[user5994461]

> My wife is getting ready to start an OB/GYN residency next year (lasts 4 years for those who don't know). She just wrapped up interview season and each program had just about the same scheduling for their residents: 5 12-hour shifts at a minimum if you're lucky with one 24-hour shift per week on top of that. Often times I heard "one weekend off every six weeks". Then there's call.

How does this work out in the long term?

In the places I've seen that (not medical). It stops after a while because either the rhythm got back to normal or people burned out.

[rileyteige]

Well I can't say for sure about post-residency, but during the programs the shift scheduling was consistent all four years (some months you work the day 12-hour shift, other months you work the night 12-hour shift). The only thing that changed was during 3rd and 4th year, the call schedule was a bit more relaxed (after all they have to prep for another round of board exams).

As for burnout, alcoholism is relatively high among many medical specialties: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160314111353.h...