Can anesthesiologists choose where to live?

[bulldogs22]

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After medical school, maybe after accepting a residency. I have a fairly specific portion of the United States (area of about 25 million people) in which I'd like to live, and I'd also like to live in a smaller town (which obviously is difficult when you're a resident). Is this feasible for an anesthesiologist?

 

[deleted162650]

No. We are all assigned to a specific geographical area upon completing residency. Failure to comply is punishable by loss of license and up to 6mo in prison or $50,000 fine.

 

[bulldogs22]

haha, I should’ve been clearer. i mean in terms of job offers, i suppose. If theres an area i want to live in and i apply only to hospitals in that area... yea i dont know what im trying to ask, i guess. If i have enough determination can I end up in a specific place?

also do rural hospitals need anesthesiologists?

 

[caligas]

Where do want to live? Forget residency, I mean long term.

Generally the less desirable a place is to live the easier it is to get an anesthesiologist job, assuming there is a hospital.

 

[Mman]

simple rule of thumb is if you are geographically limited in where you want to live, you darn well better do your residency near there since most jobs in the real world are found by word of mouth. It's not impossible to find jobs across the country from where you do your residency, but it's a lot harder than if you are looking in your backyard.

 

[caligas]

simple rule of thumb is if you are geographically limited in where you want to live, you darn well better do your residency near there since most jobs in the real world are found by word of mouth. It's not impossible to find jobs across the country from where you do your residency, but it's a lot harder than if you are looking in your backyard.

....Unless you are a disaster, then easier to find jobs where nobody knows you.

 

[Consigliere]

also do rural hospitals need anesthesiologists?

For the most part, no. CRNAs got these covered.

 

[coffeebythelake]

For the most part, no. CRNAs got these covered.

Should qualify this statement by saying that the federal government provides financial incentives that make rural care desirable for cRNas and hence physicians are placed at a competitive disadvantage

 

[JeffGarrett]

For the most part, no. CRNAs got these covered.

hahahaha

 

[BLADEMDA]

Should qualify this statement by saying that the federal government provides financial incentives that make rural care desirable for cRNas and hence physicians are placed at a competitive disadvantage

Correct. Most of these crna only jobs pay around $250k. The hospitals get pass-through federal dollars to pay the Crnas.

 

[MaximusD]

For the most part, no. CRNAs got these covered.

Huh? Is that why the rural PA anes jobs are offering 350-400 starting?

 

[MaximusD]

Correct. Most of these crna only jobs pay around $250k. The hospitals get pass-through federal dollars to pay the Crnas.

Depends on the size of the hospital as to whether this is significant enough to impact MD/DO manning requirements.

 

[MaximusD]

After medical school, maybe after accepting a residency. I have a fairly specific portion of the United States (area of about 25 million people) in which I'd like to live, and I'd also like to live in a smaller town (which obviously is difficult when you're a resident). Is this feasible for an anesthesiologist?

Really depends on how rural and the size of the hospital/OR suite/volume/OB floor/etc. is it a regional trauma center or a small community hospital with few ORs. Is it Geisinger or Jersey Shore Community Hospital, etc.

 

[psychbender]

After medical school, maybe after accepting a residency. I have a fairly specific portion of the United States (area of about 25 million people) in which I'd like to live, and I'd also like to live in a smaller town (which obviously is difficult when you're a resident). Is this feasible for an anesthesiologist?

Be specific in your question, and maybe you can get a better answer. Say, "I want to settle in coastal South Carolina," or, "I really want to go back home to central Pennsylvania." We might be able to better give you some advice.

Yes, Anesthesiologists can work in rural, suburban, or urban parts of the country. However, if your target area is small and has a lower population density, there may not be a job opening at the time you graduate. You may have to go elsewhere, and wait for the group to expand our a partner to retire. It is generally best to train near where you want to work and live, because that program will have connections with the local groups. A job search is much easier when you have an alumni network available. Having to go on Gaswork, cold calling groups, and otherwise start from scratch because you have no connections in a given area, quite frankly, sucks.

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[deleted50478]

The answer is maybe so and maybe not which is closer to no than yes. Obviously you can’t go start a practice where you want to live (unless you do pain) and you can’t just go do cases in the local hospital, someone probably has an exclusive contract. You are limited by someone else’s control of who gets to provide anesthesia, and you can’t even compete if you wanted to. I’d say no, you don’t necessarily get to live where you want, but you might luck out. You can improve your odds somewhat by being the best applicant should a job become available.
The plus side of all the negatives above is that you can pick up and move and docs opening their own practice can’t. You might not be able to go where you want. They might not be able to leave.