Vacation Time

[docmed2012]

I am starting my residency in July and we get 3.5 weeks of vacation per year. Are these usually assigned randomly by the PC? Do we have to pick our days (totaling 3.5 weeks) before rotation schedules are made? Not sure how this is normally assigned during residency...

Thanks

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[RadOncDoc21]

I am starting my residency in July and we get 3.5 weeks of vacation per year. Are these usually assigned randomly by the PC? Do we have to pick our days (totaling 3.5 weeks) before rotation schedules are made? Not sure how this is normally assigned during residency...

Thanks

Usually the chief resident assigns an initial schedule which you can either switch rotations or discuss after you start. The first two weeks and first rotation are most likely set in stone. Either way you can always contact your chief to let him/her know prior to making your schedule.

-R

 

[Top Gun]

Its program dependent. In mine, we filled out a Vacation Request Form allowing us to pick what month we wanted for vacation, followed by several alternatives if that particular month wasn't possible.

 

[Buzz Me]

^ That's what we did as well. 3 weeks per year for us here.

 

[gutonc]

Its program dependent. In mine, we filled out a Vacation Request Form allowing us to pick what month we wanted for vacation, followed by several alternatives if that particular month wasn't possible.

This is a pretty typical approach.

 

[mlw03]

Too program specific to give a precise answer. In my program, we were allowed to take our vacation virtually any time that we wanted. We had unofficial rules we followed to not screw each other over, but most every week was fair game for us. Heck, some folks just took tons of 3 day weekends.

 

[RadOncDoc21]

Too program specific to give a precise answer. In my program, we were allowed to take our vacation virtually any time that we wanted. We had unofficial rules we followed to not screw each other over, but most every week was fair game for us. Heck, some folks just took tons of 3 day weekends.

This is how my Rad Onc program works, it's very flexible just as long as we request our time a few weeks in advanced. My pre-lim yr was not as reasonable or negotiable.

-R

 

[Law2Doc]

This is a pretty typical approach.

Agreed. You make requests, the chiefs do what they can to honor them, and then you work out trades for the days that are still problematic where possible.

 

[blue2000]

Not sure what you are going in to, but some programs have very complex schedules and requirements and unfortunately do not have as much leeway with granting specific vacation time. When I was a rising chief we were responsible for doing the schedules for the 80 home residents, plus all the outside rotators. There were so many factors and so many moving targets, it was a NIGHTMARE. Everyone has to be compliant and everyone thinks their needs are unique, but often times it was just not possible to honor all the requests.If it was a resident wedding, we managed to figure out a way to give them time off. Siblings weddings? Really tough. So ask early, give your best shot, and then really, you are at the mercy of your co-residents to find switches. Not to be a downer, but this can be the reality of big programs that run up against hours issues on a regular basis.

 

[gutonc]

This is how my Rad Onc program works, it's very flexible just as long as we request our time a few weeks in advanced. My pre-lim yr was not as reasonable or negotiable.

-R

Large programs with lots of inpatient coverage requirements are going to be much less flexible than smaller, primarily outpatient or consult-based specialty programs.

 

[mlw03]

Agree, gunonc. That's why this question is too program-specific to answer here.

To the pgy-1s: you new program should contact you very soon for lots of stuff, including scheduling requests, which generally go through the chief residents. they should be your points of contact for this sort of thing. as was said, they'll do their best (usually) to honor valid requests, but service obligations will come first.

 

[docmed2012]

Thanks! Ok, so if its 3 weeks of vacation, is that 15 weekdays usually? Are weekends included in the vacation time, generally. Is it too much to ask for 3-4 days at a time (during intern year especially) when we start getting information about vacation requests, etc..Do interns generally not end up using all their vacation time because first year is so busy. I never got into the specifics about how vacation was distributed during my interviews...

 

[wannabeOBGYN]

Thanks! Ok, so if its 3 weeks of vacation, is that 15 weekdays usually? Are weekends included in the vacation time, generally. Is it too much to ask for 3-4 days at a time (during intern year especially) when we start getting information about vacation requests, etc..Do interns generally not end up using all their vacation time because first year is so busy. I never got into the specifics about how vacation was distributed during my interviews...

I'm pretty sure you're required to take all your vacation time but I could be wrong. As for all your other questions, it's pretty program-dependent, based on all my questioning during the interview season. Most places said 3 weeks is 15 weekdays but they do their best to give you the flanking weekends off as well to make it like a 9 day vacation. If I were you, I'd just relax and wait for the paperwork. They should include everything, including vacations, in your contract, and if they don't, you can always ask the PC.

 

[gutonc]

Thanks! Ok, so if its 3 weeks of vacation, is that 15 weekdays usually? Are weekends included in the vacation time, generally. Is it too much to ask for 3-4 days at a time (during intern year especially) when we start getting information about vacation requests, etc..Do interns generally not end up using all their vacation time because first year is so busy. I never got into the specifics about how vacation was distributed during my interviews...

Again, program/specialty specific and you're best off asking your PC these questions. For instance in my program, interns had a 1 week block and a 2 week block...no exceptions. These were decided before the year started with your input via a vacation request. Upper level residents could take their vacation in 1 week chunks and could even split up one of those weeks to make random 3 and 4 day weekends here and there, as long as it didn't happen during an inpatient/night float block.

You will use all your vacation...trust me.

 

[IlDestriero]

Why only 3 weeks? We used to get 4. Do they account meeting time separately?
Last I heard your allowed 20 days off per year.

 

[ShyRem]

Three weeks is 21 days. You are not guaranteed off weekends and can be scheduled for call if you do not take the weekend days as vacation. Thus 20 days of vacation is actually less than three weeks.

 

[IlDestriero]

Three weeks is 21 days. You are not guaranteed off weekends and can be scheduled for call if you do not take the weekend days as vacation. Thus 20 days of vacation is actually less than three weeks.

We used 20 working days, weekends excluded. They were considered call and normally off, so they didn't count.
My fellowship was 15 vaca days and 5 meeting days.
I think some of you are losing vacation days that the ACGME allows. That stinks.