Boston University Medical Center, supported by the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association, has filed an amicus brief in its desire to block any change in the status quo of residents. In our opinion, there are several convincing reasons why house staff should have the right to collective bargaining. First, the responsibilities of house staff are more akin to those of fully licensed physicians than to those of medical students. As residents gain seniority, a significant proportion of their medical activities and time are minimally supervised and semi-independent. Secondly, often no distinction is made between house staff and fully trained physicians in matters of liability.
Collective bargaining is among the most important issues in graduate medical education.
Through collective bargaining, resident organizations have made significant contributions to improving the quality of their training programs and subsequently to improvements in patient care. We must work to establish a protected and safe venue through which disputes between house staff and administrators can be discussed. Not only will this benefit residency programs, but more importantly, it will train the next generation of physicians to be proactive in their advocacy for both patients and the medical system as a whole. Paul R. Barach, M.D., is an anesthesiology resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a Clinical Fellow in Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Gary J. Brenner, M.D., is a resident in the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.