Life As a Resident

When choosing an orthopaedic surgery residency program, it’s important to consider what your life as a resident might be like:

Will I be able to live a comfortable, healthy lifestyle? Can I see myself being happy here?

Those are questions that only you can answer, but we’re here to help you. Your health and happiness are crucial in your residency program and beyond.

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Call Hours

Resident workload is distributed evenly, providing plenty of clinical experience while still allowing for a satisfying personal life. The call schedule and duty hours are designed to ensure that residents are not over-worked or getting inadequate rest.

We strictly adhere to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident work rules.

residents with family

PGY-1 residents’ call hours vary and are determined by the surgical specialty on which the resident is rotating.
PGY-2 residents take call on a night float system. Each PGY-2 resident takes a total of three months of night float, spread out during the six-month orthopaedic trauma rotation. PGY-2 residents who aren’t on night float take a daytime call every third Sunday.
PGY-3 residents’ call hours include a Friday night and a Saturday day and night each month.
PGY-4 and PGY-5 residents take call every eighth night from home.

Each resident may take three one-week vacations each year. For information about pay and additional benefits, please contact the Office of Graduate Medical Education.

resident formal

Life in Augusta

With a reasonable cost of living and a number of entertainment options, Augusta, Georgia is a great place to live and work. Augusta offers:

A vibrant cultural scene: Enjoy musical performances at a number of Augusta’s performing arts venues.
Sporting events: Kick back at an Augusta GreenJackets minor league baseball game or at the Masters Tournament.
Outdoor attractions: Get some fresh air at one of the attractions in Augusta’s River Region such as the Augusta Canal, Clarks Hill Lake, Forks Area Trail System and the Savannah River.
Easy access to other destinations: Destinations such as the beach, mountains and cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte are just a few

Stay Healthy During Your Orthopaedic Surgery Residency

As you begin a career that is focused on caring for others, it’s critical that you take care of yourself first. We are committed not only to your professional development but also to your health and well-being.

To support you in living a healthy lifestyle during your residency and beyond, we offer access to facilities and services:

Augusta University Campus Recreation Center is equipped with a weight room, group fitness rooms for classes, an indoor track and basketball courts.
Employee & Family Assistance Program offers confidential counseling services free of charge.