Job market in Denver ?

[ToKingdomCome]

For anesthesia jobs or critical care, or anesthesia/critical care jobs . What’s the job market like? Only good job is at UC?

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[aneftp]

Everything is relative not sure about the critical care aspect. But the general anesthesia side in Denver isn’t great.

Sorry don’t know much about icu these days.

 

[Simba1711]

There was a recent post on Reddit that may be helpful to you

https://www.reddit.com/r/anesthesiology/s/gcXJV5llyG

 

[IVdoc]

Low paying job market in Denver much lower than most of the rest of the country. Dominated by USAP if you want to be a part of that group. High cost of living so you won't save as much money as most of the rest of the country anesthesiologist jobs. I've seen online ads for Denver and Colorado Springs areas starting $400K with full time call, trauma level 1, 8 weeks vacation. They usually offer the lowest pay they advertise for a sucker who wants to have access to the mountains. The university hospitals advertise upper $300s-$400K. It's an opt-out state so some practices will be "collaborative" where you are not supervising or medically directing the CRNAs but the lawyers could drag you into a lawsuit if something bad happens but yet you weren't at any steps of the anesthesia care. I know an anesthesiologist offered $200-$220/hr as 1099 with no benefits and have to buy your own malpractice insurance, so what is the real hourly wage if you have to pay for all that? Vail is offering $475K but a 2 bedroom condo starts at $1 million in Vail. I know doctors who have tried working in Denver area but end up leaving because of low wages, high COL, below average vacation time, long hours. It just depends on what you want less money, less free time and mountains or more money, more free time and fly to visit the mountains every now and then

 

[aneftp]

Low paying job market in Denver much lower than most of the rest of the country. Dominated by USAP if you want to be a part of that group. High cost of living so you won't save as much money as most of the rest of the country anesthesiologist jobs. I've seen online ads for Denver and Colorado Springs areas starting $400K with full time call, trauma level 1, 8 weeks vacation. They usually offer the lowest pay they advertise for a sucker who wants to have access to the mountains. The university hospitals advertise upper $300s-$400K. It's an opt-out state so some practices will be "collaborative" where you are not supervising or medically directing the CRNAs but the lawyers could drag you into a lawsuit if something bad happens but yet you weren't at any steps of the anesthesia care. I know an anesthesiologist offered $200-$220/hr as 1099 with no benefits and have to buy your own malpractice insurance, so what is the real hourly wage if you have to pay for all that? Vail is offering $475K but a 2 bedroom condo starts at $1 million in Vail. I know doctors who have tried working in Denver area but end up leaving because of low wages, high COL, below average vacation time, long hours. It just depends on what you want less money, less free time and mountains or more money, more free time and fly to visit the mountains every now and then

My two Florida colleagues have two (fully paid off) condos in Colorado

They rather work in Florida 26 weeks off job. Than live in Colorado 1/3 of the time. Best of all worlds to avoid taxes as well

Half these docs with these hybrid 26 weeks off jobs don’t even live in Florida that I know off. One is in New York. One is in Tennessee. Other In Georgia and the Carolinas as their home state.

 

[aneftp]

Low paying job market in Denver much lower than most of the rest of the country. Dominated by USAP if you want to be a part of that group. High cost of living so you won't save as much money as most of the rest of the country anesthesiologist jobs. I've seen online ads for Denver and Colorado Springs areas starting $400K with full time call, trauma level 1, 8 weeks vacation. They usually offer the lowest pay they advertise for a sucker who wants to have access to the mountains. The university hospitals advertise upper $300s-$400K. It's an opt-out state so some practices will be "collaborative" where you are not supervising or medically directing the CRNAs but the lawyers could drag you into a lawsuit if something bad happens but yet you weren't at any steps of the anesthesia care. I know an anesthesiologist offered $200-$220/hr as 1099 with no benefits and have to buy your own malpractice insurance, so what is the real hourly wage if you have to pay for all that? Vail is offering $475K but a 2 bedroom condo starts at $1 million in Vail. I know doctors who have tried working in Denver area but end up leaving because of low wages, high COL, below average vacation time, long hours. It just depends on what you want less money, less free time and mountains or more money, more free time and fly to visit the mountains every now and then

This is the type of crappy stuff dumb docs put up with.

