Part-time Doctor

[ChipChi]

Hi all,

Is it realistic to expect to be able to land part-time work as a doctor (approximately 30 hours a week) in a specialty such as FM or pediatrics? Are there any downsides to this besides the opportunity cost relating to income?

Thanks

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[DrMom]

There are definitely FM and peds physicians who work 30 hrs/week. Just have to find a clinic that is willing to give a part-time contract. You may not get full-benefits (my group requires about 37 hrs/week to get paid benefits).

Medical school and residency will absolutely not be part time work.

 

[pre med 2014]

Hi all,

Is it realistic to expect to be able to land part-time work as a doctor (approximately 30 hours a week) in a specialty such as FM or pediatrics? Are there any downsides to this besides the opportunity cost relating to income?

Thanks

It is possible but it is a point of controversy. Since there is a shortage of doctors and you are taking a seat for someone who would otherwise be working full time as a physician you are contributing to the shortage of physician services.

FM in particular already cannot accommodate all patients in need, and the shortage will get worse once obamacare goes into effect insuring many many previously uninsured individuals.

 

[BioBeaver]

I had a friend who's very smart who wants to become a nurse. I was trying to get her to go the Pre-med route, but she said that doctors work too many hours, she wanted to have time with her family. Understandable.

Then she said: "I want to become a DNP Anethesist (something of that nature) so I can still make a lot of money, but only work weekends and be a stay at home mom during the week". Like, would a hospital allow a DNP to only work weekends?

 

[SN12357]

Hi all,

Is it realistic to expect to be able to land part-time work as a doctor (approximately 30 hours a week) in a specialty such as FM or pediatrics? Are there any downsides to this besides the opportunity cost relating to income?

Thanks

You should be aware that many doctors who work 'part-time' say that they work full-time to work part-time; that is, they are officially part-time, which allows them to work 'only' 40-45 hrs/week, whereas their full time colleagues work more than that.

So the answer is essentially 'yes, but'. If you truly want to work only 30 hours/week, that's not necessarily obtainable.

 

[pre med 2014]

You should be aware that many doctors who work 'part-time' say that they work full-time to work part-time; that is, they are officially part-time, which allows them to work 'only' 40-45 hrs/week, whereas their full time colleagues work more than that.

So the answer is essentially 'yes, but'. If you truly want to work only 30 hours/week, that's not necessarily obtainable.

no this isn't true, I know there are a lot of airline pilots who are also doctors. I always wonder how they do it, but no way they are doing 40 hours a week equivalent of doctor work.

 

[Gauss44]

Take a high paying specialty. Work one day a week. Enjoy the good life. How sacrilegious...

Private practice should suffice.

 

[KGflyboy]

no this isn't true, I know there are a lot of airline pilots who are also doctors. I always wonder how they do it, but no way they are doing 40 hours a week equivalent of doctor work.

I'm a little confused. Having gone through aviation school in undergrad, I became fairly familiar with how the airline industry operates. I have never seen an airline job posting for a part time pilot. I find it hard to believe that there are "a lot" of airline pilots with enough time off to also work part time as a physician.

Even if a pilot did have enough time off, their schedules vary so much each month, I can't imagine it would be feasible to coordinate shifts with whoever schedules the physician shifts in the practice or hospital group.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

In addition to getting a part time gig with a group, if you're open to some travel and less job security, you could always work as much as you want doing locum tenens work. Check out this site (there are many others): http://www.locumtenens.com

Don't listen to this nonsense about taking a spot from someone else. No one can predict what someone else (or themselves) will do 7+ years after medical school and residency. Medical schools have to pick the best qualified people and leave it up to elected officials to fix larger healthcare issues.

Most medical school classes are at least 50% women, and many of those women (and many men too) will eventually decrease their hours to raise families. Nothing wrong with this decision if it works for you and your family.

 

[Spinach Dip]

OP: Yes, it is possible. If you have an MD/DO, practically any schedule should be 'workable'.

