Impact of long duty hours on education and well-being of diagnostic radiology residents: A national survey in Saudi Arabia.

Ayman S Alhasan,Tareef S Daqqaq,Yara A Altayeb,Shahad M Alahmadi

doi:10.12669/pjms.38.3.4440

Abstract

Objectives:The primary purpose of this study was to assess and report the perceived negative impact of long duty hours on education and personal well-being among medical trainees in the diagnostic radiology residency training program in Saudi Arabia.Methods:This cross-sectional study used a questionnaire (sent by email) with eight indicators related to the education and well-being of radiology residents in Saudi Arabia during the academic year 2019–2020. Participants were given a five-point Likert response format for each indicator. The relative importance index (RII) was calculated to rank the different indicators.Results:Our of 337 residents, 116 diagnostic radiology trainees completed the survey, with a response rate of 34.4%. A total of 102 (87.9%) indicated their preference for 16-hour shifts instead of the currently implemented 24-hour duty system. Using the RII, three items related to the post-duty day ranked at the top of the list. The negative impact on sleep rhythm during the post-call day ranked first (mean 4.23 ± 1.02, RII 0.84), followed by the impact on social life, family activities, and exercise during the post-call day (mean 4.09 ± 1.06, RII 0.81). The third highest ranking factor was missing academic activities on the post-call day (mean 3.91 ± 1.15, RII 0.78). There was no relationship between negative perception and gender (P > 0.05).Conclusion:The 24-hour duty system had a negative impact on radiology residents’ education and personal well-being, especially for items related to the post-call day. Reforming duty hours should be considered to promote residents’ well-being.

Highlights

Medical residency after graduation from medical school is a stressful period of acquiring occupational skills that prepare physicians to enter into independent practice.[1]
Despite different studies showing the detrimental effects of long duty hours on residents in training,[3,4] the longstanding tradition of 24-hour duty is still widely implemented in most radiology residency training programs in Saudi Arabia
Since our population was accessible through the e-mail group of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), the anonymous web-based survey was distributed electronically by e-mail to all eligible radiology residents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Summary

Introduction

Medical residency after graduation from medical school is a stressful period of acquiring occupational skills that prepare physicians to enter into independent practice.[1] Radiology residency training programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have undergone substantial expansion and evolution over the last decade under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).[2] Despite different studies showing the detrimental effects of long duty hours on residents in training,[3,4] the longstanding tradition of 24-hour duty is still widely implemented in most radiology residency training programs in Saudi Arabia According to the SCFHS regulations, continuation of daily duties post-call is encouraged to enhance clinical exposure, but not mandatory, as the SCFHS recommends a maximum of 24 hours of in-hospital duty hours.[2]

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