Too little time to teach? Medical student education and the resident work-hour restriction

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the resident duty-hour restriction on medical student education through a survey of faculty, residents, and interns, with interns providing experience as students relative to implementation of work-hour restrictions.

A survey was performed at two (one military and one civilian) obstetrics and gynecology residency programs. Additional surveys were obtained from an Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics workshop, which included military and nonmilitary attendees.

The majority of faculty reported spending 5 to 10 hours per week in medical education before and after implementation of the work-hour restriction. Residents reported less time teaching students after work-hour restrictions were instituted. Nearly all interns, responding about their clinical clerkship experience as students, believed their educational experience would have been improved if residents were more involved in teaching.

This pilot study suggests residents are less involved in medical student education following implementation of the duty-hour restrictions.