Is it a myth that doctors always work and will barely have a life?

[reese07]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Like, is lifestyle and work hours a good enough reason alone to switch from physician to something else like a PA? Or is it over exaggerated? I'm not talking about dermatologists or radiologists, mostly internists, etc. Is it true a doctor can choose how many hours he wants to work? My 20's/youth will be my most precious days and I'm hoping being a physician wont ruin it..

 

[Evergrey]

The road to becoming a board-certified physician is long, but it is not like you are dedicated every spare hour to the pursuit of that goal. You will still have fun, party, date if you make time for it -- but likely less than you did in undergrad. I asked this question of a doctor I shadowed and he was like "well it's not like you have to die to become a doctor. I still had fun in med school and residency"

 

[once]

There are part time physician jobs in some fields (probably not too true for surgery though); for example, I know an internal med doctor who worked 25 hours a week because she wanted time with her kids. On the other end of the spectrum, I know an orthopedic surg attending who, if I had to estimate, works about 85+ hours a week. Poor guys family life is in rough shape though so he stays at work whenever he can. Probably not the best examples, but the field is what you make of it, it can be flexible or it can tie you down like mad.

 

[loua0731]

Depends on the area you go into.

From my experience in the ER, the physicians each work only about three 12-hr shifts per week, and they're never on call. They all seem very happy.

 

[PremedGunner]

v

 

[equios]

Again depends. ER docs work in 12 hour shifts, but there's a noteable burnout rate. Something like 10 years is the average lifespan of an EM before he goes to do something else.

I've met doc's who work part time <30 hours a week, even ER and surgery, and there's some who basically live in the hospital. I think even as a surgeon you can tailor your hours as you want them. Just don't expect to be seeing that many patients or have that many referred to you.

 

[crixx]

Speaking of barely having a life... it's Friday night and we are on sdn.

 

[once]

Speaking of barely having a life... it's Friday night and we are on sdn.

Speak for yourself, I'm only half on SDN =p

I am combining SDN with reading my Electricity and Magnetism textbook. So due to my multitasking I have some semblance of a life, right? ahh crap, well that backfired on me. Guess I'm a nerd. hospital volunteering bright and early tomorrow though!!!!! YAY

 

[Phosphorus Ylide]

speaking of barely having a life... It's friday night and we are on sdn.

lol

 

[Kaizer]

Doctors can still have a life. I did an internship at Orbis following the doctors in China, and while during the day there were some of the hardest working people I've ever seen, at night they were still really chill when having some beers. Seemed like they enjoyed it a lot. Looked to me like they had a life outside of work.

 

[Just Joshin]

Again depends. ER docs work in 12 hour shifts, but there's a noteable burnout rate. Something like 10 years is the average lifespan of an EM before he goes to do something else.

I've met doc's who work part time <30 hours a week, even ER and surgery, and there's some who basically live in the hospital. I think even as a surgeon you can tailor your hours as you want them. Just don't expect to be seeing that many patients or have that many referred to you.

How is it possible to work part time in surgery?

 

[muhali3]

Yeah I think the OP is referring to a doctor's life in the U.S. not in China.

 

[deleted307836]

Again depends. ER docs work in 12 hour shifts, but there's a noteable burnout rate. Something like 10 years is the average lifespan of an EM before he goes to do something else.

I've met doc's who work part time <30 hours a week, even ER and surgery, and there's some who basically live in the hospital. I think even as a surgeon you can tailor your hours as you want them. Just don't expect to be seeing that many patients or have that many referred to you.

I always see people writing about the high burnout rate in ER, but I've never been able to find any evidence for it, let alone an average in years. Where did you get this info?

 

[SitraAchra]

Like, is lifestyle and work hours a good enough reason alone to switch from physician to something else like a PA? Or is it over exaggerated? I'm not talking about dermatologists or radiologists, mostly internists, etc. Is it true a doctor can choose how many hours he wants to work? My 20's/youth will be my most precious days and I'm hoping being a physician wont ruin it..

