Allowing Flexibility in Surgical Resident Duty Hours Trial

Residency programs will be randomized to either (1) an intervention arm that eliminates several Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour requirements or (2) to a usual care arm where programs will continue adhering to current ACGME requirements. Programs in the intervention arm will be granted a waiver from current duty hour requirements by the ACGME and allowed to eliminate all resident duty hour rules with the following exceptions: Duty hours limited to 80 hours/week averaged over 4 weeks, minimum of one free day (no duty)/week averaged over 4 weeks, may not take in-house call more frequently than every 3rd night, averaged over 4 weeks, allowed to increase duty requirement flexibility for chief residents. The intent of the intervention arm is to allow flexibility in surgical resident duty hours and improve continuity of care. Subsequently, the investigators will compare multiple postoperative outcomes between the two study arms using data collected through the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP). The results of this study will provide high-quality empirical evidence upon which to base resident duty hour requirements in the future.

Updated April 1, 2014

Detailed statistical analysis plan available on the FIRST Trial website. http://www.thefirsttrial.org/Approval/Approval

A listing of the 152 ACS-NSQIP hospitals that have elected to participate in the FIRST Trial is available on the FIRST Trial website. http://www.thefirsttrial.org/Hospitals/Hospitals

Updated July 14, 2014