Disenchanted resident considering sabbatical...

[Apache]

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I'm a pgy-2 resident in a competitive field. I find that I am not happy with my experience so far. I'm a resident physican by vocation but my passion is business and entrepreneurship. I thought the field I chose would afford me time off to pursue outside ventures but I was wrong -- in house time + obligatory study time = >80hrs/week. I feel suffocated and I'm seriously considering taking a sabbatical to pursue various entrepreneurial ventures I've wanted to for years now. Alas, I do need to "pay the bills" so-to-speak -- so I'm looking for a job as a medical consultant, writer, editor, or similar line or work -- ideally something that would allow me to use to advantage my MD training and credentials, allow me to hone skills and make contacts that would be of benefit in the world of business, offer modest pay of 40K or so/year, and most importantly allow me with spare time and resources to pursue my entrepreneurial ambitions. Does anyone out there know of any positions like this that I might be considered for?

SDN members have helped me immensely in the past, and I'm counting on your advice and guidance here. Thanks very much.

 

[Winged Scapula]

It may not allow you everything you need, but if you have an unrestricted license in the state in which you reside, good money (> 40K) can be made bo moonlighting. Mnay community hospital ERs use non-ER trained physicians to staff, if you are Surgically trained the same type of hospitals without residents may use moonlighters to cover their in-house patients and ER hits, etc.

Just an off the cuff suggestion which would allow you to keep a finger in the clinical pie, make some good money, and schedule your hours the way you wish.

 

[beriberi]

Search some of the job websites online. There are a number of pharmaceutical companies looking to hire M.D.s--not as research scientists, but as part of the marketing dept. I would think you train/teach the sales force how to talk to M.D.s and help develop packaging/promotion.

Sure, it is the dark side, but I think it would fulfill the criteria that you want in a job, and they advertise at 100K plus incentive a year. (I don't think you actually do the repping, because there are people much cheaper than you--and prettier too--that can do that).

 

[timtye78]

I know a intern who is jumping ship altogether from 'regular' clinical medicine or specifically to work in a botox clinic doing injection at
$125K per year salary. Not to shabby. Before people email me and ask for more details, she will have her regular oklahoma medical license after completing her intern year.

 

[ny skindoc]

Be careful about drug company jobs at present.I know some MDs who have had problems with them,almost a revolving door situation and quite demanding,it used to be a cush job,no longer.
Dont count on future career of 125K just doing botox.Many physicians are now getting into the act.Just a year of internship is very weak preparation for a medical career.As bad as the residency experience is,its worth doing it.You will have many more professional,and $$ making opportunities than you will otherwise.A few people make it big with just an internship,thats really the exception.

 

[NinerNiner999]

Totally agree with skindoc, but I would bite down and finish your residency. I don't know what field you are in, but think about it in the short term - if you stick out 2.5-3.5 more years, you will have the income to start whatever business venture you need, and loans won't enter the equation. Intern year bites big ass and the hours are long and exhaustive but - that is why they call it an intern year. Hell, interns in the business world get worked hard and most of THEM do it for free. Look at the cost/benefit ratio. Next year, the hours will be less, the pay more, and you will be one step closer to quadrupling your salary (at the minimum) when its over. Will you get that by throwing your career in medicine away? Even if you don't practice medicine for the rest of your life, unless you are a financial idiot (which I assume you are not because you are business-minded), you will have more startup capital out of residency than after four years out of residency making loan payments and making 40k per year. I hope you make the best decision for your future...

 

[Square Pants]

what specialty are you in?

 

[Apache]

what specialty are you in?

pgy 2 radiology -- maybe I'm just having a mid-life crisis.

 

[sk678]

i feel the same abouot a bunch of the stuff you referred to, im kind of debating similar issues

the study time in some of the "cushy" fields is crazy, it becomes much longer than those in non "cushy" fields......very few peeeps realize this, especially med students

my 2 cents

if you can tolerate it, you should stay, that person is right about the start up capital, rads is good in that way, you can work part time after you graduate and still make good cash

good luck, let me know what you do so that i can do it too

 

[CambieMD]

pgy 2 radiology -- maybe I'm just having a mid-life crisis.

Take it from a guy who took a year off. Stay where you are and complete your residency program. Your time in residency is best spent reading and going to conferences and doing whatever residents in DR do. You will end up regretting leaving.

The stories of docs leaving residency with little training and making big money are mostly untrue. R&D in a biomedical firms have very little use for "partially" trained physicians. You will have many more options once you complete your residency.

CambieMD

 

[paroquet]

It's easy to fall into the illusion that medicine is killer and that everything else is much easier. This is far from the case.

In America, the only way to escape being a corporate wage-slave is to take up "under-the-radar" jobs such as college staff (programming, administrative work) jobs or janitorial work or bartending, etc. Even junior high school teachers have insane workloads, b/c school boards want to maximize output and minimize the number of people they have to hire.

In the end, it's a matter of personal preference. If you can be happy on a low salary, then you should opt out of the corporate world ALTOGETHER (business won't heal your wounds - it will only make them worse - entrepreneurs have harder lives than doctors b/c their ventures can fall out any day and their working environment is more cutthroat and they have to work similarly long hours but in more unstimulating conditions). Otherwise, I'd stay in medicine if I were you.