It doesn't have to ruin it, but as a new intern and 27 year old, I am seeing all my non-medical friends go on trips to Europe, buy BMWs, and basically live it up while I'm in the hospital.

No one ever said it would be easy, and that's why there is prestige in being a doctor. Because not everyone is willing to sacrifice their mid/late 20s (and early 30s) to build a career.

If you aren't into the idea of serious delayed gratification, then going the PA route is a great idea. Nothing wrong with it. Basically, don't expect to be in control of your schedule in a meaningful way until you're 30.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Depends on the area you go into.

From my experience in the ER, the physicians each work only about three 12-hr shifts per week, and they're never on call. They all seem very happy.

.

They're happy for a few years until they get sick of not seeing their patients for follow up and being used as a primary care office for the indigent patients who don't have insurance. EMTALA really screwed over most hospitals and most EM physicians.

They have a very high burn out rate.

It doesn't have to ruin it, but as a new intern and 27 year old, I am seeing all my non-medical friends go on trips to Europe, buy BMWs, and basically live it up while I'm in the hospital.

No one ever said it would be easy, and that's why there is prestige in being a doctor. Because not everyone is willing to sacrifice their mid/late 20s (and early 30s) to build a career.

If you aren't into the idea of serious delayed gratification, then going the PA route is a great idea. Nothing wrong with it. Basically, don't expect to be in control of your schedule in a meaningful way until you're 30.

Word.

 

[Law2Doc]

Like, is lifestyle and work hours a good enough reason alone to switch from physician to something else like a PA? Or is it over exaggerated? I'm not talking about dermatologists or radiologists, mostly internists, etc. Is it true a doctor can choose how many hours he wants to work? My 20's/youth will be my most precious days and I'm hoping being a physician wont ruin it..

It's not a myth, most of your awake life will be spent at work if you choose a professional career that averages over 60 hours/week. You will have time to do other things, but not equivalent time -- work will be your primary activity. I don't think there's a realistic way around that. Even when you aren't at work, this is a field of lifetime learning and so you will be expected to be reading literature and keeping up with changes in the field (ie studying) in your spare time.

As far as ruining your 20s/youth, I would point out that med school and residency will take up this decade if you are a traditional student, so yes, they will be "ruined" from a time drain perspective. You will be studying hard in the first two years of med school, then probably working 80 hour work weeks plus studying on the side during some rotations throughout third year of med school. 4th year has some lighter elective months, but you will be doing sub-I's and interviewing and so medicine will still be your life that year. Then you go into internship/residency. Expect for most specialties to work very long hours during the initial residency years -- you will be taking call, working weekends. You may find yourself breaking the 80 hour mark periodically, with an average work week of about 70-75 hours during intern year. For most fields, your residency will take you right through your 20s. And then you may start working, at which point you will be the low man on the totem pole at your practice, and be expected to log a lot of hours and take your fair share of call.

My suggestion -- if you are so worried about "wasting" your youth/20s, then perhaps start all of this after your 20s are over. Lots of nontrads do it this way. There is no law, or even advantage to going to med school right out of college. If your concern truly is not enjoying your youth, I would suggest you are not mentally ready to hole up in the library as will be expected in much of med school. Spend some time doing other things. Med school will always be there once you are done playing.

 

[Law2Doc]

It doesn't have to ruin it, but as a new intern and 27 year old, I am seeing all my non-medical friends go on trips to Europe, buy BMWs, and basically live it up while I'm in the hospital.

No one ever said it would be easy, and that's why there is prestige in being a doctor. Because not everyone is willing to sacrifice their mid/late 20s (and early 30s) to build a career.

... Basically, don't expect to be in control of your schedule in a meaningful way until you're 30.

Agreed.

 

[45408]

It doesn't have to ruin it, but as a new intern and 27 year old, I am seeing all my non-medical friends go on trips to Europe, buy BMWs, and basically live it up while I'm in the hospital.

No one ever said it would be easy, and that's why there is prestige in being a doctor. Because not everyone is willing to sacrifice their mid/late 20s (and early 30s) to build a career.

