Work / Duty Hours

UF COM is committed to providing a supportive educational environment.

Pre-Clinical Years (Phase 1)

The curriculum for the preclinical years is specifically designed to provide multiple learning opportunities for students. Students are considered responsible for their own learning. Attendance is encouraged for all learning sessions and required for selected activities including: patient presentations, those involving team accountability (e.g., Collaborative Learning Groups, all small group sessions), and clinical skill/ CSEs/ Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center activities. Didactic and preparation time is limited to 25 hours a week with an additional 10 hours of scheduled group activity (e.g., labs and collaborative learning groups).

Clinical Years (Phases 2 & 3)

This policy clarifies the requirements and protection to medical students regarding hours they are required to work during their clinical rotations at the University of Florida.  All clinical rotations will follow this policy. The policy will be posted in the syllabi for all clerkships.

Work hours are defined as clinical activities related to the rotation, inclusive of clinical care, call, shifts and night float, and exclusive of independent afterhours studying.

Each student is limited to a maximum of 80 hours of assigned clinical duties per week averaged over the length of the rotation. The 80 hours includes time spent sleeping at the hospital while on call and non-clinical educational activities at the COM. Students are required to have four 24-hour periods off averaged over a four week period. If an infraction should occur during a clerkship, the student should contact either the Clerkship Director or the Associate Dean for Medical Education (who will contact the Clerkship Director).  The Clerkship Director will work with the site to rectify the infraction of duty hours.  Additionally, students will report the extent of work hours in the formal clerkship evaluations.

Compliance will be reviewed by:

  • Clerkship Directors
    • Review of student evaluations via mid-clerkship feedback and at end of each clerkship rotation
  • Committee on Program Evaluation and Student Assessment
    • Review of student evaluations at end of each clerkship rotation

If students have been compelled to work beyond the allowable time frame as described above, the Associate Dean for Medical Education will meet with the specific clerkship director to assure future compliance.