Guides, comparisons and stories on residency scheduling
How-to guides for chiefs and coordinators, side-by-side looks at scheduling software, case studies from programs like Boston Children’s and UVA, and Chiefly updates.
Residency scheduling service or software: why not both?
Most residency schedules are built by chief residents, and scheduling by hand takes about half their year. Here is how spreadsheets, self-serve software and done-for-you services compare with Chiefly, which is both residency scheduling software and a service, and what to ask any vendor.
Read the guideMaternity and parental leave in residency: ACGME rules and who covers the schedule
Residents get at least six weeks of paid medical, parental and caregiver leave in each ACGME-accredited program. What the ACGME and specialty boards require, who covers call while a resident is out, and how chiefs rebuild the schedule.
Read the guideBest residency scheduling software: how to choose in 2026
In most residency programs, the planning, building and tinkering still happen in Excel, and Amion, QGenda, ShiftAdmin and Lightning Bolt mostly publish the result. Here is how the tools differ, what residency scheduling software should do, and what to ask in a demo.
Read the guideWhat is an X+Y schedule in residency? 4+1 and 6+2 explained
An X+Y schedule alternates blocks of inpatient or other rotations with protected weeks of outpatient clinic. Here is how 4+1 and other patterns work, the tradeoffs programs report, and how to build one without breaking coverage.
Read the guideCan ChatGPT build a residency schedule?
ChatGPT and Claude can draft a call schedule, but they can’t guarantee your rules across a year. What published studies and chiefs report, where ChatGPT and Claude break, and how to use them safely.
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Amion alternatives for residency programs: Chiefly vs Amion
Chiefly generates the residency block, daily, clinic and call schedules from your rules, all integrated, and re-runs them as things change. Amion is used mainly for call schedules and seeing who is on call. Here is how they compare on automation and ACGME rules, and how programs use both.
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