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um, ok, except that JP is nowhere near MGH.
residency advice
- Thread starter AnaPlasia
- Start date
um, ok, except that JP is nowhere near MGH.
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Woah. This thread has all sorts of juicy develpments.
My 2 cents...
Centavo #1: 14 hour days suck. But, it all depends on what those days actually entail. If half of your day is spent chatting with everybody and waiting around for slides to come out, then it doesn't count as a long day. If you're spending 8 hours grossing, that's not right either. Grossing is an important part of learning pathology, so it is necessary but not at a detriment of your overall education. There's a balance that needs to be achieved...and that balance is easier to achieve about several months into your first year when you're more efficient. As for the 10 hour off rule...it's a vagary in pathology especially compared to other fields. In IM for example, curling up to Harrison's at home to learn acid-base stuff after your shift is over doesn't count towards your work hours. But in pathology, reading about serous papillary adenoca at work because you have a case during your preview time does count....ACGME inspectors and reps are aware of this, and realize that the 10 hour rule in pathology training isn't clear (although they will always say this off the record).
Centavo #2: I agree w/ Neddy in that the OP doesn't seem to be talking about MGH. Especially when mentioning the safety issue after hours. I lived right across the hospital (which is adjacent to Beacon Hill btw) for 4 years, and had no issues with safety at all hours of the night. As for long days, these are flexible, and there's down time in the afternoon on most subspecialty services. It's not uncommon to take a break and go to the gym before previeweing...I'm guilty of actually going home to watch tv/take a nap/have dinner and then come back
Plus, the OP mentioned grossing instead of signout. Signout is in the AM in MGH, and grossing is in the PM. And finally...the back bench/gross room is open on the weekends.
Methinks LA owes us MGH'er some dough.
My 2 cents...
Centavo #1: 14 hour days suck. But, it all depends on what those days actually entail. If half of your day is spent chatting with everybody and waiting around for slides to come out, then it doesn't count as a long day. If you're spending 8 hours grossing, that's not right either. Grossing is an important part of learning pathology, so it is necessary but not at a detriment of your overall education. There's a balance that needs to be achieved...and that balance is easier to achieve about several months into your first year when you're more efficient. As for the 10 hour off rule...it's a vagary in pathology especially compared to other fields. In IM for example, curling up to Harrison's at home to learn acid-base stuff after your shift is over doesn't count towards your work hours. But in pathology, reading about serous papillary adenoca at work because you have a case during your preview time does count....ACGME inspectors and reps are aware of this, and realize that the 10 hour rule in pathology training isn't clear (although they will always say this off the record).
Centavo #2: I agree w/ Neddy in that the OP doesn't seem to be talking about MGH. Especially when mentioning the safety issue after hours. I lived right across the hospital (which is adjacent to Beacon Hill btw) for 4 years, and had no issues with safety at all hours of the night. As for long days, these are flexible, and there's down time in the afternoon on most subspecialty services. It's not uncommon to take a break and go to the gym before previeweing...I'm guilty of actually going home to watch tv/take a nap/have dinner and then come back
Plus, the OP mentioned grossing instead of signout. Signout is in the AM in MGH, and grossing is in the PM. And finally...the back bench/gross room is open on the weekends. Methinks LA owes us MGH'er some dough.
