Illnesses and other causes of unexpected absences from work during residency training.

Unexpected absences from work due to illness and other reasons among residents in training cause scheduling difficulties and stress among residents. In 1986, 134 University of Rochester internal medicine and pediatric residents recorded the number of days they had been absent from work during their residency training and provided their opinions regarding the stress these absences caused and the effectiveness of the sick-call system for residents then in use in reducing such stress. They recorded a total of 469 days of absence from work due to illness and 140.5 days lost from work for other reasons. These 609.5 days represented 1.1 percent of the residents' scheduled workdays. According to the residents' responses, the sick-call system helped to provide coverage for the residents who were absent and reduced their stress and feelings of guilt because of the absence. The system also helped meet the programs' objective of teaching residents the importance of supporting their colleagues when circumstances require them to be absent from work.