EM 3rd year job search

[corpsmanUP]

Its been a while since I started an original post. I thought this would be an interesting thread to others in my position. So I am a 3rd year with the typical 9-10 months left before real life. Obviously I am feeling overwhelmed. No longer do I read just for CORD tests or inservice. I'm now actually worried about all the things I don't know that could affect my patients!!!!

With that said, I'm sure I am not different than anyone else, but I am seriously stressed over this job search. Here is my issue. I started looking for a position with a group back home in Texas that I have been talking to on and off for about a year. They do not really recruit because they are in a position to rarely need to hire. They offer about 165/hr avg mostly RVU compensation with full benefits. They say their average EP makes about 310K a year. Another position I am looking at is independent contractor. They say they want someone who is willing to work 50% nights out of the gate, something I actually like. So it would mean 12, 10 hour shifts, 6 of which would be nights. They say their IC's make between 325K and 375K.

Does anyone have any real good way to compare IC jobs against true employment? I am wondering mostly about health insurance. My wife is a type I diabetic on the pump (as healthy as you can be, runs races..etc..etc..), but getting solo coverage would be a nightmare. Some IC's tell me they offer a "group plan" we can buy insurance through but I can't determine if it is guaranteed coverage or not.

Anyone have a lot of knowledge or a link to looking into the independent contractor type gigs?

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[roja]

I have a few friends who ended up in Tx (and the same advice really holds anywhere).

when comparing any two jobs, you have to compare the apples to apples.

So, take into account the 'salary' that is offered by EC's. Will you have to cover your own disability insurance (good plan will run you between 200-400 a month), malpractice (make sure you calculate for a 'tail' or you will end up with your rear in a sling some day), insurance benefits (call an insurance company and get rates for you and your wife, and possibly if you had children just to anticipate....)

Then subract these costs from your 'salary' for the IC. That is what you will be bringing home.

Other things to consider: do they cover any CME? Licensure? etc etc.



ps: if you are going back to tx, start applying for your state license now.

Hope that helps!

 

[Flopotomist]

One other ginormous cost for an IC is the employer contribution to SS and medicare is now your responsibility. When I was an IC prior to medical school, I failed to take this expense into account, and it was a 15.4% mistake.

 

[EctopicFetus]

EMCare has a packet about how to save money (tax benefits for being an IC). I dont know them all but one of the docs I talked to where I moonlight loves being an IC and estimates with his tax savings he is getting an additional 50K per yr bringing his total compensation to a place he couldnt get starting out with a group.

All that being said the bene's at a "real" job can be huge..

As mentioned
1) Health Insurance, esp with a diabetic in the family could cost you an insane amount at the U ofA the total cost of insurance for a family is >$1000 per month of which we pay about 10-15%. This is all comers but a diabetic with all the possible problems will be higher

2) Retirement, this could be huge, lots of places will give you anywhere from 10-40K in retirement bene's.

3) Other: as mentioned will malpractice be covered? how about disability and their costs.

If you want PM me your address and I can email you an excel spreadsheet made by aaem to compare jobs to one another.

Best
EF