The bigger question is if you want/can do 7+ years of full-time or double-time work during med school and residency to get to that point.

 

[pre med 2014]

I'm a little confused. Having gone through aviation school in undergrad, I became fairly familiar with how the airline industry operates. I have never seen an airline job posting for a part time pilot. I find it hard to believe that there are "a lot" of airline pilots with enough time off to also work part time as a physician.

Even if a pilot did have enough time off, their schedules vary so much each month, I can't imagine it would be feasible to coordinate shifts with whoever schedules the physician shifts in the practice or hospital group.

Presumably its not the flying they do part time but being a doctor.

I saw an orthopedic surgeon say in a flying magazine once that flying a Boeing 777 is a lot easier than surgery. I imagine they are not your traditional hospital docs, probably in private practice and established docs. Probably they were doing other flying building time while working full time as doctors then once they got the experience and established in their practice moved on to fly for the airlines and cut back on the doctor hours.

I don't think you could start flying full time at early age and pursue medicine, obviously not during med school and residency but also not early in your career either.

 

[gimghoul]

Relevant editorial



I’M a doctor and a mother of four, and I’ve always practiced medicine full time. When I took my board exams in 1987, female doctors were still uncommon, and we were determined to work as hard as any of the men.

Today, however, increasing numbers of doctors — mostly women — decide to work part time or leave the profession. Since 2005 the part-time physician workforce has expanded by 62 percent, according to recent survey data from the American Medical Group Association, with nearly 4 in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 reporting in 2010 that they worked part time.

This may seem like a personal decision, but it has serious consequences for patients and the public.

Medical education is supported by federal and state tax money both at the university level — student tuition doesn’t come close to covering the schools’ costs — and at the teaching hospitals where residents are trained. So if doctors aren’t making full use of their training, taxpayers are losing their investment. With a growing shortage of doctors in America, we can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don’t spend their careers in the full-time practice of medicine.

(continues)

 

[Strudel19]

Don't be a doctor to feel good about yourself and then be there part-time for your patients. Go to PA school, especially if you're concerned about opportunity cost.

 

[karayaa]

Don't be a doctor to feel good about yourself and then be there part-time for your patients. Go to PA school, especially if you're concerned about opportunity cost.

+1

Between the debt incurred and the time spent in training that could've been spend making a full salary, PA/NP seems like a much better option if you know you don't want to work fulltime (plus).

http://jseliger.wordpress.com/2012/...ctor-the-underrated-perils-of-medical-school/

Personally, seeing all the health disparities and issues in this country makes me think that people who are fortunate enough to get into med school have an obligation/responsibility to *use* their training and knowledge to help people. Because a lot of people need a lot of help.

Maybe consider academic med or government work if you want a lighter, less intense schedule.

 

[Mosa]

Relevant editorial



I’M a doctor and a mother of four, and I’ve always practiced medicine full time. When I took my board exams in 1987, female doctors were still uncommon, and we were determined to work as hard as any of the men.

Today, however, increasing numbers of doctors — mostly women — decide to work part time or leave the profession. Since 2005 the part-time physician workforce has expanded by 62 percent, according to recent survey data from the American Medical Group Association, with nearly 4 in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 reporting in 2010 that they worked part time.

This may seem like a personal decision, but it has serious consequences for patients and the public.

Medical education is supported by federal and state tax money both at the university level — student tuition doesn’t come close to covering the schools’ costs — and at the teaching hospitals where residents are trained. So if doctors aren’t making full use of their training, taxpayers are losing their investment. With a growing shortage of doctors in America, we can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don’t spend their careers in the full-time practice of medicine.

(continues)

Wow I really liked the tone here. A woman who tells it like it is. Awesome! And totally agree!

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

Wow I really liked the tone here. A woman who tells it like it is. Awesome! And totally agree!

+1

If you already know that you're going to work part-time, don't pursue an MD. You're just taking a spot from someone who's able to contribute more to society.

