6 months on, 6 months off possible?

[longwoodguy]

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I was wondering if anybody had any idea whether it might be possible to work as an EM doc, scheduling several months on followed by several months off? I'm interested in international work and would be very interested in being able to escape overseas for a few months at a time to follow-up on various projects... Is this feasible?

 

[Seaglass]

I've heard of some people who do this. They either join a very large group and start doing it once they get some seniority, or they do Locum work the 6 months they're around and split for the rest.

 

[flighterdoc]

I was wondering if anybody had any idea whether it might be possible to work as an EM doc, scheduling several months on followed by several months off? I'm interested in international work and would be very interested in being able to escape overseas for a few months at a time to follow-up on various projects... Is this feasible?

Cruise ship doc..

 

[docB]

You could probably do this. In my group you can work as a part timer and have as many or as few shifts per month as you want.

 

[longwoodguy]

🙂 excellent. i would definitely be interested in a group practice that would allow me 6 months on/6 off, or even 3 months on/3 off. This will allow me to spend half the year overseas working on low-paying medical projects while maintaining some salary base and keeping my clinical skills sharp. Or at least that's the plan! 😎

 

[Sessamoid]

Your nickname... is that "longwood" as at Harvard?

Anyway, this kind of deal may be possible, but it would have to be a pretty large group to absorb that kind of staffing variation. The suggestion of doing locums (in which you'd be replacing people probably doing something similar) is a good one. Another thing to look at for intermittent work is cruise ship medicine, where EM-trained docs are getting more penetration as time goes on.

 

[DrQuinn]

I hear the cruise ship medicine doesnt' pay jack. I read an article somewhere that they make 60-70k full time. ACK!

(Don't let the people in the threads about "Did you go into medicine for the money" know that I said ACK!)


Q, DO

 

[longwoodguy]

yes, sessamoid, harvard. well, if a group couldn't absorb that kind of variation i suppose locums would be much more attractive than cruise ship work (which frankly sounds kinda dull to me...)

Your nickname... is that "longwood" as at Harvard?

Anyway, this kind of deal may be possible, but it would have to be a pretty large group to absorb that kind of staffing variation. The suggestion of doing locums (in which you'd be replacing people probably doing something similar) is a good one. Another thing to look at for intermittent work is cruise ship medicine, where EM-trained docs are getting more penetration as time goes on.

 

[Sessamoid]

yes, sessamoid, harvard. well, if a group couldn't absorb that kind of variation i suppose locums would be much more attractive than cruise ship work (which frankly sounds kinda dull to me...)

I figured longwood either applied to your personal education or your personal... umm... anyway, I thought it was a pretty funny name when I was there for a summer.

I'm sure cruise ship work is dull, but I suppose that's one of the benefits. Go on cruises, don't work much, get paid some for it. Not a bad deal for those in semi-retirement.

 

[Apollyon]

I hear the cruise ship medicine doesnt' pay jack. I read an article somewhere that they make 60-70k full time. ACK!

(Don't let the people in the threads about "Did you go into medicine for the money" know that I said ACK!)


Q, DO

Most cruise ship docs are private contractors, but, have you ever been on a cruise? Notice how many old, old, OLD people there are? Harry Severance was saying that Princess Cruises has two rooms that are at the very top of the ship, that are just "grieving rooms". He was saying that one of the staff showed him the office and OR (completely stocked - but I don't know if they have a CT), and the morgue, which he said was about half the size of our ED; he said the staffer told him the morgue would be FULL at the end of the cruise. A remarkable number of people, apparently, don't go on a cruise as a last trip before they die - they go on a cruise as a last trip to die. Other people are sick as hell, and need that PC doctor to help them.

Certain cruise lines have old, older, and fossilized passengers; Princess, Cunard, and Holland America, among others have some of the oldest passengers. Carnival is a younger (somewhat) crowd. Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are in the middle.

 

[beanbean]

I have a friend who while in residency went on a cruise with his girlfriend who was also a resident. They ended up running a code on an old lady who keeled over in the jacuzzi. It must be horrible to watch your spouse die when minutes earlier you were having a great time in the sun.

I think that being a cruise ship doc must be similiar to working an ER as if every day was the first big snowfall that needs to be shoveled - lots of older people doing way more physical activity than their bodies are used to or capable of handling.

 

[longwoodguy]

hehehe, yeah, many people that have never heard of the longwood medical area tend to misinterpret that...

I figured longwood either applied to your personal education or your personal... umm... anyway, I thought it was a pretty funny name when I was there for a summer.

I'm sure cruise ship work is dull, but I suppose that's one of the benefits. Go on cruises, don't work much, get paid some for it. Not a bad deal for those in semi-retirement.

 

[Old MD]

I figured longwood either applied to your personal education or your personal... umm... anyway,

 

[NinerNiner999]

I know a few docs who work 6 months in Aspen and 6 months in Florida - all locum tenens work. They make more than a standard salary but have scheduling uncertainty (i.e. they are like substitute teachers- they get called the morning they have to work and often drive up to three hours each way to fill in). BUT- they can enjoy homes in two great resort areas and travel when they want. Also, if they don't want to work that day, they just say no.

 

[longwoodguy]

Is there any 'stigma' associated with docs that do many locums? or is it just accepted as one of many career paths?

 

[Sessamoid]

Is there any 'stigma' associated with docs that do many locums? or is it just accepted as one of many career paths?

Didn't want you to feel ignored, but I don't think anybody here has ever done any significant time as a locum tenens emergency physician. I've never even met anybody doing locums work at the places I've worked. In general, the nicer places to work are able to staff themselves so that they won't need locum tenens physicians. My guess is that the places that require locums are going to be largely areas of the country that have a very seasonal population shift, either due to tourism or "snowbirds" from the north moving south for the winter. Either that or it'll be hospitals in towns that nobody wants to live in for long.

Is there a stigma attached? I don't know. It's never come up as a topic of discussion with anybody I've known.