Best jobs for the most vacation time?

[Digsbe]

Anyone know of the best job settings or pharmacies that offer great vacation benefits? Going through APPE year I'm assessing what I want to do in life (and having a typical P4 career crisis) and I know one thing I want to do is travel the world before settling down with a family in the future. To do that I'd need to work either tons of overtime to take unpaid time off or work somewhere that is good about vacation benefits. Anyone know of good companies or settings where those benefits are better than the norm? I assume for most people coming out they get roughly 2 weeks vacation sometimes not starting until after working 1 year.

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[MyRealNameIs]

The military

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Government jobs and academia.

 

[Dred Pirate]

most hospitals - we start at 6 weekends and move to 7 and 8 weeks after 5 and 10 years. Another local hospital you start with 7 weeks and go to 8 weeks after 3 years.

 

[297point1]

Government jobs and academia.

This.

I thought academia was where it was at (our new assistant professors start with three weeks vacation, 10 holidays, and a few floaters), and then I spoke to someone from the public health service- they start at six weeks.

 

[maria1oh]

Overnight pharmacists seem to travel a lot with having a 7 on 7 off schedule

 

[mgarph]

while it depends on your schedule and your partner, many retail stores provide lots of time off if you schedule concentrated shifts and days off. For example next week I have 5 days off in a row without using any of my 3 weeks of vacation. Its pretty easy to take 3-4 days off without using vacation. A flexible partner definitely helps. As stated above night pharmacist is also a good gig for this since they are off 7 days every other week typically

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

7 on 7 off in retail or hospital would allow for a lot of vacation.

Government jobs and academia also. Some hospitals have generous vacation packages. These are very hard to come by as new pharmacist at least in my area. We would never accept a new grad at my employer. Especially in desirable areas and you likely want to be close to a major airport to allow for a lot of international travel.

Also, some jobs are alright with unpaid time off and others are not.

 

[sakigt]

7 on 7 off

Take 70 hours of PTO to get 3 weeks in a row off.

 

[bacillus1]

Government jobs and academia.

I started with only 13 days vacation, lots of sick time though.
I got up to 20 days after 3 years. Not bad, but not the best either.

Not all government jobs are created equal.

 

[Eichhoernchen]

Those jobs are found in Europe!

 

[confettiflyer]

most hospitals - we start at 6 weekends and move to 7 and 8 weeks after 5 and 10 years. Another local hospital you start with 7 weeks and go to 8 weeks after 3 years.

Same here, new hires start at about 5 weeks vacation and it ramps up quite a bit. I'd rather have a bigger 403b match but having European style time off policies.

 

[MatCauthon]

I've looked around but I haven't found too many jobs that have great vacation benefits. Most of my gigs give me 2 weeks vacation to start-- and they all seem to take 15-20 years to build up to a max of 5 weeks.
It seems that many employers in many area are quite stingy with these benefits.
One thing you have to look at, however, is whether the job is using a PTO bank for their vacation time. I almost took a job at a hospital because they offered 22 PTO days to start. What I later realized is that their PTO bank is required to be used for all holidays (8). Their PTO was really 14 days, which isn't a great number for combined sick/vacation time.

My own employer lets us convert sick days into vacation days at 2:1 rate, but only if we didn't use any sick days. I would almost rather have a PTO bank than strict requirements over sick day conversions.

 

[297point1]

My own employer lets us convert sick days into vacation days at 2:1 rate, but only if we didn't use any sick days. I would almost rather have a PTO bank than strict requirements over sick day conversions.

That's highly counterproductive- half the people will be coming to work with Ebola and the plague to avoid using a sick day (presenteeism, anyone?), while a bunch of the others will take that sick day legitimately and then have no incentive to not take "sick" days when it's sunny on a Friday, when a long-lost friend is coming to town, or the day Netflix releases the next season of House of Cards.

I have unlimited sick days. It's been 18 months since I've taken one.

 

[confettiflyer]

Sick day policy... There's just no optimal balance between keeping sick people away and preventing employees from playing hooky.

I pretty much have to be 3/4 dead before I call in sick...

a) I like my coworkers...a lot, one missing pharmacist gums everything up, and we're a small department with not a lot of wiggle room.

b) sick days aren't used until you're out 3 or more days + physician/provider written note...so if I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be out in grand fashion.

c) the nature of the job allows me to hide in my office and do clinical work - I can send my student or resident on rounds and catch up with docs and nurses via telephone...not optimal, but it works.

d) sick days can be utilized to care for dependents or other family members at your hospital...I'd rather bank them and use them for this purpose, or as a bridge between my short term and long term disability insurance policies for continuation of income in case I'm injured or something.

e) I just like my job...last time I was out (with the flu, 6 days, 3+ years ago), I was going crazy at home. Netflix and soup gets really old real quick.

