How many hours do physiatrists work per week on average?

[Padfoot]

And how much choice do you have in the matter?

And also, how many weeks of vacation on average?

I would really appreciate your input!

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[RangerBob]

I'm still a resident, so my answer probably isn't as authoritative as some of the senior physiatrists the post on the boards, but like any specialty it's probably what you make of it (though the average physiatrist is working fewer hours than the average surgeon and most other specialists). I don't know what that average number is though. The community hospital inpatient physiatrist I know well works roughly from 9am-5. The outpatient physiatrists from my medical school were working roughly 8am-5pm, often finishing a little earlier. I think my current attendings are working roughly 7am-6pm on inpatient right now, or maybe an hour less. I worked with one VA physiatrist that worked something like 8am-12 four days a week. He was a very happy guy (key to happiness = love what you do, and learn to love living below your means. I'm still working on that second part)

(Well, the main key to your happiness is really to marry the right person🙂 )

Obviously you could work much longer hours, take more call, and bring in more income. (Or maybe your job is just one of those with a typical day of 7am-7pm).

Vacation is dependent on your contract, and my guess is it's no different than any other specialty in terms of how many weeks you get. I don't know how many weeks vacation practicing physicians get on average--all I know is it increases the longer they stay at that job, and I get three weeks right now as a resident and hopefully I get at least that when I'm out in practice!

 

[Baritonebass]

Every thing you mentioned is negotiated contract time. The greater the need they have the more you will get. The less experience you have the less you will get. Some seniors in my program graudated and worked everything from subacute 20hr a week cause they had a small child and wanted another to large workers comp clinic that between clinical responsibility and paper work(more the paper work) could be just as busy as residency. Do what you love then you can find a job that suits your lifestyle just remember vacation and time off will affect your overall compensation as you only get paid for what you do.

 

[Jitter Bug]

1st job: general rehab with an inpatient unit, consults, and clinic. about 50 hours a week M-F, with every 7th weekend (16 hours) working, and rotating home call 1 week every 7 weeks. Good money. Employed physician. 3 weeks paid vacation, good benefits.

2nd job outpatient spine, clinics 36 hours, EMG's 3-4 hours, no nights or weekends. I make less money but am happy to have more free time. Independent contractor, so I pay my own benefits and usually take 2 weeks a year unpaid vacation, and maybe a long weekend here and there.

You can really do anything you want, but less hours and less responsibility (call, inpatient units etc) will always mean less money. More vacation time means less money coming in since you aren't there seeing patients and billing out services. So if you can be happy with less money, you can usually find plenty of vacations and free weekends.

 

[jonnylingo]

M-F, 7:45-5:45
No call
work in multidisciplinary physician owned group
allowed 11 weeks vaca (55 days/year), but don't take it all. Perhaps 9-10 weeks. Work with RVU system, so if not working, I'm not making money. Thus vacation is always love/hate.

 

[lejeunesage]

Wow, that is a ton of vacation time! I want a job like that when I grow up.

 

[Padfoot]

I'm still a resident, so my answer probably isn't as authoritative as some of the senior physiatrists the post on the boards, but like any specialty it's probably what you make of it (though the average physiatrist is working fewer hours than the average surgeon and most other specialists). I don't know what that average number is though. The community hospital inpatient physiatrist I know well works roughly from 9am-5. The outpatient physiatrists from my medical school were working roughly 8am-5pm, often finishing a little earlier. I think my current attendings are working roughly 7am-6pm on inpatient right now, or maybe an hour less. I worked with one VA physiatrist that worked something like 8am-12 four days a week. He was a very happy guy (key to happiness = love what you do, and learn to love living below your means. I'm still working on that second part)

(Well, the main key to your happiness is really to marry the right person🙂 )

Obviously you could work much longer hours, take more call, and bring in more income. (Or maybe your job is just one of those with a typical day of 7am-7pm).

Vacation is dependent on your contract, and my guess is it's no different than any other specialty in terms of how many weeks you get. I don't know how many weeks vacation practicing physicians get on average--all I know is it increases the longer they stay at that job, and I get three weeks right now as a resident and hopefully I get at least that when I'm out in practice!

Do you have any idea about how much the community inpatient physiatrist you mentioned makes? I don't mind lower compensation, I guess I'm wondering what's considered low.
Thanks for answering!

 

[Padfoot]

1st job: general rehab with an inpatient unit, consults, and clinic. about 50 hours a week M-F, with every 7th weekend (16 hours) working, and rotating home call 1 week every 7 weeks. Good money. Employed physician. 3 weeks paid vacation, good benefits.

2nd job outpatient spine, clinics 36 hours, EMG's 3-4 hours, no nights or weekends. I make less money but am happy to have more free time. Independent contractor, so I pay my own benefits and usually take 2 weeks a year unpaid vacation, and maybe a long weekend here and there.

You can really do anything you want, but less hours and less responsibility (call, inpatient units etc) will always mean less money. More vacation time means less money coming in since you aren't there seeing patients and billing out services. So if you can be happy with less money, you can usually find plenty of vacations and free weekends.

