Is my pay fair? Private practice midwest.

[enhance]

Can anyone give an overview of the job market right now? Am I at a good place? I'm in a midwest general anesthesiology group, 1099 income making about $220 / hour. My actual time-in-chair anesthesia pay is a little higher, but $220 includes all the turnovers and scheduled gaps (so start of day to end of day). Pay my own malpractice/health/expenses. All cases are self-performed.

The main perk is I can take as much or as little vacation as I want and as much or as little call as I want.

Reason I ask is all the advertised locums jobs offering $250 / hour or more. Are those real? A few people have left my group in recent years because they felt the pay was unfair (mine is in the bottom fifth of the group), but I'm stuck in a rut there so I don't see things improving.

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[UscGhost]

Seems a bit on the low side ( I don't know anything specific to that area though), although depends a bit on how busy your day is.

If you are hustling, 15 min turnovers, quick cases, lots of blocks, etc than it's low pay.

But if you have large gaps, a large number of long cases with low startup value, then it's better

Value in no calls and no weekends as well

 

[aneftp]

Why not just do pure locums if u want to take as much time off?

The bare min is $250/hr 1099. Bare min and it better be easy place to work. $300-hr is standard (2022 year(

$325-350 is becoming almost the norm. (2023 year)

 

[Guillemot]

Your pay is not $210/hr. Subtract all the costs from your revenue generated and then you can figure out your pay and compare it to W2 jobs. So fair to say its low.

 

[enhance]

Seems a bit on the low side ( I don't know anything specific to that area though), although depends a bit on how busy your day is.

If you are hustling, 15 min turnovers, quick cases, lots of blocks, etc than it's low pay.

But if you have large gaps, a large number of long cases with low startup value, then it's better

Value in no calls and no weekends as well

It's definitely not hustling. Turnovers are longggggg and very few blocks. Basically (my) pay is low because of productivity-- I get the rooms nobody else wants, which means long times waiting to start cases. If you ignore the gaps, it'd be great. I've tried to lobby to the higher ups to get the better rooms but something I'm not understanding is holding me in the bottom pay of this group.

 

[kidthor]

That’s definitely very low for 1099 in the Midwest.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Can anyone give an overview of the job market right now? Am I at a good place? I'm in a midwest general anesthesiology group, 1099 income making about $220 / hour. My actual time-in-chair anesthesia pay is a little higher, but $210 includes all the turnovers and scheduled gaps (so start of day to end of day). Pay my own malpractice/health/expenses. All cases are self-performed.

The main perk is I can take as much or as little vacation as I want and as much or as little call as I want.

Reason I ask is all the advertised locums jobs offering $250 / hour or more. Are those real? A few people have left my group in recent years because they felt the pay was unfair (mine is in the bottom fifth of the group), but I'm stuck in a rut there so I don't see things improving.

Low pay for 1099

 

[GassYous]

It's definitely not hustling. Turnovers are longggggg and very few blocks. Basically (my) pay is low because of productivity-- I get the rooms nobody else wants, which means long times waiting to start cases. If you ignore the gaps, it'd be great. I've tried to lobby to the higher ups to get the better rooms but something I'm not understanding is holding me in the bottom pay of this group.

The inherent unfairness of this situation is ****ty

 

[enhance]

The inherent unfairness of this situation is ****ty

Yeah, I can't tell you how many nights I've lost sleep over that.

The job's easy and flexible at least.

 

[osumd]

Very low. The hourly rate is terrible, but it’s obviously not the whole story. I’m sure call is compensated separately (eg a stipend). But, it’s impossible to hide that production based pp groups have a hard time competing with the market when it comes to pay.

Your poor earnings compared to your partners is a you problem or a group problem.

It’s you if you don’t understand your system, or avoid money making portions of it like call. It’s a group problem if the structure (earnings and assignments) is too opaque or controlled, and unfair. Your group is failing you if you don’t understand the system and have asked for help from other partners to clarify. Just remember, you’re competing for earnings with those who understand the system well.

I wouldn’t stick in a job like this. Almost certainly, without even knowing your location, there are paying locums within a reasonable drive. Locums offers more of the flexibility that you say is the primary benefit.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Terrible.

 

[Bertelman]

Our anesthetists make more.

 

[rick roller pump]

Sounds like you are eat what you kill and the old guys are screwing you over with assignments? I'd tell your partners that you want more equitable assignments or you will leave.

 

[Maz777]

I would peace out. That’s an abysmal rate. And you are suffering the ignominy of your colleagues taking advantage of you. Good luck replacing you.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Even academics pay better than this. And u can also have a lot of flexibility to your schedule, plenty of time off, no call if u desire, plus malpractice, insurance, cme and other benefits.

Are u a new grad?

 

[UscGhost]

Are you paid per hour or are you just calculating your hourly rate based upon your revenue?

If it's a productivity model, then the other partners are absolutely gaming the schedule and picking the best rooms

 

[enhance]

Are you paid per hour or are you just calculating your hourly rate based upon your revenue?

If it's a productivity model, then the other partners are absolutely gaming the schedule and picking the best rooms

Calculating based on revenue divided by time elapsed between start of the first case and end of the last one.

 

[ERRES2288]

Right now in Midwest it’s pretty easy to get 450-475k, 8-10weeks, 45ish hours a week. One weekend a month call. You can do math see how it compares. This is w2 so malpractice, disability, health insurance mostly paid for on top of that

 

[pgg]

I've tried to lobby to the higher ups to get the better rooms but something I'm not understanding is holding me in the bottom pay of this group.

