Excessive work hours of physicians in training: Maladaptive coping strategies
2007

Excessive Work Hours of Physicians in Training

publication

Author Information

Author(s): Kasi Pashtoon Murtaza, Kassi Masoom, Khawar Talha

Primary Institution: Bolan Medical College, Balochistan, Pakistan

Hypothesis

Do long working hours lead to negative coping strategies among physicians in training?

Conclusion

Long working hours among physicians in training lead to negative coping mechanisms and significant levels of stress.

Supporting Evidence

  • Long working hours contribute to increasing stress among physicians in training.
  • Many interns work 72 hours straight without adequate rest.
  • Negative coping strategies include substance use and behavioral disengagement.

Takeaway

Doctors in training are working too many hours, which makes them stressed and causes them to cope in unhealthy ways.

Methodology

The study documented the working hours of interns and residents and assessed their coping strategies using the Brief COPE–28 tool.

Participant Demographics

Final year medical students and interns in Pakistan.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pmed.0040279

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