Call begins in the PGY2 year as noted below. Residents are oriented to call with a buddy-call system where they are paired with a PGY3 for their first six weeks of call.
PGY1: No primary call responsibilities – residents focus on clinical duties during their ophthalmology rotations. They may take call paired with a PGY2 resident a couple times during the second half of the year to prepare them for their future responsibilities.
PGY2: Call is split evenly between the residents every sixth night. Saturday and Sunday are treated as 24-hour shifts and kept on the “every sixth day” rotation schedule. Call covers the county hospital (Ben Taub General Hospital), the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MED VAMC), the private oculoplastics service, and the private neuro-ophthalmology service. The PGY2 residents also cover the Methodist Hospital Emergency Center for one third of their call days, as the Methodist call is split evenly with The University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston) ophthalmology residents and private faculty. Resident receive a guaranteed, protected post call time until 10 a.m. the day after call to allow rest before beginning clinical duties.
PGY3: Call is split evenly between the residents every sixth night. Saturday and Sunday are treated as 24-hour shifts and kept on the “every sixth day” rotation schedule. Call covers Texas Children’s Hospital and the private glaucoma, cornea, and retina services. The PGY3 residents also cover the St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Emergency Center for half of their call days, as call is split with community ophthalmologists.
PGY4: Senior residents are back-up and surgical call for BTGH and the MED VAMC. Senior residents may also see patients who require follow-up on the weekend. The call schedule is split evenly between the residents and is broken up into one-week blocks. PGY4 Residents typically schedule their call while they rotate at BTGH, however they maintain autonomy in creating the schedule. Call in the PGY4 year totals approximately eight to nine weeks.