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Based on a recent study of intern physicians' work hours, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) supports shifts as long as 28 consecutive hours and as many as 80 hours of work weekly (NEJM JW Gen Med Apr 1 2019 and N Engl J Med 2019; 380:915). Using U.S. nationwide prospective data, investigators conducted monthly surveys among nearly 5000 senior residents (postgraduate year 2 [PGY2] or above) to determine work hours and self-reported safety events. Residents worked an average of 60 hours weekly.
Working more than 48 hours weekly was associated significantly with excess medical errors, preventable adverse events, and fatal preventable adverse events. Specifically, residents who worked 60 to 70 hours weekly had 2 to…