Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2017

[deleted547339]

I don't get why so many other docs don't understand the stress of the ED. I'm a CCM fellow now. An 8 hour shift is infinitely more stressful and a 14 hour day in the ICU. ER docs work fewer hours because they have to, not because we're lazy.

I wasn't bringing up the difference in compensation because I begrudge anesthesia. I love y'all and value you - you should get paid well. And what y'all get paid doesn't affect me.

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[Ezekiel2517]

I don't get why so many other docs don't understand the stress of the ED. I'm a CCM fellow now. An 8 hour shift is infinitely more stressful and a 14 hour day in the ICU. ER docs work fewer hours because they have to, not because we're lazy.

I wasn't bringing up the difference in compensation because I begrudge anesthesia. I love y'all and value you - you should get paid well. And what y'all get paid doesn't affect me.

EM is infinitely more stressful? Please enlighten us. I can easily argue there is no specialty more "stressful" than anesthesia. We bring people to the brink of death everyday, on purpose. But I don't argue this bc stress is largely subjective. And since "stress" cannot be defined, how can you possibly measure it and compare it between two specialties

 

[deleted697535]

Emerg is way more stressful in my opinion from what I see of it as an ICU guy. I go back to theatre anaesthesia for my break.

No hassle with beds or bed managers. No outside calls. Very few unanticipated arrests. The patient comes to me with a lot of things done and looked into... And most importantly I'm in control of my environment. I know where every drug and piece of equipment is that I will ever need in theatre. Nothing moves in ot that I don't know about. In emerg it's about as comfortable looking as a fish up a tree

 

[ChronicLurker]

Why would Canadian physicians practicing in America earn more?

The job scarcities in Canada are primarily the higher paying specialties (i.e. Ortho, Urology, Gastro are most notable). Many Canadian trained specialists who can't find jobs in desirable location in Canada pop down to the US for more opportunity. This skews the Canadian trained physician's practicing in the US's salary to appear much higher. Most of Canada's primary care docs have no reason to leave Canada because the job market is very safe for them in Canada.

 

[deleted697535]

EM is infinitely more stressful? Please enlighten us. I can easily argue there is no specialty more "stressful" than anesthesia. We bring people to the brink of death everyday, on purpose. But I don't argue this bc stress is largely subjective. And since "stress" cannot be defined, how can you possibly measure it and compare it between two specialties

I don't know mate. You could easily give 95% of the population the same per kg dose of fent prop roc and be fine. No stress no hassle. After only about 3 years training too

The last 5% of the population getting that anaesthesic would all die though. That's why we're great! And will never go without work!

 

[Lurch]

EM is infinitely more stressful? Please enlighten us. I can easily argue there is no specialty more "stressful" than anesthesia. We bring people to the brink of death everyday, on purpose. But I don't argue this bc stress is largely subjective. And since "stress" cannot be defined, how can you possibly measure it and compare it between two specialties

To each his own. I found ER more stressful than any other rotation I did. Still cannot understand its increasing popularity with more and more med students. Maybe the shift work appeals to them? I "burned out" after a month of it so a career was out of the question. Props to the MDs that can do it. I appreciate you. Happy to be heading to the OR this morning instead of ER.

 

[InfinitiPSI]

My ER rotation went fine. The only stress I had, would have been due to lack of experience. If I did it for several months and got into a rhythm it would have been fine.

In my experience the docs showed up. Had their scribes do all the documentation. Hopped around to room to room. Went to doctors lounge ate snacks. 8 hours later, no matter what sh** came or went, they signed out, never to worry about it again. Sign out took 5 minutes, for upwards of 20 patients, so not very thorough. Everybody got the cookie cutter treatment for the condition they came in for. Rocephin. etc.

If anything in what I observe from an adjacent ER residency, they don't get exposed to enough procedures, intubations or lines to feel comfortable or become proficient. I can see where being the only guy around and solely responsible, being anxious and stressed because of lack of proficiency at those things.

 

[ZzzPlz]

I get stressed out just walking by the ER to go do epidurals. Always an interesting crowd gathered around the waiting room

 

[wolfofparkstreet]

I interpreted that as Canadian physicians who were practicing in America. Are those physicians practicing in Canada?

I think it means the former. Grenadian physicians certainly aren't making 200k+ in grenada. It means that physicians who trained in Grenada (mostly US citizens at SGU) are making that amount of money in the US.

 

[nimbus]

Emerg is way more stressful in my opinion from what I see of it as an ICU guy. I go back to theatre anaesthesia for my break.

When my daughter was a colicky infant, I would go back to theatre anaesthesia for my break. Very relaxing.

 

[deleted547339]

EM is infinitely more stressful? Please enlighten us. I can easily argue there is no specialty more "stressful" than anesthesia. We bring people to the brink of death everyday, on purpose. But I don't argue this bc stress is largely subjective. And since "stress" cannot be defined, how can you possibly measure it and compare it between two specialties

It just is. There's no comparison. There aren't that many EM/CCM folks, but everyone I've talked to says they find the ICU much, much more relaxing.

In the ICU, everyone is sick and there is the baseline expectation that they could die. You have a finite number of beds. No empty beds? Not my problem. You have appropriate (or at least close to it) nursing ratios. Consultants treat you with more respect. Consultants understand that the consult is important because it's coming from the ICU. You have a patient for hours to days to weeks and are have the time to see the results of your therapy and, if you make a mistake you are generally the one to catch it, or they die and no one else finds out.

