How House Officers Spend Their Nights

To the Editor: The results of the study by Lurie et al. (June 22 issue)¹ regarding how house officers in internal medicine spend their time on call are notable in documenting the paucity — in fact the absence — of educational interactions involving the residents. The authors expressed surprise and concern that these house officers spent so little time in direct patient evaluation and contact. We are more concerned, although not surprised,² that the residents experienced so little time of educational value, either with other house officers or with attending physicians. This marked imbalance between service and education is evidently.