Clinical Years Duty Hours Policy

Duty Hours

1. Maximum Hours of Work per Week
   Duty hours must be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over the course of the rotation, inclusive of all in-house call, clinical and formal educational activities. These hours do not take into account studying done by students outside of required activities.
2. Maximum Duty Period Length
   Duty periods for students must not exceed 28 hours of continuous scheduled duty.
3. Minimum Time Off between Scheduled Duty
   Students must have at least 8 hours free of clinical work and required education between clinical shifts and/or required educational sessions. After 24 hours of continuous call, students must have at least 14 hours free of clinical work and/or required education.
4. Maximum In-House On-Call Frequency
   Students must be scheduled for in-house calls no more frequently than every third night when averaged over the course of the rotation. No overnight call is permitted before exams.
5. Mandatory Time Free of Duty
   Students must be scheduled for a minimum of one day free of duty per week when averaged over the course of the clerkship or elective.
   Violations of the Duty Hour Policy are automatically sent to the Clerkship Chair and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education. Students should feel free to contact the Clerkship Chair and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education with any additional concerns.
6. Required Reporting of Duty Hours
   Regular reporting of duty hours is required in all core clerkships. In addition, violations of the Duty Hour Policy should be reported to the Site Director, Clerkship Chair, and/or the Dean’s Office.
7. DGSOM Technical Standards
   Students are encouraged to thoroughly review DGSOM Technical Standards. Any student with an existing disability, or who develops a disability (permanent or temporary), and wishes to seek an accommodation must notify the Director for DGSOM Disability Services (an extension of the UCLA Center for Accessible Education) in writing via the private online application process. The UCLA Center for Accessible Education will consult with the School of Medicine to notify them of a student’s request and recommended accommodations. For more information about DGSOM Disability Services, review their webpage.  

Policy Responsibility and References

1. RESPONSIBILITY
   Clerkship Chairs
   Clinical Electives Chairs
   Curriculum Managers
2. REFERENCES
   N/A
3. POLICY OWNER
   Medical Education Committee
4. REVIEWED BY
   Medical Education Committee
   Clerkship Curriculum Committee
   Curricular Affairs Office
   Student Affairs Office
5. REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
   November 2023, 3-year review cycle