Medical Resident Took Call While Intubated

But medical residents are extremely reluctant to take off work because of illness. While this is a time-honored fact known to anyone and everyone who's spent time in the field of healthcare, MGH resident Anupam Jena nevertheless felt compelled to conduct a survey on the subject—ostensibly to determine exactly what percentage of residents have worked while sick during the course of a year (specifically 2008-2009). The answer, which is printed in a letter to JAMA: 58%.

That's a lowball figure, IMO. When I was a resident [cue younger generation to roll eyes far, far back into head], working 80-plus-hour weeks at HUP and taking every third night call for 2 years [might as well milk it], an intern or resident would never have dreamed of calling in sick unless he or she were already in the hospital—as a patient. Taking the day, and especially the night, off because you weren't feeling well would be like asking to be excused from the Battle of the Bulge because of trench foot. The resentment engendered in your already spent colleagues, who would have to make up for your absence, was simply not worth it, if you had a speck of pride, integrity, martyrdom...whatever.

Image of Saint Sebastian by Guido Reni from Wikipedia.