Can you work 6months/yr?

[mumiitroll]

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Is anesthesiology compliant with such lifestyle? If you do 6months of locums, is the pay significantly worse than if you had been a partner at a full-time practice? How would it compare with EM?

 

[Pilot Doc]

Is anesthesiology compliant with such lifestyle? If you do 6months of locums, is the pay significantly worse than if you had been a partner at a full-time practice? How would it compare with EM?

Yes you can work 6 mos a year. You will take a substantial pay hit taking 26 weeks vacation compared to taking 4-12 weeks vacation. It will be close enough to EM that you should choose based on what you enjoy.

 

[TheSandMan]

Is anesthesiology compliant with such lifestyle? If you do 6months of locums, is the pay significantly worse than if you had been a partner at a full-time practice? How would it compare with EM?

I think you would end up being a pretty poor clinician since you would always be rusty in both the knowledge and procedural side of things. I guess this is part of the reason locums anesthesiologists have such a bad rep- there are probably quite a few of them working a similar type arrangement.

ps: why do you have the word "troll" in your username?

 

[lvspro]

Weak!

 

[mumiitroll]

I think you would end up being a pretty poor clinician since you would always be rusty in both the knowledge and procedural side of things. I guess this is part of the reason locums anesthesiologists have such a bad rep- there are probably quite a few of them working a similar type arrangement.

ps: why do you have the word "troll" in your username?

thank you for the answers. that was one of my concerns(becoming a poor clinician). but if you do EM, then it wouldn't be a problem, would it? is that the only specialty where you can legitimately take long breaks? i know that some radiologists(presently, not in the future) have huge vacations, and it doesnt seem to affect their level of professionalism? Also, you dont have any proof that if a dr(of any specialty) takes a 6months break he will suddenly forget everything. I dont mean to be confrontational, but i am just looking for ways to not have to work more than 6months/year. I mean ive had 3months vacations throughout high school and college. and i hope it will get better before i retire... And at the same time, i'd like to become proficient and well-respected.
my name comes from a book- mumintroll.

 

[ozzie20]

thank you for the answers. that was one of my concerns(becoming a poor clinician). but if you do EM, then it wouldn't be a problem, would it? is that the only specialty where you can legitimately take long breaks? i know that some radiologists(presently, not in the future) have huge vacations, and it doesnt seem to affect their level of professionalism? Also, you dont have any proof that if a dr(of any specialty) takes a 6months break he will suddenly forget everything. I dont mean to be confrontational, but i am just looking for ways to not have to work more than 6months/year. I mean ive had 3months vacations throughout high school and college. and i hope it will get better before i retire... And at the same time, i'd like to become proficient and well-respected.
my name comes from a book- mumintroll.

The short answer is yes, you absolutely can work 6 months out of the year AND be a good doctor. However, you won't make nearly as much as a full time doc because, well hey you're working only half as much. Bottom line is this, you've spent all this time being at the bottom of the barrel (a college student with no money, then a med student with no money, and then an intern with no money) when you finally get done, its YOUR life, YOU do whatever you want with it. If you want 6,8,10 months of vacation, GO FOR IT. Just remember that you'll take a hit financially. Whether or not you take a hit in terms of your skills is debatable, as you could very well be spending your vacation time reading/honing your skills.

 

[coprolalia]

I think working six months of the year can imply working part time, say 20 hours a week, as well. This might be a more viable option for women who want to have children. You can set-up an arrangement with a hospital that employs the anesthesiologists. You can agree to take the less favorable positions, like working in a pre-op clinic or being the floor person. I'd imagine that you could work 2 days a week doing 12-hour shifts. And, you won't get rusty because you'd be working every week. Many nurses work 3 shifts of 12 hours and we never call them "rusty". And, that's still considered full-time.

The downside is you're gonna take a huge pay hit. But, there are flexible employers out there, I'm sure, who'd love to have somebody/anybody helping out.

-copro

 

[DrDre']

I think we shouldnt judge people who want non-traditional professional goals. We all are hardworking and conscientious, we couldnt get where we are if we were not.

I plan on being a strong clinician with an excellent knowledge base. That said, I have no children and what makes me happy with my life is balance!

I plan to work full time when i work but aim for approximately 75% time over the year. A lot of people do this, it's called 12 weeks of vacation a year. I dont care about money, only choices.

Weak!

 

[UT_mikie]

I don't know how it works in the real world yet, but as an anesthesiologist don't you join groups that provide 24 hour coverage? So don't they want someone who will be around for most of the year so that other members of the group won't be covering for you for the 6 months you are off dancing naked in Hawaii?

 

[ozzie20]

I don't know how it works in the real world yet, but as an anesthesiologist don't you join groups that provide 24 hour coverage? So don't they want someone who will be around for most of the year so that other members of the group won't be covering for you for the 6 months you are off dancing naked in Hawaii?

Get a big enough group and you should be fine, check out Jet's deal, he's got around 12 weeks vacation or so.

 

[Lonestar]

As a private practice dude, i must say that it will be very difficult to get 6 months off per year without doing locums. That said you could find some jobs that give 10+ wks of vacation.