 

[slopes23]

Presumably its not the flying they do part time but being a doctor.

I saw an orthopedic surgeon say in a flying magazine once that flying a Boeing 777 is a lot easier than surgery. I imagine they are not your traditional hospital docs, probably in private practice and established docs. Probably they were doing other flying building time while working full time as doctors then once they got the experience and established in their practice moved on to fly for the airlines and cut back on the doctor hours.

I don't think you could start flying full time at early age and pursue medicine, obviously not during med school and residency but also not early in your career either.

I call b.s. - the airline industry takes you all around the world and is not conducive to medical practice. You say you went to aviation school, but I am not sure what that really means. For example, UND has the best aviation school in the country, so if you went there you could say that you went to aviation school even though you majored in something else. It doesn't sound like you are a pilot, if you were you would realize how ridiculous it sounds to be saying that a pilot flying for a regional or legacy airline has enough time to be a practicing doctor let alone an ortho surgeon. If you truly did read that in an article I imagine the pilot was really just trying to say flying is easier than doing surgery. Which it is, flying is not hard, and many doctors are pilots. But that does not mean many doctors are commercial airline pilots.

 

[circulus vitios]

+1

If you already know that you're going to work part-time, don't pursue an MD. You're just taking a spot from someone who's able to contribute more to society.

If you don't work 80 hours a week until you die, you have no place in medicine.



Do you see how ridiculous and slavish you sound?

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

To all those who say you don't deserve a seat if you want to work part time, at what hour/week mark to you "deserve" your spot? 40, 50, 80? Personally, I think the argument is bogus. What about a doctor that goes into policy, biotech, pharma, etc?

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

If you don't work 80 hours a week until you die, you have no place in medicine.



Do you see how ridiculous and slavish you sound?

Please.

Don't call me ridiculous until you're a little better informed. Just shows your ignorance.

As detailed in the article referenced above, the amount of training that medical schools and taxpayers (via the Medicare program) invest in physicians-in-training is staggering. To take all of that training and have it wasted on someone who chooses to work less than 40 hours a week makes no economical sense. I dare you to try admitting that you're going to only be a part-time doctor in a medical school interview. Seriously. Do it. See what happens.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

To all those who say you don't deserve a seat if you want to work part time, at what hour/week mark to you "deserve" your spot? 40, 50, 80? Personally, I think the argument is bogus. What about a doctor that goes into policy, biotech, pharma, etc?

What doctor who goes into policy, biotech, pharma, etc works less than 40 hours?

 

[circulus vitios]

Please.

Don't call me ridiculous until you're a little better informed. Just shows your ignorance.

As detailed in the article referenced above, the amount of training that medical schools and taxpayers (via the Medicare program) invest in physicians-in-training is staggering. To take all of that training and have it wasted on someone who chooses to work less than 40 hours a week makes no economical sense. I dare you to try admitting that you're going to only be a part-time doctor in a medical school interview. Seriously. Do it. See what happens.

40 hours a week is just an arbitrary number. Why shouldn't the standard be 30 hours, or 60 hours?

Who said anything about "admitting" wanting to work part-time in an interview?

You are being ridiculous.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

40 hours a week is just an arbitrary number. Why shouldn't the standard be 30 hours, or 60 hours?

Who said anything about "admitting" wanting to work part-time in an interview?

You are being ridiculous.

40 is the standard for full-time work in America. Anything less is considered part-time.

I see the point went over your head. It's okay.

 

[Runican]

What doctor who goes into policy, biotech, pharma, etc works less than 40 hours?

I think the argument was that if doctors who don't work 40+ hours treating patients are robbing taxpayers, what about physicians who choose to go into these fields?

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

I think the argument was that if doctors who don't work 40+ hours treating patients are robbing taxpayers, what about physicians who choose to go into these fields?

