Doing Private Practice and Research?

[54578]

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Is it possible to join a private practice - and rake in the dollars - while also having a university affiliation and conducting bench or clinical research?

 

[63768]

yup. i'm working for two of them right now. well they're no longer university-affiliated since they hate baylor COM now, but they were at some point. they currently fund their own research.

 

[odrade1]

Is it possible to join a private practice - and rake in the dollars - while also having a university affiliation and conducting bench or clinical research?

I have friends in dentistry who have part-time university appointments and also have private practices. I don't see why you couldn't do this in medicine, as well.
If you are research-trained, there is no reason why you couldn't develop relationships with people who are doing research, and contribute that way, even if you have your own practice. The part-time university/part time personal practice idea is probably more attractive, however.

 

[lattimer13]

definitely possible some people in cards i know are doing it...while at the same time establishing the largest cardiology group practice in the city.

 

[modelslashactor]

It's definitely possible, but it's probably pretty tough to manage. If you have a family I would think it would be a tough life because research and private practice are both very time consuming jobs, but plenty of people have made it work before.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Nice to see that you have your priorities in order.....

"Is it possible to join a private practice - and rake in the dollars"....

At least you're more honest than most of us.....

 

[63768]

Nice to see that you have your priorities in order.....

let's not start the eternal "i am better than you because i love patients" discussion. money is an important part of any career and job.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I'll admit that I'm enticed by the lure of a big paycheck- and one of the major reasons that I refuse to do primary care is the disparity between pay and the level of responsibility (the primary reason is that it's such a boring job). I never said I love patients anymore than anyone else- but I am surprised that someone would be so straightforward, albeit pleasanty so.

 

[solitude]

Possible for some types of clinical research, but generally no, you won't be able to do good research if you are in private practice. Anybody can do research of some kind, but to get good funding you will most likely need to have a full appointment in an academic department. If you somehow do get funded (extremely rare), your peers in academia won't respect your research. The safe bet if you want to do research is to stay in academia. If you are interested in money, try ophthalmology: there are a ton of research opportunities, but you can still do surgery a few days a week and easily make 200-300K/yr at an academic hospital.

 

[54578]

I'll admit that I'm enticed by the lure of a big paycheck- and one of the major reasons that I refuse to do primary care is the disparity between pay and the level of responsibility (the primary reason is that it's such a boring job). I never said I love patients anymore than anyone else- but I am surprised that someone would be so straightforward, albeit pleasanty so.

Praetorian-

I was being facetious (though it may not have come out that way).

Basically, the point of my question - which of course I proposed quite callously – is this: can you have your cake and eat it too? I’m not in medicine for the money, though money certainly is an enticing reason that further draws me to the profession. Being able to treat patients, get paid well, and continue conducting research – what I would like to ideally do, but again, I think academia will be the route for me.

I wonder how cardiothoracic and neurosurgeons – specialties that are so time-consuming – are able to devote time to writing grants and conducting research? What is the salary for surgeons that join academia?

 

[solitude]

Praetorian-

I was being facetious (though it may not have come out that way).

Basically, the point of my question - which of course I proposed quite callously – is this: can you have your cake and eat it too? I’m not in medicine for the money, though money certainly is an enticing reason that further draws me to the profession. Being able to treat patients, get paid well, and continue conducting research – what I would like to ideally do, but again, I think academia will be the route for me.

I wonder how cardiothoracic and neurosurgeons – specialties that are so time-consuming – are able to devote time to writing grants and conducting research? What is the salary for surgeons that join academia?

The answer is that most of them don't. Usually all of their research is extremely clinical in nature and doesn't require grants, or very large ones. I can't really tell from your post what kind of research you want to do, but if it is clinical then these are very good fields that will pay well. If you want to do a lot of basic science research then these are perhaps the worst choices.

As for salary, it really depends on what kind of surgeon. There are many types, obviously. It also depends a lot on how much surgery you do. Also on whether you practice at a public or private medical school. And whether you are clinical or tenure-track. And how many years you have been on the faculty. With all of that said, most cardiothoracic and neurosurgeon academics make about 300,000 - 500,000/yr (wide range depending on the listed factors). Orthopaedic, general, and ophthalmic surgeons make in the 200-400K/yr range, but have a little bit more time to devote to research, and also spend more time in the clinic rather than in the OR.