The July effect, sometimes referred to as the July phenomenon, is a perceived but scientifically unfounded increase in the risk of medical errors and surgical complications that occurs in association with the time of year in which United States medical school graduates begin residencies. A similar period in the United Kingdom is known as the killing season or, more specifically, Black Wednesday, referring to the first Wednesday in August when postgraduate trainees commence their rotations. United States A Journal of General Internal Medicine study, published in 2010, investigated medical errors from 1979 to 2006 in United States hospitals and found that medication errors increased 10% during the month of July at teaching hospitals, but not in neighboring hospitals. Surgical errors did not increase, leading to the hypothesis that medication errors are easier for new personnel to make because they are prescribing drugs on their own, rather than being cross-checked by others. The study did not have sufficient data to link the increased errors to new residents, however, and further study would need to be done in order to determine the sources of this increase. A criticism of the study suggests that the supervision of new residents and the patient loads at teaching hospitals have improved since 1979 and that the results may be skewed by including much older data. Other studies searching for the July effect have found variable evidence of an increased risk, with several studies finding no risk at all. A 2010 scientific review published in the Journal of Surgical Education found no July effect for patients with acute appendicitis. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Trauma found an increased risk of errors that resulted in preventable complications but these errors had no significant impact on mortality. A 2009 study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found no month-by-month differences in outcomes of medical trauma patients. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases found no evidence of the July effect for patients with acute ischemic stroke. A 2009 study published in the Southern Medical Journal found no difference in the medical management of patients with acute cardiovascular conditions. A 2008 study published in The American Journal of Surgery found no seasonal difference in outcomes for cardiac surgery patients. A 2007 study published in the Annals of Surgery found a significant seasonal variation with surgical outcomes, with an