If you saw my first post, I never said anything about treating patients. I had an issue with working part-time. Of course you can contribute to society in any of these other medicine-related fields.

 

[circulus vitios]

I see the point went over your head. It's okay.

No, I see your point. I just think you're an idiot.

The government spends money on training physicians. I've heard that it costs around $100k/year to train a resident. Let's pretend that residents do not generate income for their training institution, even though they do. A 3 year family medicine residency costs the taxpayers $300k. How many years do you think it takes a 20-30 hour a week family medicine physician to generate $300k in profits? A typical full-time family medicine physician makes $200k a year in salary, and you can be sure that he's making the hospital quite a bit more than that in profits.

 

[circulus vitios]

40 is the standard for full-time work in America. Anything less is considered part-time.

I see the point went over your head. It's okay.

I'm so glad that you are holding yourself to the bare minimum of standards. I'm sure you will make an excellent doctor.

 

[Runican]

If you saw my first post, I never said anything about treating patients. I had an issue with working part-time. Of course you can contribute to society in any of these other medicine-related fields.

I did see your first post. However, the editorial linked above explicitly takes issue with anyone who does not work 40+ hours treating patients.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

No, I see your point. I just think you're an idiot.

The government spends money on training physicians. I've heard that it costs around $100k/year to train a resident. Let's pretend that residents do not generate income for their training institution, even though they do. A 3 year family medicine residency costs the taxpayers $300k. How many years do you think it takes a 20-30 hour a week family medicine physician to generate $300k in profits? A typical full-time family medicine physician makes $200k a year in salary, and you can be sure that he's making the hospital quite a bit more than that in profits.

Seriously?

Let's assume for a second that your figures aren't something that you pulled out of your ass (where your head is buried), it doesn't refute my argument that full-time (however you want to define it) >>>> part-time in terms of contributions to society in whatever you context you see it.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

I'm so glad that you are holding yourself to the bare minimum of standards. I'm sure you will make an excellent doctor.

Haha. I trust you see the irony in this statement. Probably not.

 

[r0703]

Relevant editorial



I’M a doctor and a mother of four, and I’ve always practiced medicine full time. When I took my board exams in 1987, female doctors were still uncommon, and we were determined to work as hard as any of the men.

Today, however, increasing numbers of doctors — mostly women — decide to work part time or leave the profession. Since 2005 the part-time physician workforce has expanded by 62 percent, according to recent survey data from the American Medical Group Association, with nearly 4 in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 reporting in 2010 that they worked part time.

This may seem like a personal decision, but it has serious consequences for patients and the public.

Medical education is supported by federal and state tax money both at the university level — student tuition doesn’t come close to covering the schools’ costs — and at the teaching hospitals where residents are trained. So if doctors aren’t making full use of their training, taxpayers are losing their investment. With a growing shortage of doctors in America, we can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don’t spend their careers in the full-time practice of medicine.

(continues)

i remember reading this article. there were a lot of people who put articles out after her that were interesting reads too. kinda helps you look at both sides of the argument

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-choose-medicine-family.html
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/03/doctors-work-part-time-ruining-medicine.html

 

[r0703]

Seriously?

Let's assume for a second that your figures aren't something that you pulled out of your ass (where your head is buried), it doesn't refute my argument that full-time (however you want to define it) >>>> part-time in terms of contributions to society in whatever you context you see it.

everybody play nice!

 

[Runican]

everybody play nice!

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

I did see your first post. However, the editorial linked above explicitly takes issue with anyone who does not work 40+ hours treating patients.

Skimming the article again from what I can see, the only time the author references non-clinical work is in this statement:

"Students who aspire to go to medical school should think about the consequences if they decide to work part time or leave clinical medicine."

And even then, the context suggests she was referring to folks who leave medicine to become parents. I could be wrong though.

So I don't believe the author was berating people who choose to use their MD for non-clinical work as long as they're maximizing their potential in terms of hours worked.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

everybody play nice!

