On-Call Experience
Our program uses a night float system with residents rotating as the designated on-call resident. As new residents acclimate to the on-call experience, senior residents provide guidance and oversight.
- The shifts for night float are generally 6 p.m. – 7 a.m. for three or four consecutive nights.
- Two residents often work in tandem on this service, along with faculty supervisors.
- Night float rotation is the resident’s exclusive focus with no additional clinical responsibilities assigned during this time.
- On weekends, other residents are rotationally assigned to work the day shift from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- In addition to the night float or on-call residents, we have additional resident(s) working evening shifts to address patient care issues on inpatient psychiatry units.
- During the first postgraduate year, all on-call and night float experiences occur within psychiatry, even while rotating on non-psychiatry services.
Mental health clinicians are available to help residents with aspects of patient care. This can include facilitating admissions and discharges, coordinating insurance and payment arrangements, obtaining collateral information and assisting with any unanticipated issues that may arise.