Whoa

It doesn't matter what you're getting paid. That's intolerable.

Give your notice. Leave. **** those guys.

 

[PpfSuxTube]

I don't know anything about your area or pay, but someone forcefeeding you **** is horrendous behavior. Don't walk, run. Unless guaranteed equity

 

[ryanjmy]

The main perk is I can take as much or as little vacation as I want and as much or as little call as I want.

This is costing you a ton of money. No-call, part-timers aren't very useful to a 24/7 service.

If you're willing to supervise and travel you could nearly double your hourly rate. Up to you if its worth it.

 

[tdub878]

Very low. So many good jobs out there. Time to move on.

 

[Lecithin5]

Seemingly low. But, I truly believe happiness and job satisfaction counts for a lot.

 

[Anesthesia_Guy]

Can anyone give an overview of the job market right now? Am I at a good place? I'm in a midwest general anesthesiology group, 1099 income making about $220 / hour.

Your pay isn't low, it's embarrassing. Kudos to you for having the courage to discuss it on an open forum.

 

[DirtDocMD]

If this was a truly “low-key” gig, AND they were paying all your expenses/healthcare/retirement, it “might” be tolerable (then, it would be near $400k for 45 weeks (40 hrs x $220=$8800, multiply x 45 wks=$396k), with no call/weekends/holidays with $50k PLUS in benefits, on top).

OTOH, if this is essentially like a 1099 gig, and you’re not getting any 401k/profit-sharing, and as you say, NO health or malpractice, either……

“That ain’t right…..”

 

[cchoukal]

Just adding my fuel to the same fire: from what you've said, it sounds like your group is "eating its young," so to speak, and you're stuck doing low-rent cases. A good, fair, transparent group would have a model that gives equal access to better cases, call, vacation, etc. Yes, the overall pay rate is quite low (I calculated my hourly based on how you described calculating yours and I'm quite a bit higher than that), but the inherent inequality baked into how your group operates is the far bigger concern.

 

[UscGhost]

Calculating based on revenue divided by time elapsed between start of the first case and end of the last one.

I see.

You would have to discuss with the group regarding what criteria is necessary in order to obtain fair access to the good lineups.

If you are part time and don't have to take call and can take as much vacation as you like, then there is an expected cost to that freedom. Wouldn't be fair to the partners if they had to take call and less vacation but also had to give equal access to the schedule. Otherwise what's the benefit of being a partner.

So the question is, can you get equal pay and equal access to cases if you cover equal calls and vacations as the partners? If not, what tradeoff is fair and market rate?

 

[mdo1738]

I get emails with like 10 locums gigs per day paying $300-350 per hour. Your current compensation is an insult to what you are worth.

 

[amyl]

Run. Terrible. Everyone else has said it.

 

[circleK]

I’ll add my two cents and say it depends on where in the Midwest

 

[Anesthesia_Guy]

I’ll add my two cents and say it depends on where in the Midwest

No it doesn't. That job blows anywhere in the Midwest.

 

[Guillemot]

No it doesn't. That job blows anywhere in the Midwest.

CircleK probably doesn't understand the difference between W2 and 1099. If it were W2 then I could see his statement making sense. 220/hr plus benefits and 220/hr minus overhead and expenses is easily a 100k spread. I know a lot of doctors (and people in general) who can't wrap their heads around that fact.

 

[BlueRug]

It’s a great job.

For the senior partners making $$$$ off of your back.

 

[pgg]

I’ll add my two cents and say it depends on where in the Midwest

The pay may or may not be OK, reasonable people can disagree on how much is enough, but the intolerable part of that job is the way the senior partners are abusing him.

 

[circleK]

Sorry I obviously completely missed some key details when I skimmed this thread late last and responded (1099, unequal partners). Find a new gig

 

[IMGASMD]

Are you sitting in your own cases?

Contrary to most here, it all depends on what you want. As I’ve said in the other thread, I am okay making $250/hr, so yours is a little lower, and being worked like a crna.

250*40*42= 420K with 10 weeks of vacation.
-30K health insurance
-15K malpractice
-65K retirement
-20K business expenses
=290K

290K - 100K tax (I used California) = 190K

I was paying down my student loan pretty aggressively (at least in my mind) at 5K a month. That still leave you more than 10K to live on a month.

Certainly NOT FU money, but I think that’s a pretty comfortable living in the Midwest.

If you want to hustle, then there’s plenty of money to made right now.

Just my 2c.

 

[TheLoneWolf]

When I was on the interview circuit a while back, I had interviewed at a few places in the Midwest. Average W2 PP or hospital employed came to $200 an hour. One large system hospital employed job guaranteed 670,000 base pay with modifiers on top of that. Another paid 400, 000 total with tons of call. Huge variation in pay for similar work hours, vacations, and call burden.

Previously, I had worked in an eat what you kill PP model and it's true that senior partners hog the rooms that produce the most units. A busy ortho room with blocks vs doing 8-9 healthy peds tonsils. No comparison in terms of pay or stress level.

 

[Dr. Rude]

No it doesn't. That job blows anywhere in the Midwest.

They can find people to tolerate it in places like Ann Arbor, MI, Madison, WI, Carmel, IN, etc

Just like people will work for less for the "privilege" of being in NYC.