Sorry, I got a little carried away when the dude started name-calling.

 

[Oldenuff2nobetr]

Getting hot in herrrrrrr!!! Seriously though, I would probably want to be seen by a well rested competent doctor that can actually follow up on my issues than an exhausted physician who sees me for 3 minutes after attending to 36 other patients that day... Quantity vs quality (not even considering the quality of the doctors themselves). How does a greater number of hours necessarlily equal a better society?

As far as the salary spent by the hospital, 2 part time doctors at 30 hours each can equal 1 doctor with 60 hours. The only loss may be in the initial subsidized tuition, but that has to pale in comparison to a lifetime of salary. This is a multi-faceted arguement that likely does not have a black or white answer.

 

[Mornhavon]

.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

Getting hot in herrrrrrr!!! Seriously though, I would probably want to be seen by a well rested competent doctor that can actually follow up on my issues than an exhausted physician who sees me for 3 minutes after attending to 36 other patients that day... Quantity vs quality (not even considering the quality of the doctors themselves). How does a greater number of hours necessarlily equal a better society?

As far as the salary spent by the hospital, 2 part time doctors at 30 hours each can equal 1 doctor with 60 hours. The only loss may be in the initial subsidized tuition, but that has to pale in comparison to a lifetime of salary. This is a multi-faceted arguement that likely does not have a black or white answer.

Yeah, in a perfect world.

Do you think the supply of doctors is unlimited? There is a bottleneck at the medical school level and then an even tighter one at the residency level. Therefore 1 PT MD + 1 PT MD does not equal 1 FT MD.

 

[circulus vitios]

Seriously?

Let's assume for a second that your figures aren't something that you pulled out of your ass (where your head is buried), it doesn't refute my argument that full-time (however you want to define it) >>>> part-time in terms of contributions to society in whatever you context you see it.

Your financial argument disintegrates so you fall back to hand-waving "contributions to society."

 

[Doudline]

Seriously?

Let's assume for a second that your figures aren't something that you pulled out of your ass (where your head is buried), it doesn't refute my argument that full-time (however you want to define it) >>>> part-time in terms of contributions to society in whatever you context you see it.

Yep, and it was exactly his point too.
If more is always better, why not put the minimum work time at 60h/week, or 80h/week?
Why not keep physicians from taking vacations, or having children?

You are ridiculous not because your point isn't right -it is-, but because it is frivolous and has no limits. This isn't communism. It probably wouldn't even be constitutional to force people to work a set amount of time.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

I think the argument was that if doctors who don't work 40+ hours treating patients are robbing taxpayers, what about physicians who choose to go into these fields?

Yep, this was what I was trying to say.

QrtrLifeCrisis, my post wasn't directed at you. I was referring to the general sentiment shown in this (and similar) threads that a doctor who doesn't use their MD for 60 hours of patient care is wasting a spot in medical school.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

Yep, and it was exactly his point too.
If more is always better, why not put the minimum work time at 60h/week, or 80h/week?
Why not keep physicians from taking vacations, or having children?

You are ridiculous not because your point isn't right -it is-, but because it is frivolous and has no limits. This isn't communism. It probably wouldn't even be constitutional to force people to work a set amount of time.

Let's take it to the opposite extreme. Is it okay for someone to plan to work 10 hrs/week? 5? What would you say to that? Your point fails for the same reason using your logic.

 

[Runican]

Skimming the article again from what I can see, the only time the author references non-clinical work is in this statement:

"Students who aspire to go to medical school should think about the consequences if they decide to work part time or leave clinical medicine."

And even then, the context suggests she was referring to folks who leave medicine to become parents. I could be wrong though.

So I don't believe the author was berating people who choose to use their MD for non-clinical work as long as they're maximizing their potential in terms of hours worked.

I definitely thought she was saying that the only real acceptable way to use your MD is to treat patients full time. A few quotes from the article (in addition to the one you mentioned above):

"We can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don’t spend their careers in the full-time practice of medicine."

