Rethinking shifts: shift length, diurnal variability, and long-term health risks for emergency medicine physicians.

Emergency physicians are experts in managing critical conditions in a fast-paced everchanging environment. They deliver continuous 24/7 care and are the entry point to the healthcare system for many patients. It is essential to have healthy, alert and skilled emergency physicians at all times of the day and yet they face the physical and mental challenges of shift work. This article aims to explore the current literature on emergency department (ED) shiftwork, the mental well-being and physical implications of shift work and offer strategies to mitigate its detrimental effects on emergency physicians.