attending work hours?

[daveshnave]

I'm an MSIII and am seriously considering a surgical career. However, I hear conflicting stories as to the number of hours surgical attendings work in a week. I've seen some sources quote an average of 60 hours/week, and then I've heard other sources say it's more than this. I have no problem working 60 hours/week the rest of my life, but working closer to 70-80 hours is very unappealing to me, as this essentially guarantees me no time for a family life whatsoever. Do any of you surgical residents/attendings out there have any insight into this? Is it realistically possible to work less hours, even if it means I'll earn less? If so, how much less will I earn (relatively)?

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[5oProlene]

Good topic Dave. Also if you guys know, can you share info on the number of hours worked specifically by CT surgery attendings? And is it more or less hours for a peds CT attending?

Thanks

 

[Pilot Doc]

Absolutely. You won't see many examples of it in university training programs, but there are plenty of opportunities for reasonable work hours in surgery, especially if you're willing to trade income for time.

 

[Galaxian]

In surgery, it seems the more hats you wear, the more you work. So, if you want to teach medical students and residents, write that paper on some new signaling protein, and take care of your patients in the same day, then don't plan on having a family. The other thing about being an attending is that you are finally accountable and have responsibility (i.e. its your a$$ if something happens), which just adds stress and hours. This, of course, is offset by the fact that you can have residents work for you. Unless you are in private practice, but that's where you are supposed to get the more reasonable hours! AARRGGHHHH! Its just too confusing...

 

[supercut]

You can exercise control of your hours by the type of setting you work in and what kind of cases you do. In a smaller private non academic practice, you wont' have any teaching responsibilities. You could choose to focus your practice on smaller cases and not take the big complex ones. For example, a days' worth of hernias and lap choles...most of those pts would go home the same day or by the next morining, and rarely have any problems overnight if they stay. You can write your orders so that they are almost on auto pilot overnight. Some people would be very happy with that, others would find it mundane and boring.

Also, if you join a larger practice, you'll have more people to divide up the call and therefore have to take less call.

I'd find some private surgeons in your area and just talk with them about how their practices are. Also talk to your academic attendings. That should help you get a better idea.

Also you should investigate the surgica subs vs general surgery.