RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Night duties in surgical wards can be demanding physically and mentally. Staffing the emergency room, performing emergency operations and taking care of the admitted patients are only few of surgeons' tasks during these busy duties. Night duties can have different effects on the following day/days tasks, limiting some of the leisure activities and maybe life quality. Literature search, however, shows few studies about the subject. The aim of this study was twofold: to study the effects of night duties on the general health of surgeons and to classify duties according to these effects. METHODS: Retrospective study based on modified Short Form Survey (SF)-12. Questionnaire forms were sent to all surgeons in the surgical department at Hvidovre Hospital. RESULTS: The questionnaire forms were sent to 64 surgeons and 38 answered (59.4%). The highest response rate was in the residents group (71.9%: 23/32), senior residents group (70%: 7/10) and the lowest rate in consultants group (36.4%: 8/22). CONCLUSION: Night duties have no significant effect on surgeons' general health. There is a trend, however, that these duties have an effect on hard physical and/or mental activities in the following day especially for female surgeons. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.