cushiest specialty?

[mpdoc2]

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I'll play this game, even though my opinion probably won't impact your life at all. Disclaimer: I'm a GS PGY-1, so a lot of this information if from my limited access to various specialties.

I think it matters much more about the individual. I've seen a Neurologist work 8-4p in MS specialty clinics, and I've seen a Neurologist take q2 call as a stroke service staff. That guy looked haggard AF. I've seen pediatricians average 25 hr/wk and I've seen them average 60 hr/wk. I met one rural general surgeon who took Q1 call (crazy person) and I've met at least one surgeon who took no call (probably <3 yrs left in his/her career). It seems like the work is out there if you want more hours.

General specialty cultures for "relaxed" hours? Ophtho, psych, path, occ med, derm seem to have that culture. I am told by the EM folks that I work with that their hours can be nice if you're not at an underfunded county hospital (or "shop" as they say) and have access to scribes. General pediatricians seem to work relatively few hours, possibly due to the availability of Mommy/Daddy tracks (<1.0 full time equivalent, so you earn less too). Some medicine/peds subspecialties can have good hours, i.e. Rhuem, nephrology, endocrine, GI if in the right set-up.

Pholston brought up the medscape report (big fan of the mighty Pholston btw), I believe he was referring to the survey on hours worked per specialty. I would be hesitant to put much stock in self reported data of that type. I've seen firsthand how people overestimate the hours they work, and I'm not convinced that it's a systematic error evenly distributed across specialties that washes out.

There are extremes in everything. When you do a study you don't base your outcome on those extremes but on the medians. If you want a cush lifestyle look at the median hours for different specialties.

 

[psycheswape111]

Cushy? You signed on to become physicians, knowing on some level the demands of tending to patients who are afraid, uncomfortable, suffering, and all those things you wouldn't want happening to you, right? Now that you'll being choosing a specialty looking for a 'less demanding' endeavor sort of betrays the initial efforts to become docs. Maybe some of you looking for cushy careers ought considered some other field.

Brah. It's too late to consider another field when you're $200,000 in debt

 

[FootballFoot]

What about Anesthesiology? Is gas pretty good for lifestyle still?

 

[hallowmann]

What about Anesthesiology? Is gas pretty good for lifestyle still?

If you want something for lifestyle, pick something that's 9-5 (or better), no/limited call, no weekends, limited risk/emergencies, and plenty of procedures/RVUs. Rads, Derm, GI isn't bad but there's that whole 3 yrs of IM thing, active bleeds, and possible call. PM&R has been up and coming, especially if you then do pain and make bank.

Path isn't bad if you do forensics and are OK with doing autopsies. Nobody dies on you, can't really hurt anyone, no emergencies, and if you play things right its cush with a private practice for local counties with no coroner (easily make like $1000 for 1 autopsy - basically 1 hr of not all that hard work), but otherwise not the best pay.

 

[d2305]

Addiction medicine/suboxone tx has to be the easiest.

 

[NRAI2001]

I guess it comes down to what do you consider to be an acceptable pay for "normalish" hours? What do you think is good for a 9-5 or 8-5 ..etc.

There are the obvious fields (ROADs). PMR and Psych were mentioned... All of the FM grads from my program are making 200K plus working 9-5 and almost all of them elected to only work 4 days a week with no call, all outpatient. IMO 4 days a week of 9-5 and you make $200k plus.. not too shabby.

If you re asking how do you make $400-500k working those hours...I wouldn't know.

I think that in any field in medicine you could get a 9-5ish gig... real question comes down to what compensation you would receive for this?? That's what differs from field to field.

 

[NRAI2001]

What do you guys feel is acceptable pay for 9-5ish hours? Should make a poll for this.

 

[Daimon Michiko Doctor X]

Transfusion Medicine , what's there to do really

 

[artorious22]

Derm

 

[bashwell]

I'm sure derm is still better than many other specialties in terms of "cushy-ness," but at least from what I've seen some PP derm can have a crazy pace.

 

[bashwell]

I'd say the following could be "cush," though all imperfectly, all have their trade-offs (e.g., getting through IM or OB/GYN; if you can tolerate the patient population like in pain or psych; if you can tolerate the bread and butter work, which is person-dependent; you may not get to live where you want to live; your partners or employers may frown upon it; as a new attending you may have to build a practice which means not just suddenly leaving because you need referrals and need to establish a good reputation in your community; taking some jobs could mean you de-skill or lose your skills if you do it long enough such as some mommy track jobs in anesthesia; some mommy track anesthesia jobs may not have the appropriate backup or support in terms of resources; keep in mind even in some specialties not known for being cush, it's possible you could still carve out a good life depending on other factors):

-Anesthesia (mommy track)
-Derm
-IM>A/I
-IM>endo
-IM>rheum
-OB/GYN>gyn only
-OB/GYN>REI
-Ophtho
-Pain
-Pathology
-PCPs - some (e.g., FM, IM, pediatrics)
-PM&R
-Psych
-Rad onc
-Radiology

 

[FootballFoot]

