How easy is it for doctors to hop between different locations/cities?

[ace_inhibitor111]

Just a quick question that I haven't seen answered before. How mobile are physicians in moving from one place to another? I know in many jobs, hopping around is seen as a bad thing and often employees need to stay for 3 years or so in the same location. Is it looked down upon for physicians to switch locations every year or even less?

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[gyngyn]

Just a quick question that I haven't seen answered before. How mobile are physicians in moving from one place to another? I know in many jobs, hopping around is seen as a bad thing and often employees need to stay for 3 years or so in the same location. Is it looked down upon for physicians to switch locations every year or even less?

Some physicians do this a lot. It's called Locum Tenens. You still need a license to practice in the state you move to, though.

 

[AkGrown84]

I would suppose it is very specialty dependent. I work with the docs in the ER, and there's one in particular who bounces between shifts here (in AK), Oklahoma, New York, and then does weird stents in New Zealand and Australia. He also worked as the cruise doc on an Antarctic cruise for a month or two.

 

[darkjedi]

I would suppose it is very specialty dependent. I work with the docs in the ER, and there's one in particular who bounces between shifts here (in AK), Oklahoma, New York, and then does weird stents in New Zealand and Australia. He also worked as the cruise doc on an Antarctic cruise for a month or two.

whoa working on an Antarctic cruise sounds pretty awesome, how'd he land that

 

[AkGrown84]

I have no clue. He lives in Oklahoma, where his wife is, but likes to work all over. He just likes to travel. I'd say EM is the perfect type of doc for a cruise ship, though.

 

[Gauss44]

I agree that it is probably specialty dependent. An acquaintance of mine said that her dad, an orthopedic surgeon, moved to the city where they live "because he was able to find a job there." Of course, that was many years ago.

I would suppose it is very specialty dependent. I work with the docs in the ER, and there's one in particular who bounces between shifts here (in AK), Oklahoma, New York, and then does weird stents in New Zealand and Australia. He also worked as the cruise doc on an Antarctic cruise for a month or two.

 

[Daiphon]

Just a quick question that I haven't seen answered before. How mobile are physicians in moving from one place to another? I know in many jobs, hopping around is seen as a bad thing and often employees need to stay for 3 years or so in the same location. Is it looked down upon for physicians to switch locations every year or even less?

Depends on the specialty & whether or not one is private practice (harder) or employed (easier).

EM is one of the most mobile, though.

 

[thesauce]

It is heavily dependably on specialty and the practice you're currently in. If you're a partner in a practice, you probably aren't going to want to get up and move to another city/state. On the other hand, if you're employed or just stringing locums gigs, moving around is very plausible.