My position gives me 13 wks of vacation. I take Q4 Home call. post-call day off. Our group decided to bunch up the calls rather than spreading out the misery. 1st wk call schedule --> M,W; 2nd wk -->T,F,Sa,Su; 3rd wk --> Th. next wk off. I can talk with other partners to get more than one wk off at a time; In fact, i am planning an international trip so i will be taking 3 wks off together. Call at our hospital is light including light weekends. The money is not bad at all; so all in all, i am pretty satisfied.

Today is sunday, a colleague of mine needed to attend his granfather's funeral so i decided to sub in for him from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. He paid me one grand cash. I ended up doing one c-section in the afternoon. Just get through residency. Life can be sweet!!😀

 

[mille125]

thank you for the answers. that was one of my concerns(becoming a poor clinician). but if you do EM, then it wouldn't be a problem, would it? is that the only specialty where you can legitimately take long breaks? i know that some radiologists(presently, not in the future) have huge vacations, and it doesnt seem to affect their level of professionalism? Also, you dont have any proof that if a dr(of any specialty) takes a 6months break he will suddenly forget everything. I dont mean to be confrontational, but i am just looking for ways to not have to work more than 6months/year. I mean ive had 3months vacations throughout high school and college. and i hope it will get better before i retire... And at the same time, i'd like to become proficient and well-respected.
my name comes from a book- mumintroll.

You should also be aware that some malpractice carriers, hospitals, etc. will want you to explain any time that you have off longer than one month. Most dont ask detailed questions until you are off for more than 2 years. Unfortunately, most people that take a nontraditional pathway are still viewed as either lazy, having some odd personality trait, or drug addicts (in anesthesia). Hopefully this will change. Currently it is still highly stigmitized. Good luck and I hope that you find a good match. Personally, as an employer, I would be interested in hiring a part-time or six months on/off employee (sorry not hiring currently).

 

[jetproppilot]

Is anesthesiology compliant with such lifestyle? If you do 6months of locums, is the pay significantly worse than if you had been a partner at a full-time practice? How would it compare with EM?

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT if you find a gig that'll support your desires.

My current gig....theres a cuppla rokkstars from an era not too far ago...

coolest two-sixty-somethi'n-dudes I've ever met....

dudes that've made their money, don't need the anesthesia gig anymore, but WANNA WORK SOMETIMES...

I gotta tell you my interaction with these TWO DUDES has changed my philosophy on retirement.

I'll focus on KIRK... 69 years old....looks like he's 55..

wanna the original partners of my current gig...

got bought out about ten years ago...

So Kirk retired about ten years ago.

More money in the bank than he could spend.

He traveled to wherever he wanted....

Being a southern boy, he fished all the "exotic" places he could fish.

WHATS THE MESSAGE?

Kirk doesnt need the money.

But he enjoys coming to work to fill in the gaps....which dictates to prolly one or two eight hour shifts a month...

We benefit because of his flexibility....and I have to tell you despite his "periodic presence" he is still deft with everything...the surgeons love seeing him....

And he benefits.

I really, really didnt know this was possible.

I thought once you hit the MAGIC NUMBER in your investments you, I, would be like, I'M OUTTA HERE!!!"

I respect this Kirk dude.

And its obvious that if he werent working, even though his "working" is jussta little bit,

that jusstalittlebit is what he needed to make him feel WHOLE.

Despite his millions.

Despite his health.

Being retired, theres only so many places you can travel. Theres only so many fishing holes you can exploit.

Hell, DUDE COMES TO WORK, and the thirty-something-female-CRNAs are like, "Kirk! Hey! Are you in my room?"😆😆

Dudes a ROKKSTAR here.

He shows up and....uhhhhh....

HE's appreciated.

Makes him feel good.

Makes our CRNAs feel good.

Makes the surgeons feel good.

And, uhhhhh,

I feel good when Kirk is here.

Think about that.

The ability to HAVE THAT MUCH "SAY SO" on peoples emotions when you show up.

Thats my definition of a ROKKSTAR.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY, MY MED STUDENT/RESIDENT/ATTENDING COLLEAGUES.

Turns out Kirk is happier working "a little" than not at all.

He's GREAT at this anesthesia gig, still.

And our group appreciates his contribution.

More importantly, for me personally,

THANKS, KIRK.

For a life lesson.👍

 

[desflurane]

I know a few fellow recent grads that do just that. Work 6 months, travel the other 6 months. They are young, single and having a blast. If you are fortunate enough to not have any obligations (financial or otherwise), by all means locums is the perfect thing. With regards to losing skills, that is sheer hogwash...just be flexible in your locums gigs.

I think the responses you get on this board are indicative of the generation gap that exists in medicine today. The old timers who spent their youth in the hospital working 100 hours vs. the new generation who want more out of life than just work and money.

 

[fatbastard]

Anesthesiology is one of the few specialties where you can work as little or as much as you want. However, I will say that I am SICK of med students choosing this profession for "lifestyle" reasons.

I give this thread 4 thumbs down 👎thumbdown👎thumbdown