Why Training Program Administrators Work Overtime
January 2026
Twelve Reasons Why Residency and Fellowship Administrators Work Overtime
Source: 2025 APDIM Internal Medicine Residency and Fellowship Program Administration Annual Survey
Note: Results were statistically weight-adjusted to more closely represent the total survey population of 908.
- 410 survey respondents.
- 376 reported to periodically work more than the number of regular hours per week.
- 12 original response options to the question, “Typically, when you work additional hours in one week, why do you do so?”
- Multiple responses allowed.
- In total, 1,184 items selected.
- Exploratory factor analysis (next graphic) revealed which response options clustered into “domains” (factors) of reasons for working additional hours.
Five Domains: Why Residency and Fellowship Administrators Work Overtime
Source: 2025 APDIM Internal Medicine Residency and Fellowship Program Administration Annual Survey
Note: Results were statistically weight-adjusted to more closely represent the total survey population of 908. Factor analysis/correlation: Method: principal-component factors; Rotation: orthogonal varimax (Kaiser).
- 410 survey respondents.
- 376 reported to periodically work more than the number of regular hours per week.
- 12 original response options to the question, “Typically, when you work additional hours in one week, why do you do so?” Multiple responses allowed.
- In total, 1,184 items selected.
- 5 "Domains" identified through exploratory factor analysis.
Five Domains: Why Residency and Fellowship Administrators Work Overtime, by Position Classification
Source: 2025 APDIM Internal Medicine Residency and Fellowship Program Administration Annual Survey
Note: Results were statistically weight-adjusted to more closely represent the total survey population of 908. Factor analysis/correlation: Method: principal-component factors; Rotation: orthogonal varimax (Kaiser). p>0.05 for all comparisons except for "It is expected; Other unspecified reasons:" p=0.019 (Adjusted Wald [Pearson] Chi-Square test with 1 degree of freedom).
- 410 survey respondents.
- 376 reported to periodically work more than the number of regular hours per week.
- 12 original response options to the question, “Typically, when you work additional hours in one week, why do you do so?” Multiple responses allowed.
- In total, 1,184 items selected.
- 5 "Domains" identified through exploratory factor analysis.
Data in Brief highlights key results gathered by recent Alliance research surveys. Watch for an email with new featured results.
This month’s Data in Brief explores why residency and fellowship training program administrators work overtime, based on APDIM Residency and Fellowship Program Administration (PA) Annual Survey results. Most PAs work beyond their regular hours at least some of the time. Among 12 reasons as to why, several correlated with each other into five “domains.” The most prevalent was “Cyclical nature of the job and being required to attend program meetings/events outside work hours” (82.5%). This finding was consistent between PAs who are salaried and hourly.
Contact surveys@im.org if you have any questions about the results below or any of the annual surveys.