Any ER doctors working surgeon-like hours?

[strongboy2005]

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So if my understanding is correct, ER docs work between 40-45 hours per week and are paid hourly. With the majority of ER docs making over $200,000, it stands to reason that an ER doc working 80 hours per week could make $400,000 or more. Is this possible? Do you know of any attending physicians that opt to work more hours for the additional money?

If this is possible, couldn't a doctor do this for a couple years after residency (and while still young) to knock out those student loans and play "catch up" for all those missed income years?

 

[southerndoc]

1. This has been discussed before. Search is your friend.

2. It is highly unlikely that you can work 80 hours/week in an ER and not get burned out quickly. You are averaging 2-3 patients per hour, so you're working pretty hard. Plus you're dealing with tons of unhappy patients who have been kept waiting, aren't getting their narc scripts, etc. Finally, the rotating night/day shifts will not only make it difficult to schedule 80 hours/week, but will also make your life horrible trying to adjust to constantly shifting schedules.

3. You can make $400,000/year working only 36 hours/week if you play your cards right and land a good job. Of course, who knows what Obamacare will do to this potential.

 

[Drawing Dead]

So if my understanding is correct, ER docs work between 40-45 hours per week and are paid hourly. With the majority of ER docs making over $200,000, it stands to reason that an ER doc working 80 hours per week could make $400,000 or more. Is this possible? Do you know of any attending physicians that opt to work more hours for the additional money?

If this is possible, couldn't a doctor do this for a couple years after residency (and while still young) to knock out those student loans and play "catch up" for all those missed income years?

You sound like one of my attendings. He works something like 24 shifts a month and also has a "cosmetic clinic" that he runs. Many people say he's money hungry, others say he is bad with money. I'll go with the latter, since I heard he was working so much to keep the lights on.

I agree with SouthernDoc, I would get burned out very quickly doing this. The reason why we "only" work 36-48 hours a week is because we are WORKING for the entire time. Were not leisurely rounding on patients, or waiting for the OR to prepare a patient for surgery, etc. (not to take anything away from any other field, not my intention). The average group/hospital wants you seeing 2.5 patients an hour. Multiplied by 40 hours a week, thats 100 patients. 100, mainly new to you except the frequent fliers, needing a complete H&P, of which many are unstable, yelling, bleeding, choking, puking, infarcting, etc. with any combination of the above. Oh yeah, and then there's the ungrateful seekers that curse you out when you don't have their "candy" of choice for them. But yes, there can be money to be made in this field for the time being, you just have to find the right job.

 

[GeneralVeers]

The most shifts I've worked in a month was 22 shifts (approx 60 hours/week). While I can do that for a short time, I don't think I would want to do it as a lifestyle.

I've found a happy amount for me is between 15-18 shifts a month, or about 45 hours/week.

 

[USCDiver]

Do the math! Even with 12hr shifts (which are increasingly less common) working 80hrs/week would require you to work 6.67 shifts per week. You'd be working every day!

I suppose (theoretically) you could find a sleepy 10 room ED in the middle of nowhere that would have 24hr shifts and you could do three a week and still get some sleep at night, but that would still me miserable.