Weekends off during 3rd year?

[kl323]

Hey all,

I'm just wondering if I'll be getting weekends off as a third year?

I have no idea how scheduling works and what "on-call" entails... but I do wonder if my weekends are free?

I know that this question also depends on rotation, but generally speaking... do I still go by a Mon-Fri schedule. Also... are med students on call during weekends?

Thanks!!!

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[OveractiveBrain]

As always, when it comes to policies in education, it is school, clerkship, team, attending, and resident dependent.

For example, my Psych rotation was 7-12 five days a week. My Medicine rotation was Call q4, 1 day off a week, one weekend day only if it wasnt call or post call. Even still, I had one team at one hospital on medicine which said "dont come in on the weekends." It is totally variable.

As a general recommendation do not plan weekends in advance without first consulting the clerkship director. Medicine and Surgery are usually poor times to try any vacationing or wedding attendance. Psych, Peds, Neuro are generally more willing to tolerate your absence.

 

[Dr Fraggle]

You already answered your question: it depends on the rotation (and on your facility and attending). When I was on peds outpatient, I never worked a weekend. When I was on surgery, I worked at least a day almost every weekend.

Call works differently for every facility. It is quite possible that if your facility has call, you will work at least one weekend.

 

[kl323]

Thanks for the replies!

Its more than likely irrelevant at this time, but can someone explain what call means and the meaning of all the lingo behind it?

So when OveractiveBrain said call q4... its being on call every 4 days? I mean.. If I'm on call tomorrow... am I expected to show up to the hosp at any given moment over a 24 hour period? hmm.... sorry for the newb question.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Thanks for the replies!

Its more than likely irrelevant at this time, but can someone explain what call means and the meaning of all the lingo behind it?

So when OveractiveBrain said call q4... its being on call every 4 days? I mean.. If I'm on call tomorrow... am I expected to show up to the hosp at any given moment over a 24 hour period? hmm.... sorry for the newb question.

Hopefully your school will go over that in detail before you need to live it.

a Q4 schedule means you are on call every 4 nights. On surgery, it means running around the hospital dealing with inpatient bull ****. On medicine, it means admitting.

These rules will change as ACGME work hour rules come down

Day 1 is your call day: 8am-Midnightish for medical students, admit patients all day long
Day 2 is your post call day: 5am-noonish for medical students, present call patients and get out early. be very tired, catch up on sleep.
Day 3 is your pre-pre call day: a normal day
Day 4 is your pre-call day: generally very few patient left on service

REPEAT

Days off are usually on Day 4. Hopefully those days are on the weekends.

 

[Perrotfish]

Hopefully your school will go over that in detail before you need to live it.

a Q4 schedule means you are on call every 4 nights. On surgery, it means running around the hospital dealing with inpatient bull ****. On medicine, it means admitting.

These rules will change as ACGME work hour rules come down

Day 1 is your call day: 8am-Midnightish for medical students, admit patients all day long
Day 2 is your post call day: 5am-noonish for medical students, present call patients and get out early. be very tired, catch up on sleep.
Day 3 is your pre-pre call day: a normal day
Day 4 is your pre-call day: generally very few patient left on service

REPEAT

Days off are usually on Day 4. Hopefully those days are on the weekends.

This also varies by rotation. I have had my on call day schedule be anywhere from 34 straight hours in the hospital (show up 4 hours before the on call Intern, but don't leave until they leave) to days that are only a couple of hours longer than a normal day (start at the normal time, leave at 5 instead of 3). My most common was 6 a.m. until 8-10 p.m. on call days followed by 4:30 a.m. - 12:00 on post call days.