FPs in big cities

[drboris]

How can an FP do any procedures or deliver babies in big cities such as Chicago or NY if a) there are specialists just for that reason, and b) Unless you are the only doc in a rural small town, no one will trust you more than a specialist?

So my question is about a previous thread claiming that FPs could make 200k... How is that possible in a big city?

I live in Chicago and would really consider FP if I knew I would be able to be compensated for my hard work. It seems that all the primary care docs around here are bitter, frustrated, and severely underpaid. They always complain about low reimbursements, rising overhead, and annoying insurance companies.

Everyone's thoughts will be much appreciated!!

Thanks

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[MacGyver]

Not realistic for an FP in a big city to make 200k, UNLESS they done one or more of the following:

1) work 100 hours a week
2) hire a the max # of PAs allowed
3) bare minimum supervision of PAs
4) provide OB services

 

[edfig99]

it is possible but it takes a lot of work. i moonlight at a private practice in nyc -- group of 5 FPs. the senior partners are pulling well over 200K, the junior partner close to 2k, and the 2 employee physicians about 150. no ob. no PAs or NPs. no nurses. a few MAs, and secretarial and billing staff. minimal procedures. the office is open about 64 hours a week, but no doc works more than 35 with one weekend in four of call. they admit to two hospitals, provide student health services to a local college, have 2 units at a nursing home/rehab facility. the practice itself averages about 35K visits a year - more than a couple of the local ERs. they've been around 15 years and have been very saavy with their business practices and promoting the practice.

 

[drboris]

so if its possible to make a good living (200k) as an fp and not have a lot of call of awful malpractice, why are people so reluctant to go into it right now?

 

[edfig99]

just thinking about some of the students i have work with...you have to work pretty hard to make 200k and some people don't want to work that hard. some people don't want to deal with psychosocial issues. some med schools want to graduate super subspecialists who ultimately end up in big cities, not small town docs. it's also a specialty that gets rided by many other specialties - the whole 'jack of all trades, master of none' sentiment. some people may not find it sufficiently....academically stimulating. then there's the whole "field being taken over by mid level providers" argument that will probably surface on this thread soon.

 

[Pilot Doc]

Originally posted by drboris
so if its possible to make a good living (200k) as an fp and not have a lot of call of awful malpractice, why are people so reluctant to go into it right now?

Because, as edfig alluded to, it takes business savvy to make that kind of money. Without it, you could make 80K; with it, you could make 500K in another specialty.