If you aren't into the idea of serious delayed gratification, then going the PA route is a great idea. Nothing wrong with it. Basically, don't expect to be in control of your schedule in a meaningful way until you're 30.

No kidding. My sister just got back from a semester in Europe, and I'm just dying to do a *little* traveling. Next time I get vacation is November, yay. I am definitely planning on going at least 1000 miles from here.

 

[LizzyM]

Youth is wasted on the young.... such a cliche but true.

Get your training out of the way when you are in your 20s. Have babies and tend to your career in your 30s. Through your 40s enjoy making new friends through your kids friends (you'll have more in common with people whose kids are the ages of your kids than with your own age cohort) and enjoy sharing the world with your kids (or taking up hobbies artistic, athletic or otherwise). As you enter your 50s and 60s you've got more money, your kids are more independent, and God willing, you still have your health and stamina. I've got doc friends who at that age are enjoying vacations in exotic vacations or restful weekends at their beach houses. With clean living (no smoking, weight management, minimal booze, safe driving) you can enjoy travel, cross country skiing, sailing, and cultural events well into your 70s and 80s like some of my old doctor friends (and non-doctor friends).

You will have to work hard but physicians are well rewarded for their effort and you will have the free time to enjoy it.

 

[476515678234896]

become a dentist and work will be your vacation from your vacations.

 

[reese07]

I dont plan on having kids and I'm sterile anyways 🙂..I just want to know if a physicians lifestyle will allow me to live the bachelor lifestyle, nothing too crazy but a life where I wont regret being a doctor.

 

[LizzyM]

I dont plan on having kids and I'm sterile anyways 🙂..I just want to know if a physicians lifestyle will allow me to live the bachelor lifestyle, nothing too crazy but a life where I wont regret being a doctor.

One of my bachelor doctor colleagues is just back from Thailand, Macao, and Tokyo. Stayed at five star hotels, had a great time. He's not Asian but loves Asia and travels there at least a couple of times a year. (He works in a setting where he gets 4 weeks of vacation a year -- maybe more.)

 

[Overmjnd]

hehe who are you all kidding yourselves. This IS and will be your life. If your thinking about living the "bachelor lifestyle", and choosing a career based just on that, I would suggest something else like dentistry. You usually go into MD programs for separate reasons.

 

[reese07]

Noooooooooooooooooo

 

[gujuDoc]

Like, is lifestyle and work hours a good enough reason alone to switch from physician to something else like a PA? Or is it over exaggerated? I'm not talking about dermatologists or radiologists, mostly internists, etc. Is it true a doctor can choose how many hours he wants to work? My 20's/youth will be my most precious days and I'm hoping being a physician wont ruin it..

Depends on your field of medicine.

Derm, Rads, plastics = good hours.

Next decent hours is pathologists, radiation oncologists, and ER in the sense that ER is shift based medicine.

But there will be times either in training or if you are not in a good lifestyle field when you will have to miss parties or events for your children or whatever else you may have planned due to emergencies and work. It isn't an easy lifestyle. You can say you will work 30 hours but that may not necessarily be the case esp. depending on what kind fo money you are hoping to learn. And even in the lifestyle specialties have there been times when work has not permitted those I know in some of those fields to come to a party or an event they wanted to due to their work.

The non lifestyle, you can make it work but there will be time there are emergencies. I've heard the advent of hospitalists is at least helping out reduce number of emergency calls other IM or FM docs have. but still I'm sure there are still times when they are needed.

If you want an always 9-5 job, I'm not sure medicine is the field to go into.

 

[drizzt3117]

plastics has good hours? Maybe if you're pp and only do chemical peels, face lifts, and boob jobs. Rads has more hours than ppl think. Derm has good hours but have fun getting into it!

Depends on your field of medicine.

Derm, Rads, plastics = good hours.

Next decent hours is pathologists, radiation oncologists, and ER in the sense that ER is shift based medicine.

