Extended Intern Work Shift Duration Associated with More Medical Errors

This is not surprising and there was probably a great deal of under reporting as well:

A study from the U.S. of doctors in their first postgraduate year (interns) has showed that working extended shifts is associated with increased reporting by the doctors of medical errors, adverse patient events and attentional failures.

. . .The authors conclude that "These results have important public policy implications for post-graduate medical education." >Full Story: ScienceDaily

. . . but maybe the longer physicians in training work the more opportunities they have to make medical mistakes, and maybe they are working during hours when there is just less supervision or other checks and balances (e.g. during night shifts and graveyard shifts). . . could the interns’ desire to work shorter hours have also biased their reporting of these events?