Residency Schedule

[Circadian Man]

---

Members don't see this ad.

It's well known that surgical residents work long hours, but I am curious as to how the schedule is set up at different programs. At my school, residents get one 24 hour period off per week, but it is always a post-call day. With this schedule, it would seem like you never have a "real" day off because you have to go home and sleep after being up all night. Is this typical at other programs? I'm prepared to work hard, but I think I could endure the long hours a little better if I just had an occasional day off (perhaps once a month) during which I could do a little more than just sleep.

 

[lennox23]

in general i have at least four days a month, in which i wake up in my own bed, and do not go to work at all.
typically one weekend a month, we even get out of work before noon on a friday (after being on call) and don't return until monday morning (that accounts for two of the aforementioned four days).

 

[dynx]

in general i have at least four days a month, in which i wake up in my own bed, and do not go to work at all.
typically one weekend a month, we even get out of work before noon on a friday (after being on call) and don't return until monday morning (that accounts for two of the aforementioned four days).

WHERE? Where is this wonderous land of which you speak fare stranger?

 

[lennox23]

california.
i think west coast surgery may be more laid back.
but its true.

 

[GAdoc]

Here is a link to the "Night float" Policy adapted by the surgical residency program at Mercer University school of medicine:

http://medicine.mercer.edu/files/surgery_res_nightfloat.pdf

Doesn't sound too bad. With the 80 hour work week, a lot of programs will probably be doing something similar to this.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Depends on the program and the census, and somewhat on the person makign the schedule.

During my residency, we typically had 1 full weekend off a month where you woke up in your own bed both Saturday and Sunday. We would also try and give you another two days off, one day off each weekend and these would not be post-call. Obviously if you were on call on a Saturday you would not count Sunday as your day off, in my program, because that would not be a full 24 hrs off. We have had to learn to be a bit more creative, including even giving people off a day during the week. There were times when you wouldn't get the time off - I can remember being a 3rd year on service with a 4th year that was gone every weekend interviewing for fellowships. That meant I had to cover the service and it was about 3 months with no days off.

I think you will find as many different responses to this question as there are programs.

 

[GAdoc]

Dr. Cox,

Just out of curiosity, what is your specialty? I'm just curious.

AL

 

[Winged Scapula]

Dr. Cox,

Just out of curiosity, what is your specialty? I'm just curious.

AL

Well, you can always look up my user profile which states it, but my field is
Breast Surgical Oncology.🙂

 

[Dr. V]

Two weekends off per month starting on Friday at 5PM and going through Monday at 5AM.

One Saturday call and one Friday/Sunday weekend.

That's the usual schedule for us every month, it varys of course. There is one rotation where the intern only gets off 1 full weekend and two other days. It's still 4 days but you only get 1 of the weekend days off for 3 of the weeks and that one weekend completely off. That's due to coverage issues and it's only 1 month out of 12.

We have a night float, and our prelims do the exact same rotation schedule as the categoricals so that's lots of interns, 5 categoricals and 4 prelims. It helps alot and it allows us to be very good about not violating the 80 hour week and still getting everyone off 2 weekends a month.

The bad thing is our didactic day is Friday from noon till 5pm and that includes M & M so it is mandatory. Hence no "golden weekend" where you get off post call Friday morning and get a half a friday off to boot. Oh well, nothing's perfect.

Obviously this is not concrete due to illness/vacation etc. but two full weekends off per month is SOP for us.

 

[-Goose-]

Two weekends off per month starting on Friday at 5PM and going through Monday at 5AM.

One Saturday call and one Friday/Sunday weekend.

That's the usual schedule for us every month, it varys of course. There is one rotation where the intern only gets off 1 full weekend and two other days. It's still 4 days but you only get 1 of the weekend days off for 3 of the weeks and that one weekend completely off. That's due to coverage issues and it's only 1 month out of 12.

We have a night float, and our prelims do the exact same rotation schedule as the categoricals so that's lots of interns, 5 categoricals and 4 prelims. It helps alot and it allows us to be very good about not violating the 80 hour week and still getting everyone off 2 weekends a month.

The bad thing is our didactic day is Friday from noon till 5pm and that includes M & M so it is mandatory. Hence no "golden weekend" where you get off post call Friday morning and get a half a friday off to boot. Oh well, nothing's perfect.

Obviously this is not concrete due to illness/vacation etc. but two full weekends off per month is SOP for us.

Wow... chalk one up for ETSU!

 

[Dr. V]

I just noticed a line in my post that may be misleading.

I said one Saturday call and one Friday/Sunday weekend, that could be mistaken for saying that we are off that Friday/Sunday. What it should say is one Saturday call and one Friday/Sunday call weekend.

I just got my summary for the cases during the first 6 months. 210 procedures (including major and minor OR cases both First Assist and Surgeon Jr, Cent Lines, chest tubes etc), 28 Major Cases as Surgeon Jr, 41 Endoscopies.

We get plenty of OR time even as interns on top of the generous time off, being treated well by Attendings and other residents (very good atmosphere here) and having 2 Level I trauma centers. Anyone going into Surgery should strongly consider ETSU.