Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The little-known ACGME guideline change every resident should know

Christopher Gable
Education
April 2, 2017
2K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

On July 1st, 2017, the updated Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Common Program Requirements will take effect. The increase in the maximum continuous work hour shift from 16 to 24 hours has surely received the most attention, and will likely continue to do so.

However, the ACGME did make some significant improvements in this latest guideline update worth noting. Among them was a slight conjunctional switch from an “and/or” to an “and” that now requires all residency programs in the country to ensure both post-call rooms and transportation options for residents who may feel too fatigued to safely return home.

Currently, the regulation reads that the “sponsoring institution must provide adequate sleep facilities and/or safe transportation options for residents who may be too fatigued to safely return home.” While some residencies already provide both of these options, many only provide post-call rooms. These residencies tend to be in more rural parts of the country, where public transportation is less available, and taxi services are more expensive than in the cities.

This all changes on July 1st. Every residency program in the nation “must ensure adequate sleep facilities and safe transportation options for residents who may be too fatigued to safely return home.” The logistical details of this will depend on how sponsoring institutions decide they want to “ensure” these benefits are provided, but this is a significant change, one that will potentially help a lot of residents with responsibilities extending beyond their work in the hospital.

And those responsibilities are increasing.

Data from resident surveys have found that about 1 in 4 medical students are entering residency with children. These surveys also find that family-related stressors are strongly contributing to emotional exhaustion and burnout. Residents often have limited time at home with family, and erratic schedules often mean there’s no way to accommodate family demands, especially if that family demand is a toddler at home with a cold.

Under the current system, exhausted resident parents have very limited options in this situation. They can hope their spouse or parent can watch their kid (assuming they are not a single parent), they can pay a babysitter extra to stay while they fall asleep in the post-call room, they can hire a taxi themselves (which adds a huge financial burden to an already debt-burdened resident), or they could risk it behind the wheel and drive home.

That last choice is what this change is meant to avoid. With numerous studies showing that the risk of a motor vehicle crashes increases substantially in residents who routinely work longer hours, and that post-call residents can be impaired as much as inebriated residents who are not post-call, placing residents in a position where that may be their only option is dangerous. The ACGME seems to finally agree.

These changes are not perfect, as evidenced by the numerous residents who are already at programs that provide these transportation options and still struggle to keep up with life outside the hospital. More needs to be done to ease the stress burden on residents and even attendings in the hospitals. The lack of on-site child care services, for instance, is a huge logistical and financial burden across all levels of practice. Other professional industries have far outpaced medicine in this regard, and the gap is only increasing. Studies have found even in the most child-friendly specialties, such as pediatrics, only one-third of programs offered on-site child care, and only 13 percent offered sick-child care.

And none of these changes will address many of the new issues posed by the increases in work hours. But the transportation change will give residents no longer on a shift a lot more options to spend time with their families. It’s a step in the right direction.

Christopher Gable is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

The problem with too many health insurance options

April 2, 2017 Kevin 2
…
Next

Why we need more doctors opting for academic medicine 

April 3, 2017 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Medical school, Residency

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The problem with too many health insurance options
Next Post >
Why we need more doctors opting for academic medicine 

Related Posts

  • 3 ways to change your mindset in continuing medical education

    Stephanie Wellington, MD
  • To change the culture, start with clinical education

    Anonymous
  • Why residency applications need to change

    Sean Kiesel, DO, MBA
  • Medical education in the era of climate change

    Tyler Greenway and William Hancock-Cerutti
  • Please change the culture of surgery

    Anonymous
  • We need to change the way we talk about climate change

    Jacob A. Fox

More in Education

  • Master the ABIM Certification exam with effective strategies: insider tips for success

    Farzana Hoque, MD
  • The pros and cons of taking a gap year during medical school

    Med School Insiders
  • Breaking the silence: the truth about mental health challenges among medical students and why medical schools must take action

    Erin Waldrop
  • Breaking the stigma: Encouraging mental health help-seeking in medical trainees

    Anonymous
  • I’m not so different from Lionel Messi – and neither are you

    Lauren Tien
  • 6 ways ChatGPT can help you succeed in medical school

    Drew Bergman
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Unmasking the truth: the shocking reality of the opioid epidemic and who’s really to blame

      Jay K. Joshi, MD | Physician
    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Checkpoint Blockade Stumbles in Advanced EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
  • Secret Past of Slain Doctor; Pope Needs Intestinal Surgery; More MIs on Mondays
  • New Antiviral Option for CMV Prophylaxis After Kidney Transplant
  • Antibody for Infant RSV Prevention to Face FDA Panel
  • Is Getting Test Results Online Right Away a Good Idea? Yes, Patients Say

Meeting Coverage

  • Checkpoint Blockade Stumbles in Advanced EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
  • Phase II Study: Bispecific Oral Drug Tops Leading JAK Inhibitor for RA
  • Closing the Diversity Gaps in Urologic Oncology Leadership
  • Certain NSCLC Patients May Be Able to Stop Immunotherapy at 2 Years
  • No Survival Benefit With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge in Metastatic RCC
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Unmasking the truth: the shocking reality of the opioid epidemic and who’s really to blame

      Jay K. Joshi, MD | Physician
    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...