 

[awval999]

Hospital will get you the most vacation days. I earn 10.16 hours of pto every 2 weeks. Averages out to 6.6 weeks of pto. Now of course your holidays come out of that. So end up with 6 weeks of pto working 2/6 holidays a year. I take 4 weeks plus random Friday's or Mondays for long weekends. Occasional days in the winter on days you just don't want to go in. Plus bank a few days/weeks for the future

 

[Xmus Jaxon Flaxon-Waxon]

Or how about this...Move and work somewhere in the world that is a vacation spot. For example, I love to surf and travel. I'm looking around for jobs in locations that would give me the ability to surf without having the need to ask for huge amounts of off time to do what I love. Fortunately, medical professionals are needed everywhere in the world. I'm looking at places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Australia... Planning out how to logistically move, interview and survive in the mean-time will be the most difficult part. But if you're willing to rough it, it could be worth it.

 

[297point1]

Sick day policy... There's just no optimal balance between keeping sick people away and preventing employees from playing hooky.

b) sick days aren't used until you're out 3 or more days + physician/provider written note...so if I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be out in grand fashion.

That's not a bad idea...I'm guessing the first two days are recorded as vacation days?

 

[297point1]

Or how about this...Move and work somewhere in the world that is a vacation spot. For example, I love to surf and travel. I'm looking around for jobs in locations that would give me the ability to surf without having the need to ask for huge amounts of off time to do what I love. Fortunately, medical professionals are needed everywhere in the world. I'm looking at places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Australia... Planning out how to logistically move, interview and survive in the mean-time will be the most difficult part. But if you're willing to rough it, it could be worth it.

Entirely possible if you are young, single, and willing to leave your family and friends behind.

If not, it gets complicated. Quickly.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

7 on, 7 off night shift. Nothing else compares. In the last year, I've gone to LA, Toronto, Montreal, Portland, and Florida. I'm maybe going to Vegas in November, definitely going to Iceland in January. Going to Vancouver/Seattle next year. We are thinking England next Winter (16/17). Plus I'll go to a few additional US cities to watch the Philly Union play next season.

I get around, man. It is *the* main perk of my job, IMO.

 

[297point1]

I'm maybe going to Vegas in November, definitely going to Iceland in January. .

I understand the allure of Iceland- it is on my to-do list as well.
But why January? On January 15 there is only 5.5 hours of daylight in Reykjavik, and less as you travel away from the capital. Bet the northern lights will be pretty...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I understand the allure of Iceland- it is on my to-do list as well.
But why January? On January 15 there is only 5.5 hours of daylight in Reykjavik, and less as you travel away from the capital. Bet the northern lights will be pretty...

You can't see the Northern Lights or spelunk the ice caves after February. I'm more pumped about that trip more than any other in my life. I can't wait to be lowered into the Volcano. Iceland seems so awesome.

 

[Digsbe]

7 on, 7 off night shift. Nothing else compares. In the last year, I've gone to LA, Toronto, Montreal, Portland, and Florida. I'm maybe going to Vegas in November, definitely going to Iceland in January. Going to Vancouver/Seattle next year. We are thinking England next Winter (16/17). Plus I'll go to a few additional US cities to watch the Philly Union play next season.

I get around, man. It is *the* main perk of my job, IMO.

I think Toronto was my favorite city I've ever been too (well, DC and NYC rank up there too). If pharmacy paid what it does in the States up there I'd strongly consider moving there. Do you find it hard to adjust between your on weeks and off weeks as far as sleep schedule/fatigue goes? I'm normally more of a night owl so going to bed at the wee hours of the morning wouldn't bother me too much if it means I can travel every other week if I so chose to (funds permitting). Hit me up if you have good travel spots or recommendations too. I was in Vegas not too long ago, Caesar's Palace was my favorite casino out there.

 

[Xmus Jaxon Flaxon-Waxon]

Entirely possible if you are young, single, and willing to leave your family and friends behind.

If not, it gets complicated. Quickly.

I agree without a doubt. I'm not saying it's an easy thing to do or it's the go-to plan for everyone. Like all huge life decisions, such as deciding on your career, sacrifices will most likely need to be made. It's up to the individual to determine what they consider to be of value.