Medical students and residents must consider several factors when deciding to contact more senior residents for guidance or assistance. General surgery senior residents (SR; 3^rd to 5^th year residents) and junior learners (JL; medical students, 1^st and 2^nd year residents) were presented with several clinical scenarios and asked if the JL should or would contact the SR. Both groups identified several patient- and learner-related factors that would influence the decision to contact the SR, such as the patient’s appearance or nurse's level of concern. Junior learners identified time of day and relationship with the senior resident as additional factors that would influence their decision.