Surgery Night Float Team: Should Medical Students Have a Spot on the Roster?

Abstract

Background: Following the trend of residency programs, more medical schools are offering night float (NF) schedules for clerkships and sub-internship rotations. The efficacy of this structure to educate students and prepare them for residency was evaluated.Methods: Twenty individuals were surveyed after a month-long 4th year NF elective in Trauma and Emergency Surgery.Results: Thirteen participants responded (65%), reporting more bedside procedures (84.7%) and oneon-one teaching with residents (84.7%), when compared to daytime shifts. Six (46.2%) experienced more operative procedures and contact with the attending physician. All participants (100%) reported: increased autonomy; that this elective better prepared them for their surgical residencies; and that theywould recommend this type of program to other students considering a career in surgery.Conclusion: Overall the NF surgical sub-internship was an effective and well-received experience for 4th medical students, with increased autonomy, more frequent procedures, and added resident-led education, when compared to a traditional daytime surgical clerkship/sub-internship. A NF schedule can be a valuable learning experience that prepares medical students for surgical residency.