After Residency??

[SalterType1]

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Hi guys, I am a 3rd year medical student interested in either Plastics or Ortho. I am comparing a wide range of parameters to help make my decision. I have tried to ask people at my school how much can a plastic surgeon make after residency but they have been no real help. What appeals to me about plastics is that I would have more control of my life in terms of hours practice type/setting etc. A friend of mine suggested looking online for jobs and seeing how much they were offering. I did this for ortho and plastics. For ortho I found plenty of jobs, again offering starting salaries in a wide range ($275K-$700K). For plastics(though slightly more competitive, for the integrated programs) I found only a couple of jobs offering oonly $250K. I understand that many people will open private practices but for those that don't find that immediately financially feasible etc? what are they supposed to do? Sorry for rambling on but I am really confused. Any of you folks now in plastics, find yourselves in the same situation??

Thanks in advance,

StyI

 

[rongeur]

From talking to my friends who've finished residency, it's different from other surgical specialties in private practice. You don't have lots of good salary offers to join a group with the easy promise of partnership in a few years because big PRS groups are not common.

The reward for a more stressful job search is that when you do become a partner with a few senior guys or build your own practice, you can make more than other surgical specialties (except for maybe spine, but that gravy train will soon derail).

 

[deleted144060]

I'm sure if you searched the threads, you would find some answers to your questions. And you would also find a general sentiment that if you're looking primarily for income, you probably should be in business school.

There are many ways to practice. Within academia there are several types of practice models including full salary only, full salary plus bonus, salary plus a percentage of reimbursements, salary and full reimbursements, etc. Academic salaries can be misleading because they may not report the full story. For instance, I get a minimum assistant professor salary which is what is reported on the university info site. But I also get salary support from two outside hospitals and I split my reimbursements with our group.

In private practice, you can be solo, part of a group, or a paid associate in a group, or private practice that is getting hospital support in return for services.

There are also positions where you can be employed directly by the hospital. This may be salary only or salary plus a percentage of your billing.

How much you make will depend on where you practice (payer mix, cost of living, competition) and what type of practice you have.

And I repeat, if this your primary concern, you probably should re-examine your motives for being a doctor.

 

[wedogogirl]

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[SalterType1]

Thank you Moravian, as usual a very thought provoking and sensible response. I would have you know however, that I completed my undergrad in business studies at a top 3 school, where I really couldn't see myself doing such activities for the rest of my life. I am only concerned with money as it relates to lifestyle (I went into this field knowing that this career is not too cushy!) but I was looking for the more flexible specialtiesso I could have a life and a family.

Anyways, thanks for the insider info. Any more responses??

I'm sure if you searched the threads, you would find some answers to your questions. And you would also find a general sentiment that if you're looking primarily for income, you probably should be in business school.

There are many ways to practice. Within academia there are several types of practice models including full salary only, full salary plus bonus, salary plus a percentage of reimbursements, salary and full reimbursements, etc. Academic salaries can be misleading because they may not report the full story. For instance, I get a minimum assistant professor salary which is what is reported on the university info site. But I also get salary support from two outside hospitals and I split my reimbursements with our group.

In private practice, you can be solo, part of a group, or a paid associate in a group, or private practice that is getting hospital support in return for services.

There are also positions where you can be employed directly by the hospital. This may be salary only or salary plus a percentage of your billing.

How much you make will depend on where you practice (payer mix, cost of living, competition) and what type of practice you have.

And I repeat, if this your primary concern, you probably should re-examine your motives for being a doctor.

 

[deleted144060]

I am only concerned with money as it relates to lifestyle (I went into this field knowing that this career is not too cushy!) but I was looking for the more flexible specialtiesso I could have a life and a family.

You're welcome.

You can have a life and a family with any specialty. As I've outlined above, you can practice any way you want. It really comes down to where you want to live, what you see yourself doing every day, and how much "non-patient" related stuff you're willing to put up with.

If location is more important, your choices of practice type might be more limited. There are also cost of living differences. 250K in New York City or San Francisco is not going as far as 250K in Tulsa, Oklahoma. If the practice type is more important than location, you have more choices about how you might control the rest of your life, but you might be living somewhere that wasn't your first choice.

It's unfortunate that we don't learn about these things in school or even in residency. I would highly recommend that, no matter what your choice in specialty, that you get to some national meetings. There are usually sessions going on that deal with practice models and finding a job.

--M