Shiftwork as a Trauma Surgeon

[Lemont]

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**Only the title of my other thread shows up, but no post, so I will try again here.**

I wanted to know if attending trauma surgeons can work mostly (or exclusively) in shifts like ER doctors do. So when you are off the clock, you are really off until you come back for your next shift.

 

[Plinko]

I too am interested in the answer to this question. I have heard of trauma surgeons doing something like 6 to 8 24 hours shifts per month. When they leave the hospital they leave for good until their next shift (in other words, there is no call). They can do GS procedures in private practice if they so choose, but with that many in house hours in a month I doubt they do. This is coming from only one trauma surgeon I have spoken with so I would welcome a more definitive answer.

 

[flashman]

I too am interested in the answer to this question. I have heard of trauma surgeons doing something like 6 to 8 24 hours shifts per month. When they leave the hospital they leave for good until their next shift (in other words, there is no call). They can do GS procedures in private practice if they so choose, but with that many in house hours in a month I doubt they do. This is coming from only one trauma surgeon I have spoken with so I would welcome a more definitive answer.

One of my current attendings worked 7 24-hour shifts a month. A friend in ER has a friend in Texas who works 12 12-hour shifts a month doing pure trauma surgery. Either of these sound enormously better than GS for lifestyle.

You should look back through the Journal of Trauma. There have been many articles in the past year or so with different groups talking about the future of trauma and its direction. It seems though that everyone is talking about a transition to more shiftwork.

 

[GenSurg]

I know of a large private practice trauma group that does shift work for trauma. The work 12 hour shifts for 1-2 weeks a month and do scheduled gen surg the rest of the month.

Seems to work out well so you don't burn out being up all night operating or taking care of patients in the ICU.

http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=20049323

 

[Lemont]

While on the subject of trauma surgery, can somebody give me a rundown of the most common procedures done by a trauma surgeon. I know trauma surgeons often stablize the patient until a particular surgical subspecialist(s) take over, but what are the procedures that are performed specifically by the trauma surgeon?

 

[automaton]

laparotomy
tracheostomy
chest tube placement
gastric tube placement
central line placement
acute management of abdominal bleeding
acute management of pelvic bleeding
colostomy for bowel trauma
primary reanastamosis of bowel
irrigation and debridement of wounds or burns

as well as the bread and butter general surgery procedures (lap chole, hernia repair)

as far as i know the rest gets punted to ortho, plastics, neurosurg for the most part.

 

[Blade28]

Just saw a clamshell thoracotomy yesterday in the trauma bay...nice.

 

[Docgeorge]

Just saw a clamshell thoracotomy yesterday in the trauma bay...nice.

nice!

 

[Lemont]

Just saw a clamshell thoracotomy yesterday in the trauma bay...nice.

nice!

🙄