"I have great respect for stay-at-home parents, and I think it’s fine if journalists or chefs or lawyers choose to work part time or quit their jobs altogether. But it’s different for doctors. Someone needs to take care of the patients. "

Anyway, regarding the debate about part time doctors, I think that both sides have some great points. I think that prospective medical students should not pursue a career in medicine if they plan to work part time for the rest of their lives. This doesn't makes sense with regards to the costs to taxpayers, the personal monetary costs of medical school, and the time costs of training.

With that being said, I'm sure that very few medical students ever plan to work part time after receiving their degree and training. But sometimes life gets in the way. My mother's best friend (who is a OB/GYN) ended up working part time for most of her career after having a child with a mental illness that required a significant amount of extra care. I've also met and read about many female (and male!) physicians who had to work part-time for a few (or more) years because they became single parents and did not have a large support system to get through the tough time.

Anyway, I think it's much too complex to say that working part-time as a physician is always bad or always good.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

I definitely thought she was saying that the only real acceptable way to use your MD is to treat patients full time. A few quotes from the article (in addition to the one you mentioned above):

"We can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don’t spend their careers in the full-time practice of medicine."

"I have great respect for stay-at-home parents, and I think it’s fine if journalists or chefs or lawyers choose to work part time or quit their jobs altogether. But it’s different for doctors. Someone needs to take care of the patients. "

Anyway, regarding the debate about part time doctors, I think that both sides have some great points. I think that prospective medical students should not pursue a career in medicine if they plan to work part time for the rest of their lives. This doesn't makes sense with regards to the costs to taxpayers, the personal monetary costs of medical school, and the time costs of training.

With that being said, I'm sure that very few medical students ever plan to work part time after receiving their degree and training. But sometimes life gets in the way. My mother's best friend (who is a OB/GYN) ended up working part time for most of her career after having a child with a mental illness that required a significant amount of extra care. I've also met and read about many female (and male!) physicians who had to work part-time for a few (or more) years because they became single parents and did not have a large support system to get through the tough time.

Anyway, I think it's much too complex to say that working part-time as a physician is always bad or always good.

I can agree with all of this. I just had an issue with the OP's opening remark about a pre-emptive plan to go into medicine part-time.

 

[Sabate]

Yeah, in a perfect world.

Do you think the supply of doctors is unlimited? There is a bottleneck at the medical school level and then an even tighter one at the residency level. Therefore 1 PT MD + 1 PT MD does not equal 1 FT MD.

This arrangement can and does happen. A friend who is a rural FM doc and his wife (who is the same) split a single FTE position so they can both be there to raise their kids. One bloated doctor's salary (his words, not mine) is more than enough to raise a family on in Wyoming. You can negotiate all sorts of things into a contract, especially if you're willing to work places that have a greater demand for physicians.

 

[pre med 2014]

I call b.s. - the airline industry takes you all around the world and is not conducive to medical practice. You say you went to aviation school, but I am not sure what that really means. For example, UND has the best aviation school in the country, so if you went there you could say that you went to aviation school even though you majored in something else. It doesn't sound like you are a pilot, if you were you would realize how ridiculous it sounds to be saying that a pilot flying for a regional or legacy airline has enough time to be a practicing doctor let alone an ortho surgeon. If you truly did read that in an article I imagine the pilot was really just trying to say flying is easier than doing surgery. Which it is, flying is not hard, and many doctors are pilots. But that does not mean many doctors are commercial airline pilots.

I am not the pilot, I was responding to another poster who went to aviation school.

I guarantee you there are a few full time pilot/part time doctor people out there. Actually I know for a fact there are since I have heard of a few individuals who are both.

EDIT: btw, flying an airplane is extremely easy it wouldn't effect your energy in another job.

 

[slopes23]

I am not the pilot, I was responding to another poster who went to aviation school.

