Work-hours and OB/GYN residencies -- getting easier?

[task]

Just curious.....

Seems like OB/GYN residencies have gotten better about work hours than other surgical fields. Where I train, the OB/GYNs only have four call months a year, and have at least one weekend off each call month. On top of that, post call on L+D they're out of the hospital by 8am. That's sweeter than my IM program! Is this a new trend, or am I missing something? Are OB/GYN residencies becoming more lifestyle friendly?

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[dankatzzz]

From what I have seen, hours are slightly better than they used to be, but not by much. Usually, IM is bad the first year, internship year, but then gets much better. IM is more progressive in that the American Board of Internal Medicine put in a recommendation to all residency programs to limit weekly hours to 80 and no more than 24 hours straight (i.e. like the Bell commision of NYS). A good number of programs adhere to this, even outside of NYS. In OB/GYN your call hours and work hours don't really change much after your first yer. There are still many programs that are 36 hour calls and this goes through all four years. Plus, if you look at the average hours they work per week they are well over 70 hrs, usually 80-90, whereas in IM it is usally 60-70 after the first year. I haven't heard of any OB/GYN programs that only require call for 4 months out of a year - this is news to me. It is common in IM, after internship. In any case, count on OB/GYN residency to be more hours than IM and don't let this decide your career choice.
Dani
CCIII going into IM

 

[Bandit]

I am a PA and when I did my OB rotation way back when, I was on call 6 days/week for two months and worked no less than 80 hrs each week. My surgical rotaion was NEVER under 100. No ****. Keep in mind that my rotations were probably shorter than yours.

 

[wvshootr]

Just wondering, Task, where is this program from heaven that you speak of? I've looked at a lot of OB programs, and haven't come across such a deal.

wvshootr