How many hours a week do doctors work during residency?

U.S. medical residents work an average of 60-80 hours per week, capped by ACGME rules at an average of 80 hours over four weeks, with long shifts (up to 24 hours) and mandatory time off, though hours vary significantly by specialty (e.g., inpatient vs. outpatient) and rotation, with some weeks pushing past 80 hours due to on-call duties and the demands of complex patient care.

How many hours a week do you work during residency?

It is a supervised clinical training period and an intensive, full-time job—requiring 60-80 hours per week—which provides physicians, also referred to as residents or trainees, with hands-on experience and increasing autonomy in delivering health care under the guidance of experienced attending physicians.

Do doctors work 7 days on 7 days off?

Yes, many hospital-based doctors, especially hospitalists, work a common "7 days on, 7 days off" schedule, working long shifts (often 12 hours) for a week, including weekends, then having a full week off, which allows for long periods of rest but can lead to burnout during work weeks. This schedule ensures continuity of care for patients but is just one model, with other specialties like emergency medicine or surgery having different patterns, and some doctors even prefer more frequent, shorter shifts.
 

Is being a doctor a 9 to 5 job?

No, most doctors do not work a standard 9-to-5; their hours are often long, irregular, and include nights, weekends, and on-call shifts, varying greatly by specialty, with roles like ER or OB/GYN having less fixed schedules, while some outpatient or VA physicians might find more 9-to-5 opportunities, though still typically exceeding 40 hours weekly. 

Do residents still do 48 hour shifts?

In the US and Canada the limit on residents' weekly working hours is the least stringent (80 h), which corresponds to the highest frequency of monthly overnight shifts (10 and 7-8, respectively). EU countries observe the EWTD limit of no more than 48 h.

How Much Do Resident Doctors Work?

What doctor makes $500,000 a year?

Doctors in high-demand surgical and specialized fields like Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, Cardiology, and Gastroenterology often earn over $500,000 annually, with some top earners in Thoracic Surgery or Neurosurgery making significantly more, while even family doctors can reach this level through practice ownership or specialized services.
 

Is residency harder than med school?

Yes, residency is generally considered harder than medical school, but in a different way; medical school is academically intense with exams, while residency trades academic pressure for real-world responsibility, longer hours, physical exhaustion, critical patient-care decisions, and emotional stress, though it's where you truly become a doctor. Residency shifts focus from book learning to hands-on, high-stakes clinical practice, often involving 80+ hour weeks, overnight calls, and constant responsibility for patients' lives, making it more draining on stamina and time. 

What is the most overworked doctor?

Emergency medicine physicians experience the most intense burnout, with the highest emotional fatigue (68%) and depersonalization (55%). Therapists reported the next-highest rate of emotional fatigue at 61%, along with the highest mental fatigue (77%).

Which residency is the least stressful?

Public Health & Preventive Medicine

It's probably the least stressful medical specialty overall, although it's not always the most popular among medical students because of the rarity of patient interaction.

How old is the youngest doctor?

The youngest person to become a doctor, according to Guinness World Records, is Dr. Balamurali Ambati, who earned his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1995 at the age of 17 years, 294 days, after completing school and college at exceptionally young ages. He graduated from high school at 11, NYU at 13, and finished medical school shortly after turning 17, becoming the world's youngest physician.
 

What is the golden rule for doctors?

A modern version of that oath puts it this way: “I shall do by my patients as I would be done by.” This is the doctor's version of the golden rule. It places the patient as someone to be treated justly, purely and with every ounce of a physician's talents.

What is the average salary of a doctor in the US?

The average doctor's salary in the US varies significantly by specialty, but general figures hover around $370,000 to $400,000+ annually, with high earners in fields like Orthopedic Surgery and Cardiology making over $500,000, while Family Medicine and Pediatrics average closer to $250,000-$300,000. Key factors influencing pay include specialization, location, experience, and practice setting.
 

How many vacation days do doctors have?