Go hourly. But those docs taking $220/hr in Colorado are just as shameful as the docs taking $220/hr in Florida high desirable places as well.

 

[IVdoc]

I don't think the docs are "dumb". They may have family in the area and can't leave, kids in school. They may be OK with the trade-off of less money, less time but just an hour's drive to mountains and hiking available to them. Doctor friends I know tell me Colorado is becoming less and less desirable due to high crime, one of the highest car thefts in the country, high COL, some call it "Cali-rado" with the political climate. So plan to work more, long hours, low wages, less money for retirement, longer time to get to retirement amount of money since you are taking a pay-cut (just like if you live and work in DC area), $600K will buy you a cheap, average, older 20-30 home 1,800sq ft. But it is sunshine year round, quick access to hiking and biking trails within driving distance. So pick your priorities when it comes to work/leisure time, money, location. If it's worth it for you to take $100-200K per year less than 80% of the country to be able to drive to a ski resort 1 hour away, then it's worth it to you. Everyone has a different view point on what they value

 

[aneftp]

I don't think the docs are "dumb". They may have family in the area and can't leave, kids in school. They may be OK with the trade-off of less money, less time but just an hour's drive to mountains and hiking available to them. Doctor friends I know tell me Colorado is becoming less and less desirable due to high crime, one of the highest car thefts in the country, high COL, some call it "Cali-rado" with the political climate. So plan to work more, long hours, low wages, less money for retirement, longer time to get to retirement amount of money since you are taking a pay-cut (just like if you live and work in DC area), $600K will buy you a cheap, average, older 20-30 home 1,800sq ft. But it is sunshine year round, quick access to hiking and biking trails within driving distance. So pick your priorities when it comes to work/leisure time, money, location. If it's worth it for you to take $100-200K per year less than 80% of the country to be able to drive to a ski resort 1 hour away, then it's worth it to you. Everyone has a different view point on what they value

Probably 1/8 of my med school classmates went to Colorado after graduation either for residencies or to move there permanently

It’s a great place to live.

It’s like California. I think it’s a great place to live. My brother is 8 min from the beach out there in seal beach more family oriented (personally he should have gotten the Newport Beach waterfront home years ago but the commute to downtown is horrible). His eye buddy is manhattan beach . That’s my favorite place (just the area and the vibe). I don’t think the beach itself is as nice as the western Florida beaches)

But you are right. People put up with a lot to live where they want to live

Put up with lower wages (hopefully work load isn’t bad) to live where you want to.

 

[O2sats]

Probably 1/8 of my med school classmates went to Colorado after graduation either for residencies or to move there permanently

It’s a great place to live.

It’s like California. I think it’s a great place to live. My brother is 8 min from the beach out there in seal beach more family oriented (personally he should have gotten the Newport Beach waterfront home years ago but the commute to downtown is horrible). His eye buddy is manhattan beach . That’s my favorite place (just the area and the vibe). I don’t think the beach itself is as nice as the western Florida beaches)

But you are right. People put up with a lot to live where they want to live

Put up with lower wages (hopefully work load isn’t bad) to live where you want to.

Your brother is living in paradise if you ask me

 

[aneftp]

Your brother is living in paradise if you ask me

Hawaii is paradise. The anesthesia docs I met can’t make money there so fly back to California to make money aa locums.

But they are pretty wealthy docs at this stage in their lives to live out there

 

[GassYous]

Hawaii is paradise. The anesthesia docs I met can’t make money there so fly back to California to make money aa locums.

But they are pretty wealthy docs at this stage in their lives to live out there

Why they can't make money? Cost of living too high and reimbursements too low?

 

[nimbus]

Why they can't make money? Cost of living too high and reimbursements too low?

