We’re revisiting the subject of restricted duty hours. As Aggravated DocSurg comments in his humor-laced sarcasm, any sane person would be happy to be working less; so I must not be sane, to be a resident arguing for longer hours. But I think the “old fogies” have a point; and we ought to listen to them before it’s too late to turn this around.

This essay by a neurosurgeon (beyond being an extraordinary demonstration of how to claim to be superhuman, without being arrogant) has applications for all surgeons. Dr. Vates argues that neurosurgeons are unique because they deal with the only non-replaceable, non-repairable part of the human body, which is true; and that they are a breed apart, and that’s true as well. But he also suggests that if you think a surgeon’s ability to perform complex or delicate operations is impaired by fatigue, the solution ought to be to get really good at the procedure, so as to have room to work with when you’re tired. He repeats the line, which ought to be a self-evident truism, but apparently doesn’t compute for the folks at ACGME, that there are no hour restrictions in private practice, and that if we’re concerned about fatigue impairing judgment, that too should be practiced first under supervision.

Apparently some idiots are seriously proposing limiting the work week even farther, to 56 or 48 hours. I object. 80hrs is barely enough now; frequent readers of my blog will have recognized that I regard this as a rule made to be broken. If they cut it down to 56, they will have to extend the length of the residencies; right now, most people are 30 by the time they finish residency, let alone non-traditional students. Lifestyle may not be an issue under that regime, but paying back debts in time to have some money saved for retirement will be.

So I highly approve of Dr. Vates’ solution: The ACS needs to take its toys and leave, ie opt out of the ACGME, and set up its own standards for residency accreditation. Of course, since ACGME recognition is a prerequisite for Medicare to pay for anything, and for board eligibility, this is the kind of thing that would have to be orchestrated with 100% participation, essentially a boycott of the ACGME by the surgical specialties. I’m looking to see where I can sign a petition to that effect. . .