Typically, they're even given vacation time, with surveys showing that the average physician gets 25 to 35 days of paid time off (PTO) per year. But there's a disconnect, experts say, pointing to a 2024 study of thousands of physicians in the U.S. in which about 60% said they took 15 or fewer days of vacation per year.

How much do 2 year residents make?

Second-year (PGY-2) residents earn roughly $60,000 to $75,000 annually, with averages around $65,000-$73,000 in 2024-2025, depending on the institution, location, and specialty, with figures like $69,000 at Banner University and $72,672 at UT Southwestern showing typical increases over first-year pay. 

Do you have free time during residency?

In most programs, residents receive 3-4 weeks of vacation per academic year where they're free from educational and clinical work. Depending on your program, this may come in the form of 2-week stretches, 1-week stretches, or a combination.

What time do most doctors wake up?

6 a.m.: The day begins

That said, most internal medicine residents on standard inpatient rotations wake up somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. and aim to get to the hospital by 7 a.m. to start their shifts.

What's the hardest residency to get into?

The hardest medical residencies to get into consistently include Dermatology, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology (ENT), Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology, and Cardiothoracic Surgery, due to high demand, limited spots, intense competition, high USMLE scores required, and prestigious work-life balance/income potential, with Neurosurgery often cited as the most demanding due to complex, high-stakes training.
 

What doctor has the best work-life balance?

TL;DR: The best medical specialties for work life balance are Teleradiology, Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Otolaryngology, Endocrinology, Clinical Pathology, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Allergy and Immunology, and Pediatrics. It's about time, isn't it?

How many people fail residency?

Overall, 2.67% of surgical residents did not progress to the next level each year. This proportion is higher in surgical specialties than in nonsurgical ones. Nonprogression rates for individual surgical specialties ranged from 0.4% to 4.1% on average per year.

What is the most underpaid doctor?

These are the lowest-paid medical specialties, ranked by median salary:

• Pediatric Endocrinology: $218,000.
• Pediatric Infectious Disease: $221,000.
• Pediatrics: $243,000.
• Family Medicine: $255,000.
• Geriatrics: $275,000.
• Preventive Medicine: $275,000.
• Endocrinology: $276,000.
• Infectious Disease: $288,000.

What is the happiest doctor job?

Top 10 Happiest Medical Specialties

• Allergy and Immunology. Allergy & Immunology ranks #1 in physician-reported happiness, with 94% saying they feel happy and well-balanced. ...
• Pathology. ...
• Dermatology. ...
• Public Health & Preventive Medicine. ...
• Psychiatry. ...
• Ophthalmology. ...
• Otolaryngology (ENT) ...
• Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery.

What is the easiest doctor to become with a high salary?

15 highest-paying doctor jobs

• Psychiatrist. ...
• Obstetrics and gynecology physician. ...
• Pathologist. ...
• Internal medicine physician. ...
• Family medicine physician. ...
• Emergency medicine physician. ...
• Orthopedic surgeon. ...
• Radiologist.

What are red flags for residency?

Residency red flags are issues in an applicant's record that can raise concerns for program directors, primarily falling into categories like academic performance (failed board exams, low scores, failed courses), gaps in education (unexplained time off, delays in graduating), and professionalism issues (disciplinary actions, legal problems, negative MSPE), along with weak application materials (generic statements, poor LORs) or limited clinical experience. These flags signal potential challenges, but can often be mitigated by explaining the context, demonstrating growth, and showing alignment with the program's values. 

What is the 32 hour rule in medical school?

The "32-hour rule" in medical school admissions refers to a policy where some medical schools focus on an applicant's GPA from their most recent 32 credit hours, often in science courses, instead of their entire undergraduate GPA, benefiting students with a strong upward trend or a solid post-baccalaureate performance. Schools like Wayne State University and LSU Health New Orleans use variations of this to give more weight to recent academic efforts, allowing strong performance in later coursework or post-bacc programs to shine. 

Can a resident call themselves a doctor?

The answer is generally “no,” as the ability to use the title is tied to being licensed by the medical board1.