I'm assuming as an independent contractor you're able to take a long weekend occasionally, but most jobs (like your first job) don't have that kind of flexibility? Also I had always assumed that physicians couldn't take much vacations because the patients would be upset over you being gone for too long - is that true at all?

 

[RangerBob]

Do you have any idea about how much the community inpatient physiatrist you mentioned makes? I don't mind lower compensation, I guess I'm wondering what's considered low.
Thanks for answering!

I don't know his exact salary--I just know he made more than your average community rehab doc because it was a more rural area.

 

[RUOkie]

I'm assuming as an independent contractor you're able to take a long weekend occasionally, but most jobs (like your first job) don't have that kind of flexibility? Also I had always assumed that physicians couldn't take much vacations because the patients would be upset over you being gone for too long - is that true at all?

I cannot imagine taking 11 weeks of vacation as a solo practitioner. I'd not be able to pay the bills. Even as an employed doc, you will have production standards to maintain if you want to keep your job after the first 2 years.

That said, it is very important to take vacations. Otherwise you will burn out. Irrespective of the type of PM&R you practice, ALL of our patients are difficult. The trick is finding the balance.

 

[-Sojourner-]

As a resident my attendings at the VA PM&R outpatient clinic worked 40 hrs, 8a-4p seeing avg of 12-15 pts a day. Obviously less pay vs. PP, but they get 5 weeks of vacation, 10 holidays, job security, decent benefits. It was pretty similar for most of our university attendings.

Generally speaking you will see more pts and work a bit longer hours in private practice but will be better compensated.

 

[ampaphb]

No matter what your pay model, if you work less, you will make less. Regardless whether you have salary plus productivity, RVU, or eat what you kill.

I practice pain in Louisiana. I work M-F, 9 - 10hr days, as well as every other Saturday. My net income places me above the 90th percentile for anesthesia pain, according to MGMA.

As a 1099 employee at a total of three organizations, I am responsible for my own benefits, and pay my own SSI. I take vacation when I want (typically 3-4 wks/yr). No one tells me what to do, or how to practice. My only expenses are the cost my medical and DEA licenses, and my malpractice insurance. Overhead is covered by the clinics where I work. One facility recently brought on a PA, and they pay for her salary.

I was originally full time with one doc outside of New Orleans. After he and I parted company, I swore I would never again be in a position where someone else dictated my livelihood. I work at three different clinics so my sources of income are diversified. Even though the clinics are owned by others, it is my reputation that attracts referrals.

About 40% of my patients are Medicare. 25% are personal injury, 25% are Workers Comp, and 10% have private insurance. I take issue with the notion that my patients are difficult. Truth be told, I am difficult. Play by my rules, or find someone else to see. Nothing difficult about that, at least for me. 🙂

 

[DeeV021]

No matter what your pay model, if you work less, you will make less. Regardless whether you have salary plus productivity, RVU, or eat what you kill.

I practice pain in Louisiana. I work M-F, 9 - 10hr days, as well as every other Saturday. My net income places me above the 90th percentile for anesthesia pain, according to MGMA.

As a 1099 employee at a total of three organizations, I am responsible for my own benefits, and pay my own SSI. I take vacation when I want (typically 3-4 wks/yr). No one tells me what to do, or how to practice. My only expenses are the cost my medical and DEA licenses. Overhead is covered by the clinics where I work. One facility recently brought on a PA, and they pay for her salary.

I was originally full time with one doc outside of New Orleans. After he and I parted company, I swore no one would ever again be in a position to dictate my livelihood. I work at three different clinics so my sources of income are diversified. Even though the clinics are owned by others, it is my reputation that attracts referrals.

About 40% of my patients are Medicare. 25% are personal injury, 25% are Workers Comp, and 10% have private insurance. I take issue with the notion that my patients are difficult. Truth be told, I am difficult. Play by my rules, or find someone else to see. Nothing difficult about that, at least for me. 🙂

would you mind describing a typical day? I am interested in interventional spine as I enjoy the anatomy but have only been able to read about it in textbooks. I have an anesthesia pain management away rotation set up but was unable to get an interventional spine one through vsas.

 

[sloh]

Current PGY-2 at a big university hospital, just finished my month on the Neuro inpatient service (strokes, TBI's, etc.), this service was packed most of the time here 12-14 patients on the service. Hours were largely 8-4 pm with 1-1.5 hr lunch. I finish the brunt of the work (rounding on patients, orders, notes) by 11 am most days. 1-2 admissions in the afternoon, although our consult team takes care of the H&P and most of the orders. We simply lay eyes on the patient any time, then sign off on the H&P and release the orders once they are on our floor, which can be done at home if I anticipate the patient arriving late.


Home call about 1-2x per week. Usually field most of the pages from 5 pm - 10 pm and the nurses are great about saving the majority of the pages until around 6-7 am the next day so we can get sleep.