Excessive work hours of physicians in training in El Salvador: Putting patients at risk
2007

Excessive Work Hours of Physicians in Training in El Salvador

publication

Author Information

Author(s): Kenneth R. Fernández Taylor

Primary Institution: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud “Dr. Luis Edmundo Vásquez,” Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado, La Libertad, El Salvador

Hypothesis

Excessive work hours of physicians in training are associated with increased medical errors and adverse events.

Conclusion

Excessive work hours for physicians in training in El Salvador pose significant risks to patient safety and the well-being of the trainees.

Supporting Evidence

  • Excessive work hours are linked to increased medical errors and adverse events.
  • Interns in El Salvador work about 123 hours a week with very little rest.
  • Many interns are paid very little or not at all for their extensive work hours.

Takeaway

Doctors in training in El Salvador work way too many hours, which can make them too tired to take care of patients properly.

Potential Biases

The author's personal experience may introduce bias in the interpretation of working conditions.

Limitations

The study is based on personal experience and observations rather than systematic data collection.

Participant Demographics

Interns in their seventh year of medical training in El Salvador.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pmed.0040205

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