Have you ever heard the caution, "don't get sick in July" from medical professionals or others? Should you ask teaching hospital personnel, you'll probably receive a knowing look or smile because this warning coincides with the academic calendar. While the medical profession always strives to provide the best care available, July is noted for hospital negligence and inexperienced care in Pennsylvania and across the country. Why?

July signals a major "shift change" at teaching hospitals. New, inexperienced interns, after just graduating from med school, take up their posts. At the same time, senior residents leave to assume their self-managed, independent patient care careers. What this means is that you might be under the care of the most inexperienced doctors during the calendar year.

However, reality sometimes paints a different picture.

Assuming that the more experience a doctor possesses, the higher level of care you'll receive, is a natural feeling. Yet, do you know the quality of a doctor's experience? Suppose their experience has fostered on treatment philosophies that are counter-productive for many patients? Just how important is the experience factor? Are inexperienced interns more prone to errors and mistakes?

Numerous studies indicate that contrary to popular belief, the "July effect" does not actually exist. A National Institutes of Health study analyzed 10 years of neurosurgery patients. Results displayed that July neurosurgery was not more dangerous than any other month. Conversely, NIH published another survey of spine-related cancer surgery that indicated patients had many more surgical complications, when compared to similar procedures performed in June or August.

Sound medical experience can be very helpful, particularly in diagnostic procedures. Unfortunately, depending on experience can sometimes create poor results, too. How do you feel about physician experience? Good or not so good?

Source: CNN, "The 'July effect': Why experienced doctors may not deliver the best care," Dr. Zachary F. Meisel and Dr. Jesse M. Pines, July 17, 2012