Cruise Doctors??

[DiverDoc]

I have been on many cruises and I know that they have a physician on board at all times. On the one I was recently on the doctor was available to see patients from 8- noon. (tough work day huh?) He/She was obviously on call all the time, but my question is if any of you guys know the salary doctors make on cruise ships? Are the mostly FMG's? Just found it interesting

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[Monty Python]

I have been on many cruises and I know that they have a physician on board at all times. On the one I was recently on the doctor was available to see patients from 8- noon. (tough work day huh?) He/She was obviously on call all the time, but my question is if any of you guys know the salary doctors make on cruise ships? Are the mostly FMG's? Just found it interesting

A well-established plastic surgeon at my church takes an annual cruise. He usually gets a first-class suite, eats at the Captain's table, etc, for free and serves without compensation as the ship's doctor. Most he's ever done is prescribe anti-nausea meds and suture a few lacerations on crew members.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I have been on many cruises and I know that they have a physician on board at all times. On the one I was recently on the doctor was available to see patients from 8- noon. (tough work day huh?) He/She was obviously on call all the time, but my question is if any of you guys know the salary doctors make on cruise ships? Are the mostly FMG's? Just found it interesting

Cruise ship medicine is a common subspecialty for emergency medicine physicians.

I don't see why it would be common for FMG's.

 

[DiverDoc]

Cruise ship medicine is a common subspecialty for emergency medicine physicians.

I don't see why it would be common for FMG's.

I thought there might be a correlation with the fact that most of the crew is foreign??????????

 

[Dr Trek 1]

I actually have researched this because I am kind of interested in it.

From what I have read, most cruise ship physicians are private physicians who have contracts with the cruise companies. There are specific rules and regulations for each ship's medical facilities and staff based on their passengers. For example, all RC cruises have 2 doctors and 3 nurses. IM and ER docs are most likely to practice on a cruise ship.

You can apply from the international cruise ship website. I don't know how much time you have to devote, how many cruises you have to go on, etc. Actually if you think of all the people on the ship and all the medical conditions people have, I think it would be kind of stressful at times (what if everyone came down with some virus, someone's very rare disease starting acting up, casualities from pirate attacks- you never know now adays, etc.)

However, I think it would be a very fun, rewarding job.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I thought there might be a correlation with the fact that most of the crew is foreign??????????

I suppose this depends on the company. I would think it is similar to airlines.

 

[PlasticMan]

Scurvy 😱

 

[Beau Geste]

Yeah, I would have hated to have been the doc on those cruises with food poisoning. But then again, that's the chance you take for "fun" money!

But still, I could imagine myself "retiring" to that kind of position as a doc!

 

[aflo]

On our Mexican cruise last year, we had quite a few medical emergencies. One guy had a stroke and we had to turn the ship around to meet a coast guard helicopter. Medical staff on board had to do quite a bit for several hours while we made our trek. Then before we got there one of the crew ended up with a ruptured appendix. I think is may be a little more than just a few cases of food poisoning or sea sickness for our ships medical staff, but we may have be the exception rather than the norm. Of course, if you think about it, most of the passengers are over 60 and ripe for a few medical problems.

 

[yasha83]

On our Mexican cruise last year, we had quite a few medical emergencies. One guy had a stroke and we had to turn the ship around to meet a coast guard helicopter. Medical staff on board had to do quite a bit for several hours while we made our trek. Then before we got there one of the crew ended up with a ruptured appendix. I think is may be a little more than just a few cases of food poisoning or sea sickness for our ships medical staff, but we may have be the exception rather than the norm. Of course, if you think about it, most of the passengers are over 60 and ripe for a few medical problems.

I currently attend the U of R ('06), im curious to see if i know you or have ever met you, respond or just pm me, thx.

 

[robh]

I have been on many cruises and I know that they have a physician on board at all times. On the one I was recently on the doctor was available to see patients from 8- noon. (tough work day huh?) He/She was obviously on call all the time, but my question is if any of you guys know the salary doctors make on cruise ships? Are the mostly FMG's? Just found it interesting

This year I shadowed a FP that worked on a cruise ship for several months following his residency. He said is was a great way to depressurize after residency. For him, it basically amounted to free cruising. He said you really couldn't earn a living doing it, but that it was a lot of fun for a little while. This was quite a few years ago, so things may have changed since then. He's a DO and not a FMG, if that is of interest.