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what is the actual lifestyle of a hematologist/oncologist working in private practice. what is call like? how busy is it really?
thanks guys.
thanks guys.
VentdependenT said:Comfortable lifestyle dealing with terminal cancer patients? Are you friggen serious. Lifestyle should never enter the minds of these docs (I'm not calling for altruisim here, but its still fairly selfless to go into heme-onc), if they are to be any good at it. It takes a special person to deal with cancer patients. God bless em cause seeing that every day would break my heart.
Lifestyle, what a joke.
dharmabum7 said:someone in anesthesia should not preach lifestyle!!
dharmabum7 said:someone in anesthesia should not preach lifestyle!!
Scarlet_Fire said:Under the new Medicare Reform Act recently passed, there will ultimately be a tremendous decline in the reimbursement for oncologists' administration of chemotherapeutics for cancer patients. Oncologists have, for many years, have been able to purchase chemotherapeutics from drug companies, often at significant markdown for group-rate purchases, then charged substantial mark-ups on the drug as they oversee the administration. This stands in direct contradiction to the laws governing physicians selling drugs and products in their offices (which is generally not permitted.)
Admittedly there are very significant differences between a physician's office selling a patient a course of Zithromax versus a chemo regimen. However, it is no surprise that the government, in its attempt to be fiscally prudent, is trying to pinch pennies (actually, more like millions) to ensure that other components of the Medicare Reform will be funded and enacted.
With new Medicare standards eventually in place, private insurers will most certainly fall into rank and lower their reimbursements for oncologist-administered chemo. If you are choosing Heme/Onc or simply Oncology for lifestyle/financial concerns, you may want to do a some additional research before doing so to be sure that this subspecialty is right for you...and for the right reasons.
VentdependenT said:Touche my good man. I've watched many of my family members struggle with or die from cancer, so I have a bit of selection bias towards oncologists. I am headed towards critical care at this point, but I may change my mind. Hey see you at the surgicenter! You can park your Porche (designer plates: Kan$$er) next to my Humvee2 ($andmaN). Its the one with the 22inch spinners.
VentdependenT said:Comfortable lifestyle dealing with terminal cancer patients? Are you friggen serious. Lifestyle should never enter the minds of these docs (I'm not calling for altruisim here, but its still fairly selfless to go into heme-onc), if they are to be any good at it. It takes a special person to deal with cancer patients. God bless em cause seeing that every day would break my heart.
Lifestyle, what a joke.
VentdependenT said:You win Goofard Mcdoofas! I'll just have to do my best with my "horrific" bone cracking back wrenching life as an anesthesiologst. Keep racking in the bucks and kicken back taking care of those terminal breast cancer patients in accordance with your absolutely exceptional lifestyle.
Catfish John said:She makes okay money (300k/yr)
Wow, I guess everything IS relative.
dharmabum7 said:in a pitiful attempt yet again to go back to my original question...
what kind of hours do private heme-onc docs put in? how bad are their call nights? do they get time off?
thanks to anybody who replies.
VentdependenT said:Let it all out guys. Its healing time. Great post Glee. You definitely got that oh so subtle sarcastic remark about the Humvee. More bashing welcome as I am a masochist.
Sveet07 said:I am saying this only because mommy is an Anesthesiologist and daddy is a Cardiologist. Growing up, I see my mommy all the time, but my daddy I never saw. He comes home weird hours at night (I don't think he was cheating on mommy or anything), it's just that there are just so many people with sick hearts these days. He currently is still working these weird hours and at the same time saw his salary cut from $600k/yr to $400k/yr. Mommy works only four days a week now and is on-call about once a month. She makes okay money (300k/yr), but she gets home so early everyday, I remember.
Klebsiella said:You have received several responses that have specifically answered your question. Beyond that, I'm not sure what you want.
Klebsiella said:Your not a masochist. Your posts however have the malodorous stench of ignorance and discomfort with chosen profession.
No one is trying to win or lose. That you seem to view this topic as an online boxing match is somewhat amusing, yet in the end, quite disturbing. I truly hope you truly enjoy the profession with the highest suicide rate, as it should suit your masochistic tendencies quite well.
VentdependenT said:You win again Poofard Mcdoofas! What a truly compassionate physician you must be. Touting suicide rates, an amazing display of humanity from the good doctor! I applaud your wonderful posts sir. Congrats on expressing your supercilious disdain for the entire field of anesthesiology rather than just focusing your own personal distaste with me on me. A classy move and quite revealing, wouldn't you say?
I think you should run into the OR's and tell every anesthesiologist that they are all suicidal. That'll show us. Finally, I'm not sure how you concluded that suicide is tantamount to masochisim, but I won't dare argue with someone with such an absolutely exceptional lifestyle!
What was the OP's question again?
Bump...
Can anyone comment on the typical week of an AVERAGE heme/onc physician?
Thanks.
I just completed a rotation with a heme/onc physician who works for a cancer care center with 6 other heme/onc docs, 4 rad/onc, and several surgeons.
The heme/onc guys are in the clinic from about 8am-6pm 4 days a week. They are on call for 7 days every 7th week, which means that they are rounding on all the group's hospitalized patients in the morning then seeing patients in the clinic after lunch, plus dealing with whatever calls/admits/etc. might happen in the afternoon or overnight.
About 80% oncology, 20% hematology.
Relationships with the patients are outstanding, they love you.
Don't know what the compensation is like.
Under the new Medicare Reform Act recently passed, there will ultimately be a tremendous decline in the reimbursement for oncologists' administration of chemotherapeutics for cancer patients. Oncologists have, for many years, have been able to purchase chemotherapeutics from drug companies, often at significant markdown for group-rate purchases, then charged substantial mark-ups on the drug as they oversee the administration. This stands in direct contradiction to the laws governing physicians selling drugs and products in their offices (which is generally not permitted.)
Admittedly there are very significant differences between a physician's office selling a patient a course of Zithromax versus a chemo regimen. However, it is no surprise that the government, in its attempt to be fiscally prudent, is trying to pinch pennies (actually, more like millions) to ensure that other components of the Medicare Reform will be funded and enacted.
With new Medicare standards eventually in place, private insurers will most certainly fall into rank and lower their reimbursements for oncologist-administered chemo. If you are choosing Heme/Onc or simply Oncology for lifestyle/financial concerns, you may want to do a some additional research before doing so to be sure that this subspecialty is right for you...and for the right reasons.
okay let me rephrase, do most of you guys concur with the 3 people who responded to the original question ... it seems that the responses don't really concur... i figure this is because it depends on the practice you are in?
so if anybody know people in this area, are the hours good in heme-onc? and if anybody can give their 2 cents on what the call is like when you are in private practice? again i appreciate all your input....
i'm sorry if i keep asking, i just want a few more opinions...
Forget lifestyle. It doesn't matter how many days a week you work if you dislike what you do. It hurts just as much to work 4 days a week as 7 days a week if you come to dislike it.
Just pick a field because you really love it.
I haven't had much heme/onc exposure yet. I was wondering, what procedures do they do? Is there a turf battle between them any other specialty (i.e. RadOnc)?
I haven't had much heme/onc exposure yet. I was wondering, what procedures do they do? Is there a turf battle between them any other specialty (i.e. RadOnc)?
It is one the least procedural fields in medicine. There isn't a turf battle with other specialties.
Is the lifestyle of Heme/Onc comparable to RadOnc?
So, compared to other IM specialties (GI, Cards), would you say Heme/Onc is the least stressful?
This is the opposite of true.
What's the least stressful of the IM specialties then? Rheum? Allergy?