# Do medical residents with families get shorter hours **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 15, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230 "2016-02-15T23:40:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/1 "2016-02-15T23:40:14Z")
If a medical resident has a spouse and kids at home, are they able to get shorter hours or do all the residents work the same 60-80 hour workweek? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/2 "2016-02-16T00:07:19Z")
According to my sister, who entered medical school at the age of 46 when she had a husband and two kids… No, they do not get shorter hours. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/3 "2016-02-16T00:25:41Z")
No, no shorter hours. When you’re a Resident, you’re a Resident. Your family will see you in three to six years. They take a sick pride in hazing their young. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/4 "2016-02-16T00:41:24Z")
IME they don’t officially have shorter hours but nevertheless tend to leave a bit earlier anyways. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/5 "2016-02-16T00:42:18Z")
I’m not aware of ANY profession where, as a rule, you can work shorter hours just cuz you’re married and/or have kids. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/6 "2016-02-16T01:44:25Z")
Why should they? Would you go to a doctor who had less training, because s/he had a family when a resident? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/7 "2016-02-16T01:57:26Z")
HAHAHAHAHAH…no ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/8 "2016-02-16T08:17:47Z")
No. Why would they? If they want shorter hours they’re in the wrong job. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/9 "2016-02-16T11:58:35Z")
Although not given shorter hours, they do have the option to divorce, which some do. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/10 "2016-02-16T16:13:55Z")
I knew one young woman who had a baby while in med school, finished med school and then quit her residency after 6 weeks because she could not take it any longer. She is not a doctor now, 15 years later. I think she is evaluating medical claims for an insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-medical-residents-with-families-get-shorter-hours/746230/11 "2016-02-16T17:36:10Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I knew one young woman who had a baby while in med school, finished med school and then quit her residency after 6 weeks because she could not take it any longer. She is not a doctor now, 15 years later. I think she is evaluating medical claims for an insurance company. I had a neighbor who did the same thing - I don’t know what she ended up doing, I lost track of her when they moved out of state. I just kept thinking “oh, God, the school loans.” I do know the baby was planned, because when she was in med school and trying to conceive, I kept thinking “you are way more motivated than I am.”