HIGH PAY low hours???

[sirvandy]

I am applying to health professional schools this year- some med schools, maybe some DO schools, maybe a podiatry school, and maybe a dental school too. What I really want is a profession that, frankly, provides high pay for low hours. Specifically, about 40 hours a week and around $150k per year (midwest dollars, mind you) would be nice. It doesn't have to be exactly that, but that is a rough ballpark figure of what I would like. Does anyone know what specialties fit this criteria?

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[ZekeMD]

No offense...but the way you phrased that, you sound like an a$$. You want a job where you don't have to work all that much and make lots of money. Go into something besides medicine please. How about law, or business?

 

[2bMD]

Have you ever thought about being an exotic dancer? I here they make lots of money, or maybe an escort?

 

[mellantro]

well, the quintessential high pay low hours speciality is dermatology.

but you could work part-time in other specialties, if you set it up with your practice partners... (general IM, fam med)

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

I hear trolling pays well.

 

[Mr Reddly]

Any of you seen this thread?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=116792

 

[IrishOarsman]

I'll give you a serious answer: Dentistry. Practices are cheap to buy, profitable to run... if you're at all good. If you decide you want to buy that sailboat outright, go get an oral surgery degree then you'll make 300k midwestern and have little insurance worries/malpractice $$ (pain and suffering for teeth a helluvalot lower than if you saw the wrong limb off someone).

 

[fullefect1]

some med schools, maybe some DO schools

Last time I checked, DO schools are med schools.

 

[lealf-ye]

Any of you seen this thread?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=116792

Great post. must read!!!!

 

[IrishOarsman]

Great post. must read!!!!

Unless you want to go to dental school
(I'm off to med myself, but my GF's dad would have some issues with that thread i'm sure [he thinks i'm an idiot for not going dentistry])

 

[lealf-ye]

Unless you want to go to dental school

Why? I don't want to go to dentistry. Going to med school.

 

[SunnyS81]

Become a chiropractor......no insurance........cush job.....little paperwork......short training period......

 

[kikkoman]

I don't particularly agree with the OP's attitude, but I think people like him have a place in medicine as long as they take their training and job seriously. Some people have different priorities, whether it be to raise a family, own a boat, or write on the side. I think that's ok.

Dermatology is always a good one, although all specialties are pretty good if you get in the right group. A former neighbor of mine was a radiologist, moved to Arkansas where he works 2 months on, 1 month off, 40 hours a week and gets 300k a year.

So in short - radiology, cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology are all good bets. Any specialty in a group that prioritizes free time works as well.

 

[Gleevec]

So in short - radiology, cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology are all good bets. Any specialty in a group that prioritizes free time works as well.

Cards and GI have a good number of hours, cards is WAY WAY more than any of the others you mention. There are some exceptions to all of this, but in general cards and some GIs work more than the others you listed.

It is unlikely that someone applying to a sprinkling of different professional schools (including MD, DO, podiatry, dental) would have the qualifications to match into the competitive lifestyle specialties however.

You should have done investment banking, the hours suck while youre young (but then again, it sucks in residency) but it gets better as youre older, and definitely much better than medicine.

 

[kikkoman]

Cards and GI have a good number of hours, cards is WAY WAY more than any of the others you mention. There are some exceptions to all of this, but in general cards and some GIs work more than the others you listed.

Well, if they want to. Lots of groups cut the hours way way down and still maintain respectable (although not as high) salaries.

In some areas where the cardiologists and gastroenterologists make enormous salaries, cutting to half time is still going to be half of an enormous salary, which is more than enough to get by on.

 

[Gleevec]

Well, if they want to. Lots of groups cut the hours way way down and still maintain respectable (although not as high) salaries.

In some areas where the cardiologists and gastroenterologists make enormous salaries, cutting to half time is still going to be half of an enormous salary, which is more than enough to get by on.

