Effect of call organization on burnout and quality of life in psychiatry residents

- Pre-existing data supporting a hypothesis that structuring resident call in a night float system is superior to a 24 h call system for resident well-being is mixed and inconclusive.
- Exposure to a 24 h call system is associated with higher levels of burnout and lower perceived quality of life when compared to night float.
- There is not currently a valid way to assess the effect of rotation schedules and structures on resident well-being within the context of a specific residency program.

We aimed to measure the effects of a residency program's mid-year shift from 24-h call to night float on resident burnout and quality of life. At the end of the year, residents who started the year with 24-h call had worse burnout and quality of life, with statistical significance and large effect sizes. Exposure to a twenty-four hour call system, when compared to a full year of night float, may be associated with increased burnout and decreased quality of life, though measuring this effect is not straightforward.