Residency Questions.

[harkkam]

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I am premed student and I just wanted to ask those individuals that are doing there residency a few questions.

I have heard many pre-med students, parents, relatives who know residents and they all say that the hours residents work are insane. I know that there is a 80 hour a week limit and a three day limit to a 24 hour on call duty. But if a resident could explain the hours and there situation to give me a better idea, I would appreciate it.

For example just tell me what a day or a week of your life is like?

 

[Nerdoscience]

This varies considerably depending on what specialty you are going into. Hopefully, you'll get a range of responses.

 

[Gut Shot]

Pathology:

I roll out of bed by 7:30, whether I have to or not.

8-5 or 6: workee workee!

5 or 6: come home, read for awhile, chill out.

Occasional weekend (from home) call or (not from home) autopsy.

Rinse, lather and repeat.

 

[Winged Scapula]

There are lots of threads about this, probably even more so in the specialty threads. Here was my schedule as a senior surgical resident (the hours were much worse when I was an intern and junior resident - before the work hour restrictions)...

generally in between 5 and 530 am
generally home between anywhere from 7-8 (sometimes earlier, sometimes later)
in house call approx q4
home post call, generally after 30 (or so) hrs
1 weekend per month off; usually 1 day per weekend off unless service was really busy, attending refused to round only with junior resident, etc.
when I was Vascular Chief I was on back-up call 2q, alternating with the fellow (or eveyr night if the fellow was on vacation, job interviewing, etc.), so had the possibility of being in house at all hours for Vascular emergencies, consults, etc.

Now as a fellow, its basically in somewhere between 7 and 8 and out 5 or 6 pm, no weekends, no call

 

[roja]

Yup.

Varies with field and even program. EM is shift work so residency is not bad. worst we worked was off service ICU rotations and those are bound by the rules.