Duty Hours Policy

The CCEP fellowship is in full compliance with the ACGME Duty Hours Regulations. Specifically, no fellow is permitted to work more than 80 hours per week averaged over 4 weeks or more than 30 continuous hours. Further, there must be a 10 hour break between shifts and 24 hours off without medical responsibility each week. CCEP fellows take call from home and the 10 hour limit applies when one must return to the hospital for provision of inpatient or emergency care. Fellows are to leave the next work day by 1300 hours if they are in violation of the 30 hour or 10 hour rules and self-policing of this policy is expected.

 

CCEP fellows are advanced trainees (PGY 6-8) who do not take in-house call or mid-week call. Call takes place approximately once a month on a weekend (Saturday plus Sunday), and involves rounding for approximately 1/2 day with an occasional call back for an urgent consultation.  In the unlikely event that the fellow meets the duty hour limit, the fellow is expected to turn over patient responsibility to the CCEP faculty member on call.

 

Fellows are encouraged to submit their duty hours electronically  on a weekly basis,

and these are reviewed monthly by the Program Director and also reviewed by the GME

office. Due to the fact that CCEP fellows are advanced trainees in a consultative

specialty that allows for in-home call and few emergencies, there is minimal risk for duty

hour violations.

 

A CCEP faculty member is always on call and available 24 hours a day, as back up

to the CCEP fellow and other residents in Internal Medicine. If unexpected

circumstances create fellow fatigue or threaten a duty hour violation, the CCEP

fellow is dismissed and the CCEP faculty member assumes patient care responsibilities.