Call Requirements

CALL REQUIREMENTS

Call requirements:

• During 4 weeks on CTU at RAH or UAH - 4 overnight call shifts, at least 1 of which must be weekend days (Sat/Sun/Stat* - see below for stat holiday dates) Call starts at 0800.  Call must finish by 1000 the following day.  The 4 overnight call shifts need to be completed during the 4 weeks students are on CTU at RAH or UAH. 

• During 4 weeks on CTU at GNH or on preceptor-led unit at RAH or UAH - 4 Emerg admission shifts, 3 of which should be evening shifts and 1 of which should be a weekend day (Sat/Sun/Stat shift* - see below for stat holiday dates).  The evening Emerg admission shifts are from 1600 - 2200.  The weekend Emerg admission shifts are from 0800  to 2000. The 4 Emerg admission shifts need to be completed during the 4 weeks students are on CTU at GNH or on the preceptor-led unit. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Students are not expected to be at work on stat holidays unless they are on call.  If a student is on call during a stat holiday, they are entitled to a day off in lieu.  This day in lieu must be taken during the internal medicine clerkship.  If the stat holiday falls at the end of the clerkship, a day in lieu should be taken in advance of  the stat holiday.

• If possible, avoid Tuesdays and Thursdays to allow full attendance at academic half-day and avoid excessive post-call long weekends.

• Always on call with a resident

• No call the evening prior to OSCE/MCQ exams

• No call past 2100 on the final Sunday of Clerkship

• No overnight call the evening before MED 531 Clinical Problem Solving Course or Longitudinal Themes AHD

• Spread call evenly through rotation. Call shifts should not be stacked at the beginning of the rotation with few scheduled for the end of the rotation.

• Maximum 26 hours, no new clinical responsibilities after 24 hours. (MD Program's Clinical Duty Hours Policy)

EXPECTATIONS FOR CALL

• Answer pages promptly

• Clearly identify yourself as a medical student when answering pages or when contacting other HCWs.  There have been some instances when ward staff have mistaken medical students for residents.

When to Contact Resident/Attending:

• If a patient is unwell, contact the covering resident/preceptor immediately.  Examples of unwell patients include, but are not limited to, new high fever, O2 requirements drastically increasing, new atrial fibrillation, new sustained tachycardia, chest pain.

• If you have any other concerns about a patient, please contact the covering resident/preceptor immediately

• The covering resident should be your first point of contact.  If there are any difficulties/delays in reaching the resident, please contact the preceptor.

• If a patient has died, please notify the resident/attending physician

• If you notify a resident/preceptor about a patient or if you discuss a patient with a resident/preceptor, please document who you notified and the outcome of any discussion if a discussion was had.

Orders:

• Students are NOT permitted to issue verbal orders (e.g. for labs, medications) to ward staff.  

• If you pend an order on Connect Care (or write a provisional order on paper charts at GNH), please notify a resident or attending to inform them of pending order.  If the resident and attending physician are not notified, the orders are left unsigned and nursing staff are unable to act on them.

Expected Patient Deaths:

• It is NOT within the scope of practice of a medical student to declare a patient deceased.  If a patient dies, please contact the covering resident/preceptor immediately so that death can be formally declared.

STAT HOLIDAYS 2025-2026

Please note that Easter Monday is not counted as a stat holiday because AHS does not view it as a stat.  Students are expected to be in attendance on the unit on Easter Monday, April 6, 2026 unless there is a pre-authorized absence or the student is post-call.

• Labour Day - Monday, September 1, 2025

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Tuesday, September 30, 2025

• Thanksgiving - Monday, October 13, 2025

• Remembrance Day - Tuesday, November 11, 2025

• Christmas Day - Thursday, December 25, 2025

• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2026

• Family Day - Monday, February 16, 2026

• Good Friday - Friday, April 3, 2026

• Victoria Day - Monday, May 18, 2026

• Canada Day - Wednesday, July 1, 2026

• Heritage Day - Monday, August 3, 2026