If you were coming out of residency right now with the current conditions, would you still choose pain?

[Jordan11]

I work in an extremely saturated market in Southern California. Own my practice and my building. Started from scratch after working for a group for 10 years. Practice is profitable even in an area saturated with HMOs like Kaiser. Did anesthesia residency but never practiced anesthesia so can’t comment on that. But will say pain is 100% the way to go if you enjoy the work, have good outcomes with procedures , practice ethically, and are willing to learn billing, coding, marketing, business in general. My 2 cents.

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[sloh]

I work in an extremely saturated market in Southern California. Own my practice and my building. Started from scratch after working for a group for 10 years. Practice is profitable even in an area saturated with HMOs like Kaiser. Did anesthesia residency but never practiced anesthesia so can’t comment on that. But will say pain is 100% the way to go if you enjoy the work, have good outcomes with procedures , practice ethically, and are willing to learn billing, coding, marketing, business in general. My 2 cents.

What’s your income minus overhead?

 

[Meyer-Overton]

Anyone know anything about the Florida market?

 

[gazzer]

I work in an extremely saturated market in Southern California. Own my practice and my building. Started from scratch after working for a group for 10 years. Practice is profitable even in an area saturated with HMOs like Kaiser. Did anesthesia residency but never practiced anesthesia so can’t comment on that. But will say pain is 100% the way to go if you enjoy the work, have good outcomes with procedures , practice ethically, and are willing to learn billing, coding, marketing, business in general. My 2 cents.

did you start your practice in the same area that you worked in for 10 years? how long did it take to match (or exceed) your previous income?

 

[Meyer-Overton]

Anyone know anything about the Florida market?

 

[Jordan11]

did you start your practice in the same area that you worked in for 10 years? how long did it take to match (or exceed) your previous income?

No, completely different part of the country. It took me about 2 years to match income. They key was owning the real estate ie being the landlord for my practice. Otherwise would have taken much longer.

 

[ssmallz]

100%.

The answer to this question is very heavily location-dependent.

And FWIW...

When I started as an Attending, I had a hybrid Pain/Anesthesia position at a large academic center. There were some weeks where I would be the solo Anesthesiologist at the ASC in Room 2 on some Tuesdays, and nobody gave a **** about me or lifted a finger to try to help transport and induce the patient.

When I showed up to Room 2 on Wednesdays as the Pain guy, there were banners and fanfare everywhere. Or at least it felt that way.

I've had the exact same experience!! Was an attending anesthesiologist one week then a pain doc the next week at the exact same OR. Completely different treatment. FWIW I just think it's the way ORs are set up. Everything is set up to run around the surgeon, the anesthesiologist is just support staff. Granted, well paid and highly trained support staff but support staff none the less. As one of my attendings once said "no one goes to the hospital for anesthesia"

 

[ssmallz]

100% worth it. I came out of residency and practiced for 2 years as anesthesiologist before going back for a fellowship. Even after I came out I'd still practice a bit of anesthesia the first few years to keep my skills up. Pain is 100% better, no call, no weekends, control of your own schedule and level of respect you just can't get as anesthesiologist. You definitely need to be more of a busienssman/woman to do well in pain but once you get the hang of it, you can easily make the same or better than your OR counterparts

 

[GlowInTheDark]

Anyone know anything about the Florida market?

Ethically questionable.

Is that a market descriptor?

 

[Meyer-Overton]

Ethically questionable.

Is that a market descriptor?

Its a descriptor, not sure if its a market descriptor. still useful though

 

[Ferrismonk]

I can sit down in my office and sip my coffee at any point I want during the day. I can also use the restroom whenever I feel like it for however long I feel like it.

You can't do that in anesthesia.

 

[Ducttape]

I can sit down in my office and sip my coffee at any point I want during the day. I can also use the restroom whenever I feel like it for however long I feel like it.

You can't do that in anesthesia.

Maybe if you are an anesthesiologist supervising crnas... but that would be boring and horrifying at the same time.

 

[Ferrismonk]

Maybe if you are an anesthesiologist supervising crnas... but that would be boring and horrifying at the same time

Maybe, but I still cover OB anesthesia at a high-risk center a few times a month. Coordinating the needs of the service is much more exhausting than sitting in an OR or working in my office.

 

[1 Up]

For an employed position, anesthesia pays much better currently. The anesthesia market is cyclical, and may not always be this way. The only way you'll come out ahead in pain at the moment is if you start your own practice, but even then there isn't a guarantee. Your success will depend on how well you can run a business.

I'm pain, hospital employed. I estimate I make more than ~75% of anesthesiologists, and I make more per hour than ~95%. I also: work fewer hours, have no call, have free weekends, have complete autonomy over my practice. I'd be more worried about burnout in anesthesia.

 

[drusso]