Market for CT Surgery

[DO_Surgeon]

Ok before anyone tells me to do a search let me say I am fully aware this has been discussed many times before. I have read and participated in some of the previous posts. My question is, does anyone have any first hand knowledge of the market for CT surgery? Either personally or know someone in the field. I have read the articles and seen the predictions about the of shortage of surgeons with the retirement of 50% of the practicing surgeons wihtin the next 10 years. Who knows what the end result of the CABG vs Stent war will shake out to be, thus affecting the demand to replace those retiring surgeons. I have gone my entire medical career up to now wanting to become a CT surgeon. I am now in my PGY IV year, and would be looking to apply this year but decided to do a surgical critical care fellowship at the end of my third year. So I have another year to wait and ponder. I keep telling my wife I would do it for peanuts, although she doesn't seem to think its a great idea. Anyone have any personal insight??? Blade? ESU MD?

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[Pilot Doc]

My only data point is an acquaintance who just started an academic CT job in chicago at $250K. If the typical junior-senior / private-academic ratios hold, then an established PP CT guy should make $400K+.

And I bet a lot of CT surgeons are putting off retirement now that their stocks are down 35%. Which means that a big bolus will retire in 3-5 years when you'd be finishing.

 

[DO_Surgeon]

My only data point is an acquaintance who just started an academic CT job in chicago at $250K. If the typical junior-senior / private-academic ratios hold, then an established PP CT guy should make $400K+.

And I bet a lot of CT surgeons are putting off retirement now that their stocks are down 35%. Which means that a big bolus will retire in 3-5 years when you'd be finishing.

Thanks for your reply. Not to say that money isn't important, but I am not as concerned about how much I would make but rather just the chances of finding a job period. As we all have heard the horror stories of fellows graduating only to do "super-fellowships" and ultimately taking a terrible job or even still practicing general surgery just to pay the bills. I would be totally happy making an average general surgeon salary, but practicing in a desired location doing what I truely love. For me, I'm from the Midwest so staying in the midwest is desirable. I have no desire to live on the east coast (NY, Boston, etc).

Pilot Doc: Did your friend have many offers/difficulty in landing a job?

Thanks again

 

[filter07]

My particular program had both fellows find jobs last year. One offer I heard was in the neighborhood of 200K starting. This probably increases with partnership, which ranges 1-3 years.

I don't think the market for CT is quite ready though. We have a super-fellow this year. Where I went to medical school, there was a CT fellow who got an offer for 70K at an academic place (basically a pity job offer), and one fellow who went on to do a Vascular fellowship.

Getting a job in CT (moreso than other fields) is still about the right connections and a bit of luck.

 

[jc7721]

I've found the job section at ctsnet.org interesting for seeing what the market is like right now

http://www.ctsnet.org/jobs/listjobs.cfm

 

[Pilot Doc]

but practicing in a desired location

Pilot Doc: Did your friend have many offers/difficulty in landing a job?

Thanks again

"Desired Location" That is probably the biggest issue. And the outcome depends on whether everybody else desires what you do. Midwest is certainly better than most places. Can you better define what a desired (or acceptable) location is for you.

My friend - not really sure. He had good connections and a good CV. Still - the fact that anyplace is paying $250 means the market can't be that bad.

 

[DO_Surgeon]

"Desired Location" That is probably the biggest issue. And the outcome depends on whether everybody else desires what you do. Midwest is certainly better than most places. Can you better define what a desired (or acceptable) location is for you.

My friend - not really sure. He had good connections and a good CV. Still - the fact that anyplace is paying $250 means the market can't be that bad.

Desired location for me is really anyway. I don't have a strong opinion to be in any part of the country. I know residents that are set on the east/west coast or bust! Honestly for me, I would be happy most anywhere. If I had to choose, I would prefer to remain in the midwest. My only real strong preference is that I don't want to do academics. Outside of that I am wide open.

 

[ESU_MD]

I have gone my entire medical career up to now wanting to become a CT surgeon.

If this one quote is true- then there is no question you should enter the field of CT surgery.

No doubt you will earn a respectable living. Especially if you want to live in the mid-west AND you want private practice.

The glory days of CT surg making millions just doing CABG are over (unfortunately) However, there is still a need for CABG. Stents will never replace it totally. for every cowboy surgeon-wannabe interventional cards guy, there are 20 others who will gladly send you every 3 vessel coronary and left main. not every cardiologist dreams about putting CT surgeons out of business. most interventional cardiologists do not want to deal with this.

Valves will NEVER be replaced percutaneously in main stream patients (at least in our work-force lifetime) The "perc" valves put in now 9under trial) are mostly put in by surgeons- trans apical. and put in HIGH RISK patients- (old, redos, frail etc...) plus- they are porcine valves. Nobody in the world would put a percutaneous porcine aortic valve in a healthy 55yr person with bicuspid AS.

there are plenty of cardiac cases to go around.

That being said. as of right now- the job market is currently a bit tight. it takes alot of faith to go into the field right now. but once you are in- just look at all of the old surgeons still around. they will be retiring, dying etc.. soon.

A large majority of people in CT residency now are there as a matter of last resort. (ie. visa problems, language problems, personality problems, couldnt cut it in surgery) and pose no significant threat in the job market to most sincere candidates. the same goes for all the "superfellows". these are mainly just people who couldnt get their visa's sponsored.

I personally know of good current graduates getting ~$350K+ in private practice. I have also heard of offers ~$120k in the northeast. i do not know of any unemployed US citizen CT residency graduates

i think the job market will be wide open in 5 years.

so - in other words. if you like it- just do it

 

[Blade28]

i think the job market will be wide open in 5 years.

so - in other words. if you like it- just do it