THE IMPACT OF WORK LOAD AND WORKING HOURS ON SURGICAL RESIDENT TRAINING

Abstract

Resident training in general surgery is still going on in the traditional manner. In this training a resident takes responsibilities up to his training degree under the supervision of a senior resident or a consultant. Resident working hours is not estimated in the evaluation of this training, Long resident working hours and work load have bad effects on the quality of patient care as well as medical education. It is proposed that optimization of working hours and work load can be done with the reduction of drudgery and forced labour and using staff other than medical doctors in such works. But this can lead to some economical problems. The optimization of work load and working hours should not be understood as minimizing these variables. The solution of this problem should not effect the quality of surgical and medical training and institutions should be standardized for educational purposes.