Roster Manager for the Intern Doctors
Overview
In 2019, I developed a roster management system to streamline the yearly scheduling of intern doctors at Faridpur Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. While not a traditional software application, this Excel-based solution used advanced formulas and macros to manage the highly complex process of assigning interns across multiple departments for their mandatory rotations.
Motivation
Every year, hundreds of newly graduated MBBS students must complete structured rotations across different hospital departments. Traditionally, this was planned manually by department heads and the intern coordinator. But, this is a time-consuming and error-prone process. Departments like cardiology, nephrology, pediatrics, and orthopedics require a consistent number of interns to ensure patient care, while interns themselves must complete specific rotations without duplication. Without careful year-ahead planning, the hospital often faced mid-term staffing crises, with some departments left under-resourced.
Key features
- Automated generation of a complete year-long roster for all intern doctors
- Individual access for interns to view their personal rotation schedules
- Department-level views for professors, showing incoming interns and their assigned timelines
- Built-in rules to prevent duplication of rotations for interns
- Constraints to maintain minimum staffing levels across all departments
Image: Screenshot of the yearly roster view
Impact
The roster manager was successfully implemented during the 2019-2020 academic year. It eliminated mid-year staffing shortages, provided clarity for both interns and department heads, and significantly reduced the administrative burden.