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Medical Students Applaud Action to Enforce Limitation of Resident Physician Work

Reston, VA (May 1, 2003) - With the full support and praise of the members of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), Senator Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ) reintroduced the "Patient and Physician Safety and Protection Act of 2003", S.952, which limits residents' work schedules to 80 hours per week. Through its activism and lobbying efforts, AMSA's membership has brought national attention to the difficulties and dangers of requiring young doctors to work 36 hour shifts and as many as 120 hours a week. S. 952 proposes guidelines limiting the length of any one shift to 24 consecutive hours. Research suggests that more than 24 hours of wakefulness leads to a deterioration of cognitive function similar to the effects of having a blood alcohol levels of 0.1%.


While the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has proposed work hour standard that will go into effect July 1, 2003, their new guidelines lack independent oversight and enforcement, as well as whistleblower protections for residents who report suspected violations. "Federal legislation is necessary to enforce work hour limits and to provide specific mechanisms that will protect the identity of resident physicians who file complaints about work hour violations," said Eric J. Hodgson, president of the American Medical Student Association.

The American Medical Student Association is a student-governed, national organization representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With a membership of over 40,000 medical students, interns, and residents from across the country, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as the nation's health. The most comprehensive website on the resident work hour issue is available at www.amsa.org/hp/reswork.cfm. AMSA can provide assistance in reaching resident-physicians willing to comment on this issue.