Well, if you start talking about groups then you could say some CT and neurosurgeons dont work "that much" either.

But the average cardiologist works a lot, it is DEFINITELY not considered a lifestyle specialty. The pay is great and it will continue to be in high demand, but the working hours are quite strenuous. If you search for "cardiologist lifestyle" you probably will only find it in the context of long hours-- good pay, but long hours. Its not NEARLY as cush as derm, then again, what is?

 

[kikkoman]

Well, if you start talking about groups then you could say some CT and neurosurgeons dont work "that much" either.

There is a difference between average and what you CAN do.

good pay, but long hours. Its not NEARLY as cush as derm, then again, what is?

Good pay long hours = pretty good pay, shorter hours. Without exception - you just have to find a group that has this as a philosophy.

Doctors get paid by how much you work in general. If you do 50 angioplasties/year you will get half as much in pay as you would doing 100 angioplasties. Same goes for colonoscopies, and mole removal, and pretty much everything else. So cut your workload in half, cut your pay in half. I think its that simple.

Of course, not all areas will have groups that take on that philosophy, but many areas definitely do.

 

[sirvandy]

Everyone seems to be saying that dentistry pays well. I went to monster.com's salary search, and the average dentist in the midwest is earning around $109k. That is not bad, but I wouldn't call that high. Intellectually, neurology and psychiatry might interest me. Monster.com says the average midwestern neuro makes $157k and psych makes $148k. I wonder how many hours this entails? I wonder how much the neuro/psych would make if they only worked 40 hours/week? Does anybody have any links to reliable statistics on hours and pay of health care professions?

 

[pekq]

Everyone seems to be saying that dentistry pays well. I went to monster.com's salary search, and the average dentist in the midwest is earning around $109k. That is not bad, but I wouldn't call that high. Intellectually, neurology and psychiatry might interest me. Monster.com says the average midwestern neuro makes $157k and psych makes $148k. I wonder how many hours this entails? I wonder how much the neuro/psych would make if they only worked 40 hours/week? Does anybody have any links to reliable statistics on hours and pay of health care professions?

I heard orthodontists make on avg 400k. Neurologist and psychiatrist don't work long hours. I'd guess 40-60hrs.

 

[Kazema]

I heard orthodontists make on avg 400k. Neurologist and psychiatrist don't work long hours. I'd guess 40-60hrs.

Here's some info from the Neurology board:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=115362

Neurologists work ~59 hours and see ~71 patients a week apparently.

 

[Gleevec]

There is a difference between average and what you CAN do.

Yes there is, and possibly the only people who consider cardiology a lifestyle specialty are those doing even harder specialties like CT surgery, neuro surgery,etc.

Anyway, here are some residents and other med students talking about cardiology and lifestyle.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=115583&highlight=cardiology+lifestyle

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=118746&highlight=cardiology+lifestyle

I say this having some interest in cardiology and having read threads on it. Im not quite sure where you got the incorrect info that cardiology has cush hours, because that is not true for 95% of the cardiologists out there. If anything, the hours are partially deterring me from pursuing the field.

 

[gschl1234]

Well, if you start talking about groups then you could say some CT and neurosurgeons dont work "that much" either.

But the average cardiologist works a lot, it is DEFINITELY not considered a lifestyle specialty. The pay is great and it will continue to be in high demand, but the working hours are quite strenuous. If you search for "cardiologist lifestyle" you probably will only find it in the context of long hours-- good pay, but long hours. Its not NEARLY as cush as derm, then again, what is?

Gleevec, how do you know so much? It's so amazing and awesome! Are your parents doctors?

 

[Gleevec]

Gleevec, how do you know so much? It's so amazing and awesome! Are your parents doctors?

Nope, engineer and school volunteer. I just browse the Allo and Residency forums-- there are some REALLY smart people over there, especially the FAQs set up by Kalel (ckent) and Andrew Doan and Kimberli Cox are very good.