Better understanding of ortho residency

[futureSuperStar]

I know that ortho residency is long hours; start early in the morning and end when the cases finish which can be very late. I don't mind that at all. What i'm interested in knowing is how common 24 hour shifts are (based on what others on this forum have heard about other programs). Basically how common are periods where you are 'on' for a period of greater than 24 hours, including home call? Does it seem to be once every other month? Or closer to once a week? This info is difficult to ask when networking with people from ortho so I would appreciate any insight into this.

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[ChiDO]

Depends. Every program is different based on call coverage, how many residents there are, ect. As PGY2s, we were on one weekday per week and one weekend per month on average (4 residents per class). While on call (home call), you could be up for 24 hours+ if call was super busy and you were at the hospital. Or you could sleep all night if nothing was going on. In addition, most PGY2s stayed and operated the majority of the next day. (technically a violation of work hours, but if you are not at the hospital, you aren't learning). I stayed for a 12 hour OR day after being up 24 hours on call once and busy all night..slept like an hour in a hospital bed. I was exhausted, but I did 8 "solo" cases with my attending the next day.

So theoretically, you could be up 24+ hours every time you are on call based on my residency program.

 

[DarkHorizon]

I know that ortho residency is long hours; start early in the morning and end when the cases finish which can be very late. I don't mind that at all. What i'm interested in knowing is how common 24 hour shifts are (based on what others on this forum have heard about other programs). Basically how common are periods where you are 'on' for a period of greater than 24 hours, including home call? Does it seem to be once every other month? Or closer to once a week? This info is difficult to ask when networking with people from ortho so I would appreciate any insight into this.

Yeah it’s busy at times. But that’s the price you pay to be the boss. Besides, It never felt like work anyway.

 

[futureSuperStar]

Thanks for the responses I appreciate it. Can you or others also comment on how common golden weekends are? In IM residency programs I have seen it seems like slightly less than half of their weekends per year are golden. About how much worse is it in orthopedic surgery.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Thanks for the responses I appreciate it. Can you or others also comment on how common golden weekends are? In IM residency programs I have seen it seems like slightly less than half of their weekends per year are golden. About how much worse is it in orthopedic surgery.

Depends entirely on how many hospitals your program covers, the number of residents, and how the call schedule is typically set up.

For instance, at my program as an intern (while on ortho) you may only have one golden weekend a month, but hopefully we get you two if we have multiple interns at a time. As a 2 and 3, you can expect to have 2 golden weekends, assuming we're not short staffed by vacation or there's 5 weekends and a holiday. As a senior resident, you probably only have to work 1 weekend a month, and it's generally just rounding unless there are cases needing covered.

 

[Miles Gloriosus]

Depends entirely on how many hospitals your program covers, the number of residents, and how the call schedule is typically set up.

For instance, at my program as an intern (while on ortho) you may only have one golden weekend a month, but hopefully we get you two if we have multiple interns at a time. As a 2 and 3, you can expect to have 2 golden weekends, assuming we're not short staffed by vacation or there's 5 weekends and a holiday. As a senior resident, you probably only have to work 1 weekend a month, and it's generally just rounding unless there are cases needing covered.

In my program, we typically had to cover 4 weekends “at the big house” for every 10 week rotation block (In house as pgy2/3 and home call as pgy 4/5). If on a rotation like VA, that was a separate call schedule (home call) with two residents covering every other weekend for that block.

 

[ceilingfan019]

At my program, we have 1 day call shift per week that is supposed to be 7 am - 7 pm but I usually stay 2ish hours after to finish notes, put in orders, finish consents, etc. We have a night float for night coverage. We give the night people a break on the weekends and we rotate who covers the night so it's usually 1 weekend night coverage per month.
Golden weekends are uncommon for us for non-elective surgical rotations. I've had 1 last month where my staff went out of town and we had no inpatients so I didn't even have to round. When I do sports, I'm sure I'll have alot more.

A separate comment about hours tho. As a med student, I remember being worried if I could handle the hours in ortho. Now that I'm here in middle of PGY2 year, I'm still doing pretty good. When its my 20th hour of call (usually the one weekend a month) and I'm trying to reduce an ankle or place femoral traction, the adrenaline kicks in and keeps me going. It's also fun to do and very rewarding cuz you see your results immediately. I ptfo when I get home tho.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

As a PGY2 right now, I am on call ~1 day per week and one weekend (Fri-Sun) a month. It is home call and usually can push stuff from weekdays till the next morning so don't have to come in a ton.

 

[TeddyBoomBoom]

A 24-hour shift is a common practice for different clinics, but this does not mean that it has a good effect on the work of doctors. Good orthopaedic clinics employ good specialists who work 12 hours a day, no more. This has a bad effect on the effectiveness of their work. Overexertion at work can cause a lack of concentration. Scientists have long found out that when people overwork, their brain activity decreases and they start sleeping with their eyes open. Imagine what it will be like with doctors. Awful.

^^ bot or Martian??

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