Brief
Duty Hour Reform and the Outcomes of Patients Treated by New Surgeons
Evaluating a New Paradigm in Surgical Training
Key Findings
Despite concerns that duty hour reform might adversely affect the performance of new surgeons, this national study found no impact on patient outcomes, including 30-day mortality rates, failure-to-rescue, length of stay, and use of intensive care units. These findings should allay fears that reduced work hours during residency would produce surgeons less prepared for practice than their more experienced colleagues.