Longevity factors

[Doctor J]

Hey folks,

You've all been really helpful to me in the past and I'm hoping you'll help me yet again. I haven't seen this topic come up for discussion yet. Forgive me if it has.

I'm trying to decide the factors that a group can offer that will lead to longevity. Specifically, what are the things you look for in a group that make you stay the long haul versus jumping ship/shop? I'm talking about the looooooong haul, as in, 20 to 30 to 40 years.

What I've come up with on my own are these.

1. Location, location, location...
2. High reimbursement (no one wants to stick with a group that pays terribly)
3. Low number of required shifts or hours/month (no one wants to stick with a group that works you to the bone)
4. Average to lowish patients per hour
5. Great specialty support
6. Great nursing support
7. High degree of 'agency': This is an intangible but I think of it as the degree to which you feel you can change things in your department for the better.

And a follow up question, does anyone think that setting down 'roots' (i.e. you join a group and for whatever reason are required to stay for a few years, be it your spouses job or schooling, a long partnership track, or a red-hot preschool Junior just HAS to go to) noticeably increase your chances of staying for the loooooong haul?

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[Doctor J]

Maybe I should have made this a poll...

 

[winkleweizen]

Reimbursement, location, ease of admission and nursing support


In that order for me

 

[deleted109597]

It all comes down to how frustrated you are during a shift, and how used up you feel at the end.
I work at one place for nearly $500/hr only because it pays that much, and I do it when I want to buy something. I did it full time for my first year out, and wanted to quit medicine and mow lawns for a living.
Location of your off time might mean something. But where you work means nothing in this movement based society.
Getting paid shyte makes you resentful, certainly. But I would rather work for $200/hr and love work than work $400/hr and hate life.
Number of patients doesn't mean much. If you're getting slammed it can, but 2-3 pph isn't that hard really. And having worked at 0.5 pph joints, you do get bored. OTOH, you get paid to sleep/watch movies, so it's balances out.

No hospital cares what the ER docs want. We are a commodity to them. Sorry, it sucks, and maybe it will get better with the FSED revolution.

 

[Welker]

what about strength of schedule? for example, what if you never work weekends and thus have a lot of free time to hang out with family? or if you are not a night person, what if you don't have to work nights and instead work more weekends? I think this promotes longevity as well

 

[bravotwozero]

It all comes down to how frustrated you are during a shift, and how used up you feel at the end.
I work at one place for nearly $500/hr only because it pays that much, and I do it when I want to buy something. I did it every day for a year, and wanted to quit medicine and mow lawns for a living.

You worked Everyday for a year?!!! Hope what you were buying was worth it LOL


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[Doctor J]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with working at a single shop for a really long period of time, measured in decades.

What made you stay so long? In an environment where people change jobs every few years, why did you stay in one place for so long?

 

[TooMuchResearch]

what about strength of schedule? for example, what if you never work weekends and thus have a lot of free time to hang out with family? or if you are not a night person, what if you don't have to work nights and instead work more weekends? I think this promotes longevity as well

No weekends? Where's that job?

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Hey folks,

You've all been really helpful to me in the past and I'm hoping you'll help me yet again. I haven't seen this topic come up for discussion yet. Forgive me if it has.

I'm trying to decide the factors that a group can offer that will lead to longevity. Specifically, what are the things you look for in a group that make you stay the long haul versus jumping ship/shop? I'm talking about the looooooong haul, as in, 20 to 30 to 40 years.

What I've come up with on my own are these.

1. Location, location, location...
2. High reimbursement (no one wants to stick with a group that pays terribly)
3. Low number of required shifts or hours/month (no one wants to stick with a group that works you to the bone)
4. Average to lowish patients per hour
5. Great specialty support
6. Great nursing support
7. High degree of 'agency': This is an intangible but I think of it as the degree to which you feel you can change things in your department for the better.

And a follow up question, does anyone think that setting down 'roots' (i.e. you join a group and for whatever reason are required to stay for a few years, be it your spouses job or schooling, a long partnership track, or a red-hot preschool Junior just HAS to go to) noticeably increase your chances of staying for the loooooong haul?

Control over your job. It doesn't hurt as bad to be busy when you know you chose to deliberately understaff a bit so your income would be higher. Also, the ability to pay someone else to do your nights, weekends, holidays etc is worthwhile, as is a low minimum number of shifts (partners in my group can work as few as six.)

 

[deleted109597]

You worked Everyday for a year?!!! Hope what you were buying was worth it LOL

Sorry. Every day that I worked. I still only worked 12-14 shifts a month.

 

[mountainER]

I would add patient population... having a larger percentage of thankful/respectful patient makes a big difference. Also overall community health. One place I work its very common to get 60 yo farmer with no health problems presenting for ____ simple straightforward complaint. Other place is more urban, referral center. Very rare not to have 5 or more comorbidities complicating every case. I am much more stressed there even though I have more specialty back up.

 

[MSmentor018]

longevity? this is what's going to do it

working less but just enough to save a little, spend a little and not stress
finding hobbies that you enjoy and yes, if you gotta spend some money, enjoy it!
spend time with family or whatever loves you. have something/someone outside your job
don't get crazy and live outside your means but buy what you want.
location is really up to you. live where you know when you get out of work, you're still happy
specialty, nursing, making a change in your job. it's a great thing but in some sense, completely out of your control. be nice to your consultants, go to the hospital functions and meet them, join a committee and try to make a change...well at least it'll make you feel better

 

[EMedGrrl]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with working at a single shop for a really long period of time, measured in decades.

What made you stay so long? In an environment where people change jobs every few years, why did you stay in one place for so long?

15 years in one place. Combination of location (family/friends nearby), only academic gig in the area, and switching up administrative roles every 5-7 years has kept it fresh. Good group of colleagues who always support one another whether it's a clinical question you want to run by someone or a personal need / shift coverage. Interesting patient population. Collegial relationship with residents. Could make (lots) more money working elsewhere, but I enjoy the environment and community and feel like I can have more impact by teaching. Lots of support at home and good sense of work-life balance, or integration, or whatever you want to call it doesn't hurt either.

 

[BAM!]

longevity? this is what's going to do it

working less but just enough to save a little, spend a little and not stress
finding hobbies that you enjoy and yes, if you gotta spend some money, enjoy it!
spend time with family or whatever loves you. have something/someone outside your job
don't get crazy and live outside your means but buy what you want.
location is really up to you. live where you know when you get out of work, you're still happy
specialty, nursing, making a change in your job. it's a great thing but in some sense, completely out of your control. be nice to your consultants, go to the hospital functions and meet them, join a committee and try to make a change...well at least it'll make you feel better

I like this answer. Yes, having a low "stress coefficient" by having proactive nursing, nice consultants, and good pay makes life at work more pleasureable. But having some hobbies, friends and family outside of work will make your entire life happy. You want something to look forward to during your shift that isn't just "11pm when your shift ends."