general psychologist typical work week

[foreverbull]

That is bad and unfortunately not that uncommon from some of the big box hospitals and groups. I believe that one of the largest, now defunct, geropsychology groups was asking for 12 90834s/day, 2 wks vacation, and a salary of $80k. Part-time was something like $45 per 90834. That was for working in nursing homes, so not even office overhead for the clinician. Such garbage.

I would hope that the hospital system qualifies for some loan forgiveness programs with that salary.

I can't imagine taking a job with salary and benefits a good deal under what I had in my first job out of postdoc. We really need to be doing some career counseling with ECPs.

One large employer in skilled care facilities in my area blatantly misrepresents the workload for the pay for salary and also fudges the truth about part-time pay if you go the fee-for-pay route (overestimating the pay potential generously on their part when in reality you get paid $35-$40 for 90837s).

This is how they get ECPs and other folks in the door, and then several quit after a few months when they realize the workload is impossible on salary (the company will then kick them off salary and move them to part time fee for pay) or they realize they’ll never make the amount they need with fee for pay.

Not sure how common this is, but some employers bend the truth to get psychologists to join them and then assume they’ll just work as hard as they have to for the job.

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[Jeremy.Hodges]

So looking at my geographic area, it says the average salary is $97,350 a year translating to $45 an hour. Which adds up to 41 hours a week assuming no vacation (becomes 45 hours a week with 4 weeks vacation). I'm trying to figure out how these numbers come to be? But also, time and work is precious and I'd like to see first hand what typical work weeks you see. This is for say, providing general psychotherapy 1:1 to an adult population. Like, is it 28 therapy sessions a week and rest of time for notes/teaching/etc. Or is this almost all clinical care time? Also, how much vacation/time off do psychologists typically get per year and how much of it do you find you are actually using? Just getting some feelers out there for what to be expected and what is an average versus above or below average offer. Thanks!

The Company I work for pays 90-105k a year depending on area. Four 10 hour days or five 8 hour days. No weekends and a benefit package including paid time off. It's all about finding the right company and finding that work/life balance your looking for.

 

[WisNeuro]

The Company I work for pays 90-105k a year depending on area. Four 10 hour days or five 8 hour days. No weekends and a benefit package including paid time off. It's all about finding the right company and finding that work/life balance your looking for.

Much better off in the VA at that pay range and work schedule. Unless they have a killer 401/403 match.

 

[WisNeuro]

Real quick, I just want to clarify. PTO is not a "benefit" in our field if you are working for an institution/system. It's just a standard part of the package. Now, how much PTO can change this into a benefit or not. But the mere existence of it is just to be expected.

 

[Sanman]

Much better off in the VA at that pay range and work schedule. Unless they have a killer 401/403 match.

Financially, this is definitely true. That said, you then have to deal with VA patients. I may be biased on that as other clinics are currently trying to dump difficult patients on me.

 

[borne_before]

Financially, this is definitely true. That said, you then have to deal with VA patients. I may be biased on that as other clinics are currently trying to dump difficult patients on me.

Passing the buck is a foundational competency of psychology...

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Passing the buck is a foundational competency of psychology...

Not that I disagree, but in VA, it's definitely not just (or even mostly) psychology.

 

[singasongofjoy]

Not all good psychologists are as numbers-savvy or are able to handle the anxiety (warranted or not) that comes with both starting a new job that is a shift into private practice AND the new pay structure at the same time if making a shift from, say, AMC. If it were a reasonably competitive salary to jump to private practice, tbh, I would have strongly considered it at some of these months of greater burnout the past couple of years. (I recognize I am underpaid in my current job - though benefits are decent and stability and admin support are worth a lot to me).

So to your original point - I see where you are coming from and I think if I were in your shoes OP I would figure out whatever a competitive salary is for the area and definitely offer it for the first year- I know at least some would opt for that- those with more anxiety about building up client load, figuring out how to be efficient with new systems and etc. - and those are probably the people who are taking the most of your time with so many questions. I would be one of them.

Context for my perspective - I'm a good psychologist, especially diagnostician and therapy in my increasingly specialized sliver of expertise, and know I could make more for less stress elsewhere. And also - my executive functioning skills- objectively sub-par. But I've put a **** ton of time and effort into adapting systems, routines, checks and balances for myself to increase efficiency and decrease errors / oversights in my current workplace. I don't know how much time it would take to translate that into private practice to the degree I'd need for covering monthly expenses without burning out trying to maintain other responsibilities (work + littles at home does not do any favors to my executive functioning most days) and I'm not up for managing the anxiety that would be inherent to me having that uncertainty. If I could make a lateral shift to private practice while maintaining financial stability while I figure it out and find my new/adapted efficient routines and flow.... that's pretty damn tempting right now TBH. (If you're East Coast, half-serious... maybe send a PM? the grind is very grindy these days)

 

[beantownpsych]

The Company I work for pays 90-105k a year depending on area. Four 10 hour days or five 8 hour days. No weekends and a benefit package including paid time off. It's all about finding the right company and finding that work/life balance your looking for.

This still seems quite low for that amount of work especially compared to salaries elsewhere. Though perhaps this is in a low cost of living area....

 

[WisNeuro]

This still seems quite low for that amount of work especially compared to salaries elsewhere. Though perhaps this is in a low cost of living area....

At least for neuro, many of the more low CoL, especially rural areas, actually get higher salaries, as they have a harder time recruiting. May not be the same for generalists as opposed to specialists, though.