On Call and Work Hours
The Training Program at Stanford is dedicated to developing a call schedule whose goal is consistent with the core curriculum, not with service that makes learning difficult or in some cases impossible. We have committed ourselves to an 80 hour maximum workweek averaged over four weeks and to a 24-hour period completely off duty every seven days averaged over four weeks.
Duty Hours
1. Duty hours are defined as all clinical and academic activities related to the residency program; i.e., patient care (both inpatient and outpatient), administrative duties relative to patient care, the provision for transfer of patient care, time spent in-house during call activities, and scheduled activities such as conferences. Duty hours do not include reading and preparation time spent away from the duty site.
2. Duty hours must be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a four-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities.
3. Residents must be provided with 1 day in 7 free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of call. One day is defined as 1 continuous 24-hour period free from all clinical, educational, and administrative duties.
4. Adequate time for rest and personal activities must be provided. This should consist of a 10-hour time period provided between all daily duty periods and after in-house call.
