Working hours

[metalkaren]

Hi. I'm considering starting some premed classes, but really trying to get the whole picture before I jump in.

Can you tell me roughly how many hours 2nd + 3rd year med students, interns, and residents spend working per week/day?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question but does everyone do a general internship in a hospital ER, or do you do that in your specialty and the hours vary?

I just want to get a feel for what it's really like before I get into this, as I would be spending my entire 30s (and childbearing years) training in a hospital. Thanks.

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[mpp]

1st and 2nd year of medical school vary a lot between schools.

3rd and 4th year medical student hours vary considerably from rotation to rotation. But you will likely be spending some 24+ hour on-call nights in the hopsital. Some rotations will be busy with 12-hour+ days, six days a week. Others will be less than 9-5 type gigs.

Interns in every specialty will have some overnight call responsibility. Rules restrict your work hours to 80 in one week.
Beyond the intern year (or first year of residency) it will vary a lot between specialties. Surgical specialties will work much longer hours than other specialties in general.

I think the adage for this type of question is...if you have to ask....

 

[metalkaren]

1st and 2nd year of medical school vary a lot between schools.

3rd and 4th year medical student hours vary considerably from rotation to rotation. But you will likely be spending some 24+ hour on-call nights in the hopsital. Some rotations will be busy with 12-hour+ days, six days a week. Others will be less than 9-5 type gigs.

Interns in every specialty will have some overnight call responsibility. Rules restrict your work hours to 80 in one week.
Beyond the intern year (or first year of residency) it will vary a lot between specialties. Surgical specialties will work much longer hours than other specialties in general.

I think the adage for this type of question is...if you have to ask....

Thanks, I appreciate the answer. This really helps.

I can appreciate your "adage," but in all honestly I think almost anyone would be concerned with just how much of their life they will be giving to their profession in general. It is definitely something that needs to be considered when contemplating a lifetime commitment to medicine. But more specifically, as I mentioned I'm no spring chicken (relatively speaking). If I were to do this it would take me right through my childbearing years, so I would need to consider whether I want to have a family and how realistic it will be. I might not be so concerned about the hours if I were still 22.

Thanks again.

 

[Laryngospasm]

You have to AVERAGE less than 80 per week over a four week period, you will work more than 80 hours in one week on many occasions in most specialties.. and that leaves little time for anything other than eating and sleeping.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

I think the adage for this type of question is...if you have to ask....

Wouldn't it be rather stupid to get into something like medicine without asking those questions?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

The work hour limitations don't strictly apply to medical students. Nobody makes a fuss when med students work 80-100 hours per week...not too common but it happens, and you can't bitch about it really.

As a resident, you need to average 80 hours/week over a 4 week period. I have never gone over 80 hours. Usually I average around 65-70 hours per week. This week, I worked 64 hours.

 

[fedor]

Also, the 80 hour week isn't honored at some programs and residents are routinely overworked.

Look at the 80 hour week much like a speed limit. It's the law, but it isn't adhered to strictly in some places.

 

[Snoopy]

Just because you go through med school and residency in your childbearing years doesn't mean you can't have children during those times. I had a classmate in med school who had two babies before graduation AND graduated on time. She was lucky in that she successfully times her first to deliver just before the summer vacation between 1st and 2nd year and at the end of 3rd year so that she could use up all of her vacation and non-clinical electives as maternity leave.

I know lots of women who have had babies during residency and taken time off. That ends up extending residency, but it's not that big of a deal.

I think it's very smart to understand what you are getting into but know that it's not med school/residency are not incompatible with pregnancy and motherhood.

 

[backontop]

that maternity leave pisses the crap out of focused women. you are not superwoman; either your career will suffer or your children will. pick one. i feel sorry for all those kids getting f'd over.