EM and IM

[drboris]

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I am considering EM and have a question about and ER doc's options once out of residency.

If an ER doc gets burned out or simply does not want to do shift work anymore, can he/she decide to work as an IM doc, even part time? If yes, will he/she have admitting privileges in the ER if their patient comes to the ER on their shift?

I am concerned about the continuous shift work. ER docs always have to work night shifts and other rotating shifts, so their lives are never stable.

Everyone's thoughts are welcome.
Thanks

 

[deleted6669]

er burnout is becoming a thing of the past as residency trained em docs are replacing fp/im/surgery guys who just happen to work in em. the em schedule is actually pretty nice. yes, you have to take a turn at nights/weekends/holidays but you have no patient panel and no call. not to mention no rounding before and after shift. in what other field can you work 10 days in a row and have the rest of the month off or work all your nights for a year in 1 long stretch( I have em md/do friends who do this. they do a month or 2 of nights( 10-20 shifts) and then are done with them until the next year). the em docs I know who have left full time em do urgent care work for the most part although some do em on their terms as a locums doc. for instance they agree to do three 8 hr day shifts a week in some vacation wonderland while the locums company rents them an apt, pays their malpractice, and rents them a car. I have 1 em friend who spends 2 months/yr in australia as an em locums doing this.
to address your original question directly, em docs are boarded in em so it would be difficult for them to switch to im in most hospitals. the mindset is totally different. that's one reason im docs make poor em docs also. there are em/im programs that lead to dual board certification as well as em/im/critical care programs that lead to tripple board certification. if you someday want to practice im become an im doc.

 

[drboris]

thanks for the info