But there will be times either in training or if you are not in a good lifestyle field when you will have to miss parties or events for your children or whatever else you may have planned due to emergencies and work. It isn't an easy lifestyle. You can say you will work 30 hours but that may not necessarily be the case esp. depending on what kind fo money you are hoping to learn. And even in the lifestyle specialties have there been times when work has not permitted those I know in some of those fields to come to a party or an event they wanted to due to their work.

The non lifestyle, you can make it work but there will be time there are emergencies. I've heard the advent of hospitalists is at least helping out reduce number of emergency calls other IM or FM docs have. but still I'm sure there are still times when they are needed.

If you want an always 9-5 job, I'm not sure medicine is the field to go into.

 

[gujuDoc]

plastics has good hours? Maybe if you're pp and only do chemical peels, face lifts, and boob jobs. Rads has more hours than ppl think. Derm has good hours but have fun getting into it!

Yes I should probably have specified cosmetic surgery and not reconstructive. Sorry. 🙂

Rads: I should also have mentioned depends on what you do in rads. Interventional Rads has horrible surgery type of hours from what I've heard from a couple of med students interested in it.

 

[drizzt3117]

Yes I should probably have specified cosmetic surgery and not reconstructive. Sorry. 🙂

Rads: I should also have mentioned depends on what you do in rads. Interventional Rads has horrible surgery type of hours from what I've heard from a couple of med students interested in it.

Diagnostic radiologists average ~50-55 hours a week. It's not like the old days when they could be teeing up by 2 PM.

 

[Cleavername]

Youth is wasted on the young.... such a cliche but true.

Get your training out of the way when you are in your 20s. Have babies and tend to your career in your 30s. Through your 40s enjoy making new friends through your kids friends (you'll have more in common with people whose kids are the ages of your kids than with your own age cohort) and enjoy sharing the world with your kids (or taking up hobbies artistic, athletic or otherwise). As you enter your 50s and 60s you've got more money, your kids are more independent, and God willing, you still have your health and stamina. I've got doc friends who at that age are enjoying vacations in exotic vacations or restful weekends at their beach houses. With clean living (no smoking, weight management, minimal booze, safe driving) you can enjoy travel, cross country skiing, sailing, and cultural events well into your 70s and 80s like some of my old doctor friends (and non-doctor friends).

You will have to work hard but physicians are well rewarded for their effort and you will have the free time to enjoy it.

hahahahahha LizzyM, ur just awesome, like, awesome.

 

[teenmachinery1]

Youth is wasted on the young.... such a cliche but true.

Get your training out of the way when you are in your 20s. Have babies and tend to your career in your 30s. Through your 40s enjoy making new friends through your kids friends (you'll have more in common with people whose kids are the ages of your kids than with your own age cohort) and enjoy sharing the world with your kids (or taking up hobbies artistic, athletic or otherwise). As you enter your 50s and 60s you've got more money, your kids are more independent, and God willing, you still have your health and stamina. I've got doc friends who at that age are enjoying vacations in exotic vacations or restful weekends at their beach houses. With clean living (no smoking, weight management, minimal booze, safe driving) you can enjoy travel, cross country skiing, sailing, and cultural events well into your 70s and 80s like some of my old doctor friends (and non-doctor friends).

You will have to work hard but physicians are well rewarded for their effort and you will have the free time to enjoy it.

this post is the anti-my signature.

 

[ReptarBar]

enjoying life in 20's >>>>> enjoying life in 40's

 

[jvesco22]

enjoying life in 20's >>>>> enjoying life in 40's

Thanks Captain Obvious. Any more obvious things you'd like to point out?

 

[ReptarBar]

no, but it was necessary considering LizzyM's post.

 

[Alcibiades]

why is everyone always bitching about the amount of work required to be a doctor? jesus christ if you don't like it then just do what you enjoy.

 

[drizzt3117]

why is everyone always bitching about the amount of work required to be a doctor? jesus christ if you don't like it then just do what you enjoy.

because premeds don't understand how much time you need to put in.

