Schedule Maker's Guide

Create Blocks

A Call/Shift Schedule is divided into blocks. Each Block is made independently of the other Blocks in the Schedule. Care should be taken in selecting the Block dates of a schedule to avoid making your life harder later on.

The key thing to understand about Call/Shift Schedule Blocks is that each Block is basically a standalone schedule.

This means you create shifts and calls in that block, and add residents to those shifts and calls. Then, when its time to work on the next Block you create shifts and calls in that block before you can add residents there.

Choosing Block Dates

For many of you the right block dates are obvious: they simply mirror the block dates of your program.

However some situations can make this decision less obvious:

• Some of your residents (typically PGY-1s and interns) start their blocks a few days after most other residents. In that case make block dates that match what the majority of your residents use (typically your more senior residents).
• Your Rotations are such that each week sees some residents ending and others starting on a schedule. The temptation there is to create week-long blocks. I don’t recommend this. Instead make blocks that are 4 weeks long, as it is much easier to deal with 13 separate blocks than 52. Use an Annual Rotations Schedule with week-long blocks to manage the resident’s presence in the schedule.

Here are some dos and don’ts:

• Make 12 month-long blocks ✓ good
• Make 13 4-week blocks ✓ good
• Make 12 normal blocks with a special short block during the winter holidays ✓ good
• Make a single year-long block, or two 6-month blocks ✗ The Scheduling Tool is not designed to edit an entire year's worth of schedules at once, and it may not be able to handle your schedule at all
• Make 52 week-long blocks ✗ 52 different blocks in a single schedule is a recipe for pain.

Block Dates and Start of Year

Your Blocks should all start and end within the schedule’s academic year.

It is acceptable for your first and last block to start or end outside the boundaries of your academic year by a few days.