Letters15 May 1996Residency OverworkRobert Matz, MDRobert Matz, MDMt. Sinai School of Medicine; New York, NY 10029Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-124-10-199605150-00035 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:I propose a different slant on Dr. Green's perception that “the primary adverse consequence of prolonged work hours seems to be that overtired house officers develop undesirable and unprofessional attitudes” [1]. Much of medical training teaches physicians how to function compassionately and ethically under various “unnatural” circumstances; we are uniquely granted access to the most private physical and mental aspects of other humans. We address aspects of individuals, societies, and diseases that may be distasteful or repulsive. Nevertheless, the key to our professional soul is maintaining universal humanism in settings from which others may elect to remain ...
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