The 5pm Consult

Hospital etiquette is to call consults early in the morning so that subspecialty services can see the patient and staff them by the afternoon. Sometimes we get exasperated by the consult that gets called at 5pm, especially if it is not urgent. But after being an intern in that situation of calling and a resident receiving that call, I've learned the far most important thing is to be polite, see the patient, and help the primary team. There's no place for laziness or unprofessional comments. It happens, of course; no one can deny how tiring, difficult, and stressful residency can be. But we always remember that we are here to take care of patients and staying an extra hour or two is hardly a big sacrifice.