I'd say the following could be "cush," though all imperfectly, all have their trade-offs (e.g., getting through IM or OB/GYN; if you can tolerate the patient population like in pain or psych; if you can tolerate the bread and butter work, which is person-dependent; you may not get to live where you want to live; your partners or employers may frown upon it; as a new attending you may have to build a practice which means not just suddenly leaving because you need referrals and need to establish a good reputation in your community; taking some jobs could mean you de-skill or lose your skills if you do it long enough such as some mommy track jobs in anesthesia; some mommy track anesthesia jobs may not have the appropriate backup or support in terms of resources; keep in mind even in some specialties not known for being cush, it's possible you could still carve out a good life depending on other factors):

-Anesthesia (mommy track)
-Derm
-IM>A/I
-IM>endo
-IM>rheum
-OB/GYN>gyn only
-OB/GYN>REI
-Ophtho
-Pain
-Pathology
-PCPs - some (e.g., FM, IM, pediatrics)
-PM&R
-Psych
-Rad onc
-Radiology

Don't radiologists have to work 50-60 hours a week with on call?

 

[J ROD]

I think Psychiatry is pretty nice if you play it out right. I have been hearing our 4th years getting offered 250K to 275K. With little to no call. Basically a 9-5 with little call and from home.

But, psy patients are not for everyone. I find them entertaining. Most don't.

 

[bashwell]

Don't radiologists have to work 50-60 hours a week with on call?

I'm no radiologist, but it does seem common to have ~50 hours/week + call. That's not as good as other cush specialties, but it's not horrible either. Assuming you like radiology. You could also work academic radiology which tends not to be so bad in comparison to PP. You could technically even also work from home (teleradiology), though that's not always the most desirable job, but hey if you want a cush life, then that's a possibility.

 

[bashwell]

I think Psychiatry is pretty nice if you play it out right. I have been hearing our 4th years getting offered 250K to 275K. With little to no call. Basically a 9-5 with little call and from home.

But, psy patients are not for everyone. I find them entertaining. Most don't.

I really tried to like psych, but in the end it wasn't for me. But I agree if someone likes it, then it's a great specialty in terms of "cushiness". My cousin is a psychiatrist in a very desirable part of the nation, and he told me he makes about $250K for less than 40 hours per week, sounds more like 30-35 hours, no nights, no weekends. He could make more if he worked more, but he is happy with $250K and living in a great place. But he loves psychiatry.

 

[Itssalsatime]

Emergency medicine pays $185-250 an hour.
My wife found a few places that pay $225 an hour, 12 hour shifts, 3x a week, and you can take extra shift if you want

 

[RadOncDoc21]

Emergency medicine pays $185-250 an hour.
My wife found a few places that pay $225 an hour, 12 hour shifts, 3x a week, and you can take extra shift if you want

Sounds like good money, but my experience with EM was far from "cushy." It actually felt like an ongoing non-stop clinic dealing with anything and anyone that comes in the door. A 12 hr shift in the middle of the night, also not my cup of tea.

 

[FootballFoot]

Yes, a lot of the attendings in the EM forum regretted their specialty.

Anesthesia forum is against people going into it. CRNAs.

Rads is non-stop brain drain for pretty long hours too.

Rad onc is getting saturated and it's hard to find a good location.

The rest are low paying.

Then there's derm.

 

[Shikima]

I think Psychiatry is pretty nice if you play it out right. I have been hearing our 4th years getting offered 250K to 275K. With little to no call. Basically a 9-5 with little call and from home.

But, psy patients are not for everyone. I find them entertaining. Most don't.

Saw a psych job posting for 300k+150 sign on for a 3 day work week, outpt only, no call.

 

[Itssalsatime]

No job that pays very well is easy. Unless you are hillary clinton giving speexhes fir 250k a pop.

 

[RadOncDoc21]

No job that pays very well is easy. Unless you are hillary clinton giving speexhes fir 250k a pop.

Since you want to take it there... you could just inherit a couple of millionaire dollars, not pay taxes for decades, take advantage of the poor, grab women's vaginas and offend minorities in the process. Not neccesarily a specialty but definitely a cushy lifestyle... and yes getting paid 250k a speech is also very nice!

 

[Shikima]

Since you want to take it there... you could just inherit a couple of millionaire dollars, not pay taxes for decades, take advantage of the poor, grab women's vaginas and offend minorities in the process. Not neccesarily a specialty but definitely a cushy lifestyle... and yes getting paid 250k a speech is also very nice!

Or get disbarred as President.

 

[simpler2]

I think it's a misconception that Rads is a cush field. Especially nowadays with the shortage, Radiologists are working harder than ever to maintain jurisdiction over their turf.

Thus illustrates the problem with trying to chase a "cushy" field or make your professions work easier. If your job can be replaced by a cheaper labor source, in time, it will be replaced by cheaper labor. Why anyone who has the drive to get through medical school and residence would want to do something "easy" (boring) for their 30+ working years has always been beyond my understanding.

 

[Apollyon]

Yes, a lot of the attendings in the EM forum regretted their specialty.

Saying "EM is not a 'lifestyle' specialty" is a far, far cry from saying "we regret it". I've been there 14 years next month, and those that stated regret are rare.