QUOTED: Unauthorized Moonlighting

[NotAProgDirector]

Hello. I'm currently a resident. I dont want to discuss my specialty or location for privacy. I have had multiple offers for either moolighting or for performing physical exams for private insurance companies. Moonlighting is prohibited by my program. I just wanted to know how easy can your program or the GME can find out about people working part-time or moonlighting and what are the repercussions if the resident working part-time gets caught. Thank you.

There is no central reporting system, so you might be able to moonlight under the radar. You'll need your program to complete your FCVS, but they wouldn't know what you did with it (i.e. that you applied for a license).

Your contract / GME office should have a policy about what happens if you moonlight without permission. You absolutely put yourself at risk of being fired immediately if discovered, so I doubt it's worth the risk. It's not clear to me that no-moonlighting policies are legal -- seems like they would run afoul of "restraint of trade" laws. IMHO, what you do with your free time is your own business, as long as it doesn't impact your performance nor affect your professional image (although even this last issue is debatable).

That being said, even if it is illegal, do you really want to try and fight this in court? Probably not.

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[Arch Guillotti]

Moonlighting is sweet. I doubled my salary during the last 2 years of my residency. My program allowed it and knew what I was doing although they sort of turned a blind eye to what I was doing along with everyone else.

I don't understand how you are getting multiple offers if you aren't looking for something. If you are really that worried about it, don't do it. Residency is only a finite amount of time.

 

[PMPMD]

Your program clearly prohibits moonlighting. Whether moonlighting is a privelege or a right is a great question, but I think you have far more to lose by going against their policy. Medicine is a small world. Many physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers work in different hospitals, so it is certainly possible that this would get out. I did TONS of moonlighting in residency, but my program was OK with it (and actually encouraged this).