title: Professionalism, altruism, and overwork.
abstract: The author contends that overworking residents cannot be ethically justified. There is evidence that overwork is detrimental both to the resident and to the patient. In addition, the argument that working long hours is essential to maintain medicine's status as a profession is analyzed. The claim cannot be supported by definitions of professionalism. Although Flexner's definition does specify altruism as an essential component, it does not justify long working hours for residents. Altruism is obligatory in some limited cases, but only when it is required to fulfill some contractual obligation.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ritchie
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004501:Education, Medical; D004989:Ethics; D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D028681:Moral Obligations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D014937:Work; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance