Impact of Duty Hour Regulations on Medical Students’ Education: Views of Key Clinical Faculty

Abstract

Key clincal faculty report concerns about the impact of duty hour regulations on aspects of medical students' education in internal medicine. Medical schools and residency programs should identify ways to ensure optimal educational experiences for students within duty hour requirements.

Navigating the JGIM Special Issue on Medical Education

“…Two studies advance our understanding of the unintended consequences of resident duty hour regulations. A survey of physicians at three hospitals 12 found large negative effects on the professional lives of faculty, and both this study and a national survey of faculty 13 suggest that work hour regulations have impaired the learning environment. We invited an editorial to expand upon these unintended consequences.…”

“…Needs assessments in this issue include clinical topics of obesity 22 and tobacco dependence, 23 and curriculum design issues such as ward attending rounds, 24 quality of care in ambulatory clinics, 8,9 student career choice, 25,26 resident well-being, 11 and residency training organization. 12,13,27 …”

Educating Clerkship Students in the Era of Resident Duty Hour Restrictions

“…[4][5][6][7] As duty hour restrictions limit time to provide patient care, advance their own education, and teach students, residents may sacrifice teaching in an effort to address their other responsibilities. The majority of residents, 8,9 faculty, 10 and clerkship directors 11 perceived that the effects of the 2003 duty hour restrictions would leave residents with less time for teaching and possibly more negative attitudes toward teaching.…”

“…17,18 Faculty, especially if heavily involved with student teaching, tend to believe that duty hour restrictions will threaten their attending role. 10,11,19 Concerns include less time available for teaching during rounds, less bedside teaching, 11 and an overall decline in the medical student educational experience post-duty hour restrictions. 10 Another concern is that duty hour restrictions may alter attending rounds' discussions to render them less educationally valuable for students.…”

The Internal Medicine Subinternship—Now More Important than Ever

“…Duty-hour regulations have resulted in faculty and residents perceiving less time to teach students, reduced continuity of patient care, and decreased volume and variety of patient exposures for students. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Billing and medico-legal concerns have resulted in many institutions prohibiting students from using EHRs. 14 Medicine (APDIM) surveyed its members about the IM subinternship.…”