title: Working hours of obstetrics and gynaecology trainees in Australia and New Zealand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The importance of doctors' working hours has gained significant attention with evidence suggesting long hours and fatigue may compromise the safety and wellbeing of both patients and doctors. This study aims to quantify the working hours of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) specialist trainees in order to better inform discussions of working hours and safety within our region.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous, online survey of RANZCOG trainees was conducted. Demographic data were collected. The primary outcomes were: hours per week at work and hours per week on-call. Secondary outcomes included the frequency of long days (>12 h) and 24-h shifts, time spent studying, staff shortages and opinions regarding current rostering.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response rate was 49.5% (n = 259). Full-time trainees worked an average of 53.1 ± 10.0 h/week, with 11.6% working on-call. Long-day shifts were reported by 85.8% of respondents, with an average length of 14.2 h. Fifteen percent reported working 24-h shifts, with a median duration of uninterrupted sleep during this shift being 1-2 h. Trainees in New Zealand worked 7.0 h/week more than Australian trainees (P ≤0.001), but reported less on-call (P = 0.021). Trainees in Western Australia were more likely to work on-call (P ≤0.001) and 24-h shifts (P ≤0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While 53.1 h/week at work is similar to the average Australian hospital doctor, high rates of long days and 24-h shifts with minimal sleep were reported by RANZCOG trainees in this survey.
authors.affiliation: King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.affiliation: King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Paige E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7918-9499
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Max K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.affiliation: King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.|School of Women's and Infants' Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution; D012890:Sleep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: fatigue; obstetrics and gynaecology; sleep; training; work hours