I guarantee you there are a few full time pilot/part time doctor people out there. Actually I know for a fact there are since I have heard of a few individuals who are both.

EDIT: btw, flying an airplane is extremely easy it wouldn't effect your energy in another job.

I wouldn't say flying an airplane is extremely easy, but it certainly not surgery. Furthermore, as per energy levels, you are looking at it the wrong way. You maybe flew once for an hour and when you were done you weren't tired. Commercial pilots fly 8-10 hours a day, and thats not including layovers etc. It's a marathon of a job not a sprint. More over, you are assuming that a pilot goes flying in the day and has all the energy in the world to practice medicine at night or vice versa. Even if the energy part was true (which it's not) being a commercial pilot takes you all over the world, so your gonna try and tell me that they have a part time job when they are gone for 1-2 weeks at a time, if not more. Sorry kiddo, but if your not a pilot I just can't take what your saying seriously, especially if the logic isn't there.

I think what you may have "heard" is that a lot of doctors have their own planes and pilot them often, not that they are full time pilots. All of this also doesn't mention that to even get into a larger regional airline (not even a legacy airline i.e. AA, United, Jet Blue, etc etc.) takes about 10,000 hours of flying time on local regional airline. Lastly, pilot starting out at small regional airlines make $22,000 their first year. Explain to me again why a doctor would be full time in a job that paid him 22,000 and only part time in one where he could be making 200k (FM, or 400k as your cited ortho surgeon)? Especially seeing as if you make 400k you could buy your own plane anyways?

No where does your argument make sense.

 

[slopes23]

As for this whole to be or not to be a part time physician -- Leave it to a bunch of pre-meds to debate (and judge) the merits or lack there of who should be a doctor and who shouldn't.

 

[pre med 2014]

I wouldn't say flying an airplane is extremely easy, but it certainly not surgery. Furthermore, as per energy levels, you are looking at it the wrong way. You maybe flew once for an hour and when you were done you weren't tired. Commercial pilots fly 8-10 hours a day, and thats not including layovers etc. It's a marathon of a job not a sprint. More over, you are assuming that a pilot goes flying in the day and has all the energy in the world to practice medicine at night or vice versa. Even if the energy part was true (which it's not) being a commercial pilot takes you all over the world, so your gonna try and tell me that they have a part time job when they are gone for 1-2 weeks at a time, if not more. Sorry kiddo, but if your not a pilot I just can't take what your saying seriously, especially if the logic isn't there.

I think what you may have "heard" is that a lot of doctors have their own planes and pilot them often, not that they are full time pilots. All of this also doesn't mention that to even get into a larger regional airline (not even a legacy airline i.e. AA, United, Jet Blue, etc etc.) takes about 10,000 hours of flying time on local regional airline. Lastly, pilot starting out at small regional airlines make $22,000 their first year. Explain to me again why a doctor would be full time in a job that paid him 22,000 and only part time in one where he could be making 200k (FM, or 400k as your cited ortho surgeon)? Especially seeing as if you make 400k you could buy your own plane anyways?

No where does your argument make sense.

I already explained all of this. They gain all their experience flying during college then med school and residency flying small airplanes as a hobby. Then later on in their 40s once they have lots of experience sign on with the big boys.


I know its hard for you to conceptualize but there are people out there. There are dentist/pilots and lawyer/pilots too, shocker isn't it? If you can be a dentist/ pilot why not doctor/pilot.

I don't understand why you are arguing facts, since there are individuals in such dual employment arrangements and that's a fact. Your logic about it not being feasible is unsound. The only difficulty is having an arrangement with your employer who allows you to work part time as a physician.

 

[Sabate]

As for this whole to be or not to be a part time physician -- Leave it to a bunch of pre-meds to debate (and judge) the merits or lack there of who should be a doctor and who shouldn't.

Quoted for truth. Dumb leading the blind on this one. I thought it was a well established SDN rule that a premed will try to disqualify you from medicine if they disagree with you.