 

[LizzyM]

enjoying life in 20's >>>>> enjoying life in 40's

Having survived both... I'd say they are both enjoyable but you have more $ but less freedom in the 40s. But, if you have a partner and a secure relationship in your 40s, it is a different type of enjoyment from the insecurity but excitement of one's 20s.

 

[reese07]

I cant imagine fun in my 40's...
In my 20s during the whole med school and residency process, what are the average hours of free time a week I can have?

 

[gujuDoc]

Diagnostic radiologists average ~50-55 hours a week. It's not like the old days when they could be teeing up by 2 PM.

50-55 is still not that many when you compared to 80-90 or 100 hours like some fields or residency. My dad used to work hours like that easily as an engineer. so have my brothers. I would consider anything about 60 bad hours and when people are talking bad hours I'd suspect 80 or 90 hour work week kind of jobs.

Also, I feel like with rads, if the equipment is availabe it is not like you have to be at a hospital to do it.

 

[gujuDoc]

Diagnostic radiologists average ~50-55 hours a week. It's not like the old days when they could be teeing up by 2 PM.

Like I said, people who bitch and moan that 50-55 hours a week is bad have no clue. My bro as a nuclear engineer has worked close to residency hours i.e. 72-80 hour work weeks with having to be on site for as long of shifts as doctors i.e. 24 hour shifts.

My dad and most engineeers in project management work hours close to that even if some of it is done at home.

Anyone who expects to be home by 2pm from work is an idiot to me. even some of the people i know in marketing and business jobs don't work 30 hour a week jobs but rather some closer to 50.

 

[Just Joshin]

50-55 is still not that many when you compared to 80-90 or 100 hours like some fields or residency. My dad used to work hours like that easily as an engineer. so have my brothers. I would consider anything about 60 bad hours and when people are talking bad hours I'd suspect 80 or 90 hour work week kind of jobs.

Also, I feel like with rads, if the equipment is availabe it is not like you have to be at a hospital to do it.

Believe it or not, some people consider 60 hours a week a lot, regardless of what your father did or what others do. I-bankers work way more than that. So what? It's their choice. Some people want to spend more time with their family and in medicine, it IS possible.

 

[Laboratorian]

I dont plan on having kids and I'm sterile anyways 🙂..I just want to know if a physicians lifestyle will allow me to live the bachelor lifestyle, nothing too crazy but a life where I wont regret being a doctor.

😱 Cancer???


Not having a life/free time is really only a concern for those wanting a family.
Being a doctor would be perfect for a bachelor lifestyle.👍

 

[mewtopia]

Yes, you can have a life. It's all in your hands.

Figure out a balance that works for you. You can't be everywhere at once, so find out what matters to you most and make appropreiate arrangements that you are comfortable with. Sometimes being a mother/father/lover/best friend means giving up extra time in the OR that you think will make you a better doctor.

My mentor during my first year of med school was, and still is, the Chief of Surgery of our school hospital... He makes it a point to attend all ballet recitals for his daughter over the years.. he comes home at a decent time every night to see his wife, and generally speaking, he has a healthy wholesome lifestyle. (He even invited us to his home on a regular night for dinner to celebrate a successful school year!!)

😛

 

[whoop]

The TV doctors have lives, so this myth must be false!

 

[drizzt3117]

you claimed it had shorter hours than EM, which is shift work at ~36-39 hours per week. Rads is about middle of the road in terms of workload as careers go.

For the record, the premed trying to educate the m3 on clerkships about work hours is pretty amusing.

Like I said, people who bitch and moan that 50-55 hours a week is bad have no clue. My bro as a nuclear engineer has worked close to residency hours i.e. 72-80 hour work weeks with having to be on site for as long of shifts as doctors i.e. 24 hour shifts.

My dad and most engineeers in project management work hours close to that even if some of it is done at home.

Anyone who expects to be home by 2pm from work is an idiot to me. even some of the people i know in marketing and business jobs don't work 30 hour a week jobs but rather some closer to 50.