To the OP:
1. Every Kaiser is different, even within the same region. Jobs for PMR/Pain vs. Anesthesia Pain can be very different. Most the PMR/Pain docs are in clinic, mostly outpatient care with some procedure time while most of the Anes/Pain docs are procedures only. I did meet one TPMG Anes/Pain doc doing half time clinic and one Colorado Kaiser Anes/Pain doc in a mostly PMR/Pain clinic situation.
2. When you interview, ask for specific details what they expect of you. Don't assume it's the usual write Rx then stick a needle in a person. Most of the anesthesia pain docs I know only do pain but a recent hire is doing pain and anesthesia (I heard this person wanted to do this but the other docs implied it was a condition to get the job).
3. Get ready to fight off requests to do "extra things." Can be benign requests e.g. work extra shifts (but they compensate you) due to access dropping versus malignant e.g. I need you to go inpatient pain consults now, I know it was not in your original job description.
4. Your chief will have a major impact on your day to day. As Willabeast said, they're stuck balancing your interests versus other docs (primary and specialists)
5. You can push for more procedures but you can run into obstacles, e.g. lack of fluoro time/space/ancillary staff etc. At one point I was asked to do procedures at a different location due to lack of space. Except the other location was an extra 40 min drive...
6. The benefits are nice but downside is you don't run the show. E.g. you get a new nurse/LVN who's slow/not that bright/makes mistake, good luck firing her. Union rules make it very difficult.
7. If you're the new guy and you want to prove how fast and efficient you are, get ready for a lot of "feedback" from the older docs asking why you're making them look bad. E.g. 60 mins for a cervical epidural...
1. Every Kaiser is different, even within the same region. Jobs for PMR/Pain vs. Anesthesia Pain can be very different. Most the PMR/Pain docs are in clinic, mostly outpatient care with some procedure time while most of the Anes/Pain docs are procedures only. I did meet one TPMG Anes/Pain doc doing half time clinic and one Colorado Kaiser Anes/Pain doc in a mostly PMR/Pain clinic situation.
2. When you interview, ask for specific details what they expect of you. Don't assume it's the usual write Rx then stick a needle in a person. Most of the anesthesia pain docs I know only do pain but a recent hire is doing pain and anesthesia (I heard this person wanted to do this but the other docs implied it was a condition to get the job).
3. Get ready to fight off requests to do "extra things." Can be benign requests e.g. work extra shifts (but they compensate you) due to access dropping versus malignant e.g. I need you to go inpatient pain consults now, I know it was not in your original job description.
4. Your chief will have a major impact on your day to day. As Willabeast said, they're stuck balancing your interests versus other docs (primary and specialists)
5. You can push for more procedures but you can run into obstacles, e.g. lack of fluoro time/space/ancillary staff etc. At one point I was asked to do procedures at a different location due to lack of space. Except the other location was an extra 40 min drive...
6. The benefits are nice but downside is you don't run the show. E.g. you get a new nurse/LVN who's slow/not that bright/makes mistake, good luck firing her. Union rules make it very difficult.
7. If you're the new guy and you want to prove how fast and efficient you are, get ready for a lot of "feedback" from the older docs asking why you're making them look bad. E.g. 60 mins for a cervical epidural...
