Advice for compensation

[bimmer79]

Being the sole guy in your specialty in a big group practice can suck. I was in a big neuro group and they leached off my revenue for 2 years before I said enough is enough. I did not have a mid level and was therefore doing about 1/2 as much as your volume. I was also probably taking home half of your income. Needless to say we both are/were getting royally screwed. My overhead as a percent of total collections turned out to be ~75%

Sorry to hear that man! I'm hearing predominantly bad experiences and rarely good ones with these surgeon/non-surgeon partnerships. I'm in my 5th year and really considering my options.

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[NJPAIN]

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Donaldson (2001, 2003) defines protective pairing as a form of prison rape in which men protect weaker inmates in exchange for sex. He explains how this occurs: The senior partner, or “man” in prisoner slang (also called “daddy,” “old man,” “jocker,” “pitcher,” and other terms), in a protective pair is most often not a rapist himself, though he may take advantage of the consequences of a rape by offering protection to a new punk. Sometimes a rapist will try to hook up with his victim. In any case, he obligates himself to provide complete protection for his punk or junior partner (also called “kid,” “boy,” “sweet boy,” “f*ckboy,” “catcher,” and other terms) from further sexual assaults from anyone else, from violence, from theft, and from other forms of disrespect. (Donaldson, 2001, p. 349)

More "spooning" than spoon.

 

[Yo GabbaPentin]

Unfortunately, I believe you're correct. I get fed tons of internal referrals plus external referrals from the relationships that the group has established. I have an over-abundance for which I'm again very grateful for, however, I still feel that I need to be incentivized considering I'm taking home a salary approximately less than 25% of my total active/passive collections. Nonetheless, I feel like asking to negotiate would be all in vain and they would just attempt to replace me.

Why are you grateful for the over abundance of work if you aren't being paid in an over abundant manor? Do you take pride in seeing orthopods drive fancy cars that you paid for?

 

[hyperalgesia]

Very well composed Promethius! I don't want to come across contentious or have any unusual tension among the partners, however, being the solitary pain doctor doesn't give me much leverage. Talking with the orthopods about my situation thus far has yielded no results; they seem oblivious to my value...they insist that they aren't profiting from me at all.

Oblivious... They will be oblivious even after they are losing 50k/year each when you leave. Then they'll hire someone else and remain oblivious.

You should have some leverage because it's a PITA for them to replace you and few people would be satisfied in your situation Unless it's the only game in town. But the kind of personalities you are describing might place their egos above their financial well being.

 

[promethius]

Very well composed Promethius! I don't want to come across contentious or have any unusual tension among the partners, however, being the solitary pain doctor doesn't give me much leverage. Talking with the orthopods about my situation thus far has yielded no results; they seem oblivious to my value...they insist that they aren't profiting from me at all.

Thank you bimmer79. Of course all the orthopods are going to deny profiting off of you because they want to keep you oblivious and "happy." The orthopods are partners and share in all the costs and profits. How would you feel if someone told you that they are making over $1 million profit off of your services every year? What you have to realize about working for someone else is that if you are not helping their bottom line (i.e. they are not somehow turning a profit on you), then you will not be working for them for long. Profit = Collections - Overhead (including salary).

You are at an important juncture in your career right now. I think you should carefully evaluate what your options are and decide what is best for the long run for you and your family. It is never too late to change your direction in life if you do not like where it is going, especially in a field like interventional pain where you have many alternatives.