is solo practice still around?

[spitfire5454]

hey all, im probably going into family. every grad i know is getting a job somewhere. However i know a lot of established solo FPs who went straight from residency to thier solo practice. Thye said, when they graduated is was pretty common to go straight to solo practice. My question, is what has changed in the last 10 yrs, to where grads just dont do this anymore? I know fresh grads dont know the "buisness", or start up cost issues arise. But those things existed back then as well. is this a wave of new mindsets where most just dont want to deal with the buisness aspects? After residency, is it just too hard to pass up a nice paycheck? or is there a reason for this shift to working for groups that im just not getting. i tell people i want to go solo and they look at me like the idea is so far out in left field.

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[deleted87716]

Solo practices are definitely still around, although it's become a lot more common nowadays for physicians to practice in groups of various sizes. The reasons for this are many and varied, but economies of scale and lifestyle are major factors.

The latest trend in solo practice is something called the "idealized micro practice." More details here:

Going Solo: Making the Leap
http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20020200/29goin.html

Answers to Your Questions on Solo, Idealized Practice:
http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20020500/39answ.html

Solo Practice: The Way of the Future
http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20031000/23solo.html

 

[secretwave101]

Hospitalists are changing everything in the outpatient landscape. Solo practices are realistic again, and most are choosing the micro practice.

Two from our program went that route last year. They both took out $5000 business loans and barely spent half of that. One of them has a full panel already (remember, "full" is like 500 patients), the other is moving more slowly. The one who is full was more media-savvy and had the added "hook" of practicing CAM. The other guy will also probably get there, he's just not as aggressive and/or business-sharp. He part-times for a HUGE group practice in the meantime and is doing fine overall.