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How surgical residents spend their training time: the effect of a goal-oriented work style on efficiency and work
Raphael S Chung1, Naveed Ahmed
1Department of Surgery, Huron Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Health System, Cleveland, Ohio 44112, USA. rskchung@hotmail.com
Hypothesis:
When work hours are limited, improving residents' work efficiency allows more time for key training activities, reduces frustration, and improves work satisfaction.
Design:
Prospective control study.
Setting:
General surgical service with a trauma program.
Participants:
Five full-time attending physicians, a resident team of 9 members, and 3 surgical assistants.
Intervention:
Reorganization of work habits based on a goal-oriented work style.
Main Outcome Measures:
Changes of time spent in key activities; punctuality for operations, clinics, and conferences; residents' work satisfaction, physical fatigue, and mental stress; and attending physician and patient evaluations of residents.
Results:
A goal-oriented work style reduced round time and nonpurposeful time and improved punctuality for key education activities. More operative time could be accommodated within the work-hours limits. Residents' work satisfaction improved while mental stress was reduced. Patient satisfaction scores also increased.
Conclusions:
Residents' work is generally inefficient. Reduced work hours should be accompanied by work-habit reform to make the best use of residents' training time.
