WELLNESS
Rethinking Holiday Scheduling in Academic Emergency Medicine Departments
SAEM PULSE | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025
By Katren Tyler, MD; Bryn Mumma, MD; Jeff Druck, MD; Al’ai Alvarez, MD; Neha P. Raukar, MD, MS; Michelle D. Lall, MD, MHS; Marla C. Doehring, MD; Reuben Johnson, MD, Nick Ashenburg, MD; Simiao Li-Sauerwine, MD MSCR; Andrew Wong, MD, MBA; and Amanda J. Deutsch, MD on behalf of the SAEM Wellness Committee
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While the holidays for this year are behind us, it is not too early start planning for future holidays. For emergency physicians, holidays often mean more than just celebrations; they bring shifts in the emergency department (ED) while balancing family and social commitments. This perennial challenge in academic emergency medicine (EM) departments requires careful attention to equity and faculty well-being. Departments must navigate the intricate balance of professional responsibilities, personal priorities, and cultural values to create schedules that meet the diverse needs of their teams.
The Current State of Holiday Scheduling
Most academic EM departments rely on holiday rotation systems to manage coverage. These systems divide holidays into blocks and rotate faculty assignments annually to distribute the burden. Typical holiday shifts include winter holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, as well as summer holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July. Protected periods range from 1–7 days, with most departments protecting four days around a holiday. Some schedules include additional days for travel and family time.
It is common for departments to require faculty to work two holiday blocks per season. "Faculty" refers to fellows and staff physicians scheduled as emergency department (ED) attendings. Strengths of holiday rotation systems include: • Predictability: Faculty know in advance which holiday blocks they will cover, allowing for long-term planning. • Flexibility: Shift swaps and trades are common, offering room for individual preferences. •S hared Responsibility: Most EM professionals understand that