IM Fellowship moonlighting/Per diem work

[Rheumie101]

I will be starting a medicine subspecialty fellowship this July and the schedule is such that I will have most weekends off (I believe I work 1 in 4 or 1 in 6). Even week days are gonna be 8-4 or 5pm. Obviously I am interested in picking up extra shifts on the weekends and such. Hospitalist vs PCP work vs urgent care (whichever pays best honestly, no preference). I preferably don't want it to be internal (big academic power house, very complex pathology, low hourly rates).. what's the best way to get your name out to local hospitals (don't mind driving an hour or so if I have to) to pick up per diem shifts on weekends/nights etc? I tried through a few recruiters but most "locum" places want at least some time commitment etc. What I am searching for is more per diem/PRN.. Any ideas or obvious ways to go about this that I am missing? Also it'd be great if people who are currently doing such work can give a sense of the going rate! Thanks!

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[collegestud2013]

If you're most limited to weekends, it would likely be hospitalist or urgent care work, as most outpatient PCP clinics are closed on weekends. Hospitalist work tends to pay better than urgent care at most places (urgent care tends to be midlevel heavy nowadays so pay will be closer to that, even for physicians).

Rates vary widely based on geographic location, patient volume, and whether you're doing days vs nights. PRN locums/per diem rates I've see for hospitalist work range anywhere from around $130 to mid $200s per hour for 1099 work. Internal moonlighting is probably the most convenient in terms of getting credentialed (and not having to learn a whole new system just to do occasional shifts), so would find out what the pay actually at your place and what patient volumes you get before you decide. Academic medical centers may have most complex pathology but also have the most subspeciality services you can consult, and volumes can sometimes be lower as well. Would also try to each out to more recruiters if you want do do external moonlighting as it's not uncommon to have PRN openings that don't require a minimum time commitment.

However, would probably focus more on your fellowship for the first few months anyways. Also make sure your program is okay with moonlighting, especially as a first-year fellow.

 

[gutonc]

Best way to find this stuff is ask your senior fellows. If there are good moonlighting opportunities in your area, somebody around you will know about them.

 

[Rheumie101]

If you're most limited to weekends, it would likely be hospitalist or urgent care work, as most outpatient PCP clinics are closed on weekends. Hospitalist work tends to pay better than urgent care at most places (urgent care tends to be midlevel heavy nowadays so pay will be closer to that, even for physicians).

Rates vary widely based on geographic location, patient volume, and whether you're doing days vs nights. PRN locums/per diem rates I've see for hospitalist work range anywhere from around $130 to mid $200s per hour for 1099 work. Internal moonlighting is probably the most convenient in terms of getting credentialed (and not having to learn a whole new system just to do occasional shifts), so would find out what the pay actually at your place and what patient volumes you get before you decide. Academic medical centers may have most complex pathology but also have the most subspeciality services you can consult, and volumes can sometimes be lower as well. Would also try to each out to more recruiters if you want do do external moonlighting as it's not uncommon to have PRN openings that don't require a minimum time commitment.

However, would probably focus more on your fellowship for the first few months anyways. Also make sure your program is okay with moonlighting, especially as a first-year fellow.

Thanks for that information. I’ll probably just try to find more recruiters. Yeah I plan to give it a couple of months before I start. Funny enough I only ranked places which allowed moonlighting. I understand that it should not reflect on my fellowship training (which I don’t expect it to since it’s maximum gonna be a few times a month) but it’s almost impossible for a young family with a newborn to survive in a metro on 60k in this economy. Not happening.

 

[Rheumie101]

Best way to find this stuff is ask your senior fellows. If there are good moonlighting opportunities in your area, somebody around you will know about them.

Thank you. Appreciate the response.