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Home  >  Articles  >  What is the July Effect?

What is the July Effect?

As newly graduated medical school students begin their residencies in teaching hospitals, a noticeable spike in mistakes occurs in some of those hospitals. Often continuing throughout July and into August, this influx of new practitioners causes what is known as the “July effect.” The July effect describes a sharp increase in instances of malpractice and mistakes by medical doctors.

The training period for a doctor can be a difficult time, but it is the hospital administration’s job to make sure that faults and errors do not adversely affect patients. Contact the New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys of Levinson Axelrod, P.A., at 800-346-5529 today if you have been injured because of a resident’s mistakes.

Consequences of the July Effect

As teaching hospitals prepare residents for their future as full-fledged doctors, giving these individuals the freedom to treat their own patients works as the primary means of training. The increase of doctor-caused mistakes can often be tied to the common use of particularly strong medications. These new physicians may not fully realize which drugs are safe to prescribe, leading to serious errors for patients. Some of the following numbers illustrate the July effect:

  • A 2010 study found a 10% increase in mistakes in the month of July from 1979 to 2006
  • No July effect was found for patients with appendicitis in a 2010 study
  • No July effect was found for patients with ischemic stroke in a 2009 study
  • No July effect was found for cardiac surgery patients in a 2008 study

Many studies have proven that this phenomenon occurs primarily with medical doctors, not those involved with surgical procedures.

Contact Us

If you have suffered because of an inexperienced, untrained physician, there may be legal options available to fight for financial compensation. For a free consultation, contact the New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers of Levinson Axelrod, P.A., today by calling 800-346-5529.