Vanderbilt comes to mind on that one... Good program, but it's good to know what you're getting into.