Heard it’s every man for himself at a major hospital there. No pooling. If you have an established relationship with a surgeon who has a good payor mix, you can do very well there. If you are new, you’ll collect scraps and leftovers until you establish such relationships. This information is a few years old so things may have changed.

 

[sevoflurane]

Heard it’s every man for himself at a major hospital there. No pooling. If you have an established relationship with a surgeon who has a good payor mix, you can do very well there. If you are new, you’ll collect scraps and leftovers until you establish such relationships. This information is a few years old so things may have changed.

Such an old way to carry out an anesthesia practice.
Leave the knee pads at home and join a good efficient practice. Nobody wants to follow the same surgeon around town anyways….

 

[sevoflurane]

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[sevoflurane]

I don't think the docs are "dumb". They may have family in the area and can't leave, kids in school. They may be OK with the trade-off of less money, less time but just an hour's drive to mountains and hiking available to them. Doctor friends I know tell me Colorado is becoming less and less desirable due to high crime, one of the highest car thefts in the country, high COL, some call it "Cali-rado" with the political climate. So plan to work more, long hours, low wages, less money for retirement, longer time to get to retirement amount of money since you are taking a pay-cut (just like if you live and work in DC area), $600K will buy you a cheap, average, older 20-30 home 1,800sq ft. But it is sunshine year round, quick access to hiking and biking trails within driving distance. So pick your priorities when it comes to work/leisure time, money, location. If it's worth it for you to take $100-200K per year less than 80% of the country to be able to drive to a ski resort 1 hour away, then it's worth it to you. Everyone has a different view point on what they value

This is my impression as well. Sad to see such a great state have some of the lowest salaries. But Centura health is in bed w/ USAP.
The anti-trust settlement didn’t do much at the time. Hopefully the dominos will start falling and Colorado can get back to fair market value relative to anesthesia trends.

 

[sevoflurane]

https://coag.gov/press-releases/usap-health-care-monopoly-attorney-general-phil-weiser-2-27-2024/

 

[aneftp]

This is totally anecdotal but I have a friend from residency who landed in CO and he loved USAP. He ended up having to move after a couple years b/c of his wife but I know he was really bummed. Surprised to read the top comment in that Reddit thread above saying to avoid it like the plague... maybe team dependent.

Also in case it's helpful, I found this link on Reddit with self-reported salaries - there aren't many but there are 5 salaries at single-specialty groups in CO that are all $450k+. The 1 salary that is very clearly UC is $350k. Pretty stark contrast.

Ur key word is “from residency”. Many residents who go to a crappy first job don’t know the difference between bad workload and reasonable workload

Those salaries are nice …for 2016-2019 era

First the employer needs to understand pay is based on 40 hours now. Not 50 hours.

That’s immediately adjust the income up by at least 130k ($3000/day x 42 extra weeks (8 hr extra worked each week)

Minimum market for that type of job with calls is 630k a min work 10 weeks off. Add in sign on bonus 100k for 2 years. You are right at the 700k/10 weeks off I keep going back to for w2 docs

And docs who keep saying other docs will settle for less. That’s their own free will. They can settle for whatever they want. As long as they are satisfied with the terms of their contract. I have nothing else to say. They just can complain about it.

500k/45 hrs /10 weeks off no calls no weekends is another alternative the employer can do. Will get some docs who will bite like many older docs or docs with kids take those jobs in Florida with hca

But even those docs want 4 days a week instead of a peel off system. The bar is getting set here what terms people will work w2

 

[PainInTheAnes]

For anesthesia jobs or critical care, or anesthesia/critical care jobs . What’s the job market like? Only good job is at UC?

People at UC that I know say it's fairly toxic. That's consistent though across that entire hospital. The residencies in most specialties there are pretty brutal and a lot of it is due to jerk attending surgeons.

 

[nimbus]

FWIW, when I queried “best private practice anesthesia group in the USA” on 3 different AI’s, USAP, NAPA, etc were consistently listed in the answers 😂. Our AI future is bright.