title: How surgical faculty and residents assess the first year of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour restrictions: results of a multi-institutional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined how surgical residents and faculty assessed the first year of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour restrictions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were administered in 9 general-surgery programs during the summer of 2004; response rates were 63% for faculty and 58% for residents (N = 259). Questions probed patient care, the residency program, quality of life, and overall assessments of the duty-hour restrictions. Results include the means, mean deviations, percentage who agree or strongly agree with the hour restrictions, and significance tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although most support the restrictions, few maintain that they improved surgical training or patient care. Faculty and residents differed (P < or = .05) on 16 of 21 items. Every difference shows that residents view the restrictions more favorably than faculty. The sex of the resident shaped the magnitude of the gap for 11 of 21 items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few believe that duty-hour restrictions improve patient care or resident training. Residents, especially female residents, view the restrictions more favorably than faculty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, 214-B Baldwin Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. jimcov@uga.edu
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Coverdill
authors.forename: Gina L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Adrales
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Finlay
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mellinger
authors.forename: Kimberly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Bonnell
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cofer
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dorner
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haisch
authors.forename: Kristi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Harold
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Termuhlen
authors.forename: Alexandra L B
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D005791:Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013997:Time Factors; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload