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RESIDENT SCHEDULE
The frequency and duration of overnight call for residents is closely regulated and monitored by the ACGME. In addition, New York State imposes careful restrictions on residents' call schedules.
Resident schedule requirements for New York State are:
- no more than 80 work hours per week
- minimum 10 hours between shifts
- each shift is no longer than 24 hours + 3 hours of information transfer (27 total)
- at least 24 hours of consecutive free time each week, averaged over 1 month
The residency program has enacted many recent changes to limit the on-call duty hours of residents, in an effort to improve the continuity of patient care, reduce the amount of signing out, and maximize the opportunity for residents to attend conferences and clinics. Currently, junior residents take overnight call every 4th night during about 4 ½ months of the PGY-2 year. While on the Merritt Ward Service and Stroke Service, amounting to 3 ½ months of the PGY-2 year, junior residents do not take overnight call. Senior residents (PGY-3 and PGY-4) on ward and consult services take overnight call at a frequency of 3 times per month. All of these arrangements fall well within the work hour guidelines. In addition, the program has developed several means to facilitate the timely departure of residents from the hospital, including a night float system for admissions and cross-coverage care, extensive support from nurse practitioners and the Hospitalist Service, and an early start time of 7:00 AM for morning rounds on the in-patient services.
The average number of admissions to the Neurology Service at CUMC is 6 per 24-hour cycle, divided between the two in-patient services, Merritt and Stroke. The consultation services at both hospitals have extensive and continuous supervision and from the attending staff. At CUMC, attending faculty and fellows of the Stroke Service, Neurocritical care service and Epilepsy Service all aid the consultation service in the prompt evaluation and treatment of neurological emergencies.
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