I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for Duty Hours that maximize the clinical learning environment experience for New York Medical College (NYMC) School of Medicine (SOM) students while providing adequate time for rest and personal activities. (LCME Standard 8.8: Monitoring Student Time)
II. POLICY
A. It is the policy of the NYMC SOM that all medical student clinical programs will be bound by Duty Hour guidelines that resemble the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) guidelines.
B. In general, Duty Hour guidelines for clinical students are as follows:
1. Students must not work longer than 80 hours per week, inclusive of in-house call activities;
2. The maximum duty period length is 24 consecutive hours;
3. Students may have up to 3 hours for transition of care after the end of a duty period;
4. Students must have at least 8, and preferably 10, hours free of duty after 16 hours of duty;
5. Students must have at least 14 hours free of duty after 24 hours of duty;
6. Students must have at least one continuous 24-hour period per week free of all responsibilities;
7. Students may not be on-call at a medical facility more frequently than every third night; and
8. Students should not exceed 6 consecutive night duty sessions.
III. SCOPE
This policy applies to Clerkship Directors & Coordinators, Site Directors, Sub-Internship Directors, Elective Directors, Student Affairs, Medical Students, and teaching faculty at all clinical sites.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Duty hours - any clinical work or required educational experiences (e.g.. conferences, lectures, exams, Electronic Medical Records (EMR) notes required for patient care). Duty hours do not include time at home to study, time to complete assignments, or travel time to and from clinical sites.
V. PROCEDURES
A. The Duty Hour guidelines will be communicated to clerkship directors, sub-internship directors, elective directors, and supervising physicians via email by the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education prior to the start of each academic year.
B. Clerkship directors/coordinators, site directors, sub-I directors/coordinators, and elective directors/coordinators will create student schedules in accordance with these guidelines.
C. The relevant clerkship, sub-internship, or elective director will send Duty Hours guidelines to students at the start of each academic year, as well as at clerkship orientation.
D. Students are advised to report lapses in compliance with Duty Hours to their clerkship, sub-internship, or elective director either immediately, at the mid-clerkship feedback session, or anonymously on end-of-clerkship/course evaluations.
i. When a student reports Duty Hour non-compliance non-anonymously during a pending clerkship, the relevant clerkship, sub-internship, or elective director shall alter the student’s schedule to bring the student’s Duty Hours into compliance.
ii. For issues identified after the clerkship, the relevant director shall generate an action plan to ensure violations do not recur.
E. The Phase 2 and Phase 3 directors shall report any instances of Duty Hour non-compliance to the Phase 2 and Phase 3 Subcommittee for additional monitoring and action plan review.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, School of Medicine
VIII. REFERENCES
LCME Element 8.8: Monitoring Student Time
The medical school faculty committee responsible for the medical curriculum and the program’s administration and leadership ensure the development and implementation of effective policies and procedures regarding the amount of time medical students spend in required activities, including the total number of hours medical students are required to spend in clinical and educational activities during clerkships.
