Definitions

Contact Hours: (direct) learning activities including the following: Lecture, Medium group case-based learning, PaCE Cases, Clinical skills sessions, Laboratory/dissection, Simulation, Preceptor clinic visits 

Duty Hours: All clinical and academic activities related to the program, including inpatient and outpatient patient care, administrative duties relative to patient care, the provision for transfer of patient care, in-house call activities, and scheduled activities such as conferences.. Duty hours do not include reading and preparation time spent away from the duty site.

Policy Details

1. Contact Hours for Phase 1 Courses
   1. Phase 1 blocks will contain no more than 30 hours of required activities weekly.  This 30-hour limit is inclusive of all required activities in the block, including scheduled in class activities (e.g., lecture, labs, CBLs, PaCE, clinical skills, and preceptor visits) and required asynchronous activities (e.g., online modules/"ELOs" and required readings).  
      
      
2. Duty Hours for Clinical Courses (Phase 2 and Phase 3)
   1. Duty hours will not exceed 80 hours/week
   2. No duty shift shall exceed 24 hours, plus a six-hour signoff.
   3. Students are required to have at least one 24-hour period off per week, average over a four-week period.
   4. All students are advised to report overages to the designated clerkship/block administrator or director, the associate dean of students, or via UWSMPH mistreatment reporting.
      
      
3. Students will not be penalized for reporting violations.

External References

LCME Element 8.8

ACGME Duty Hours Policy

Policy Administration

Approval Authority

Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee (EPCC)

Policy Manager

Associate Dean for Medical Education

Policy Contact(s)

Policy History

Date last reviewed and approved: June 11, 2025

Next review: June 2026