In the ER, everyone was previously somewhat well - no one wakes up and expects to die or have a stroke or heart attack that day. You have an infinite number of patients that can come in and you are there and you are legally responsible for every last one of them. Have every bed full and have a patient with occult sepsis deteriorating in the waiting room - guess what? No one is watching them and they are your patient. Consultants speak down to you and have the baseline assumption that it's a bogus consult. If you have an obvious appy and don't get a CT, you get told that they won't see the patient without a CT; if you get the CT they tell you appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis and you exposed the patient to unnecessary radiation. If you have 2 arrests, a trauma and a patient with septic shock come in, you don't get more nurses. And the lawyers don't care that there were 40 patients in the waiting room. We can't cancel a case. Every weak and dizzy patient could be completely fine or be a time bomb. Ever seen a chief complaint of ankle pain have an MI and crump? Ever seen a headache be a saddle PE with strain? Ever have an admitting physician refuse to admit symptomatic heart block or surgeon give you grief about seeing their post-op complication? I have. Also, the "I did an EM rotation as a med student, I don't get why people think it's stressful" is really impressively juvenile thinking. And people say EM is cookbook medicine - that's about the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, you put patients in boxes, but your job is being able to recognize which patients go in what boxes and where the subtly of a patient presenting with a HA actually needs to go in the ACS workup box or the patient with chest pain actually needs to be worked up for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

I'm saying all this not to complain about EM. It's a great specialty. I'm not saying this to garner sympathy. I'm just saying this to explain that the ED is an extremely stressful field, much moreso than the ICU. There is no comparison between ED and ICU work. Obviously, I can't compare it to anesthesia because I don't do anesthesia.

Sorry to derail. I'm glad anesthesia is compensated well. Ya'll are some of the unsung heroes of the medical specialty. Because you do your job so well, people don't understand or appreciate it.

 

[nimbus]

It just is. There's no comparison. There aren't that many EM/CCM folks, but everyone I've talked to says they find the ICU much, much more relaxing.

In the ICU, everyone is sick and there is the baseline expectation that they could die. You have a finite number of beds. No empty beds? Not my problem. You have appropriate (or at least close to it) nursing ratios. Consultants treat you with more respect. Consultants understand that the consult is important because it's coming from the ICU. You have a patient for hours to days to weeks and are have the time to see the results of your therapy and, if you make a mistake you are generally the one to catch it, or they die and no one else finds out.

In the ER, everyone was previously somewhat well - no one wakes up and expects to die or have a stroke or heart attack that day. You have an infinite number of patients that can come in and you are there and you are legally responsible for every last one of them. Have every bed full and have a patient with occult sepsis deteriorating in the waiting room - guess what? No one is watching them and they are your patient. Consultants speak down to you and have the baseline assumption that it's a bogus consult. If you have an obvious appy and don't get a CT, you get told that they won't see the patient without a CT; if you get the CT they tell you appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis and you exposed the patient to unnecessary radiation. If you have 2 arrests, a trauma and a patient with septic shock come in, you don't get more nurses. And the lawyers don't care that there were 40 patients in the waiting room. We can't cancel a case. Every weak and dizzy patient could be completely fine or be a time bomb. Ever seen a chief complaint of ankle pain have an MI and crump? Ever seen a headache be a saddle PE with strain? Ever have an admitting physician refuse to admit symptomatic heart block or surgeon give you grief about seeing their post-op complication? I have. Also, the "I did an EM rotation as a med student, I don't get why people think it's stressful" is really impressively juvenile thinking. And people say EM is cookbook medicine - that's about the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, you put patients in boxes, but your job is being able to recognize which patients go in what boxes and where the subtly of a patient presenting with a HA actually needs to go in the ACS workup box or the patient with chest pain actually needs to be worked up for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

I'm saying all this not to complain about EM. It's a great specialty. I'm not saying this to garner sympathy. I'm just saying this to explain that the ED is an extremely stressful field, much moreso than the ICU. There is no comparison between ED and ICU work. Obviously, I can't compare it to anesthesia because I don't do anesthesia.

Sorry to derail. I'm glad anesthesia is compensated well. Ya'll are some of the unsung heroes of the medical specialty. Because you do your job so well, people don't understand or appreciate it.

Sounds like our ER. I see you guys running ragged, juggling multiple sick as s*** patients. Nothing but respect but I'm glad I'm not in your shoes.

 

[deleted162650]

I can easily argue there is no specialty more "stressful" than anesthesia.

Not if you're doing it right.

 

[nimbus]

Not if you're doing it right.

Exactly. If you do a MAC when you should be doing a general, it's stressful. If you start a big case with inadequate lines or monitoring, it's stressful. If you line up your ducks from the get go, it's usually easy sailing. Prepare for the worst and it's no big deal when worst happens.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Not if you're doing it right.

Maybe not for you but it is for me some of the time.

Surgeon with uncontrolled bleeding and patient circling the drain.
Pt. circling the drain who needs blood but the blood bank is being difficult.
Pt. with difficult access circling the drain during routine case.
Being pulled in multiple directions at the same time when you are the only one there.
Being forced to do cases (emergency or otherwise) with limited information.
Having to do difficult cases that you don't normally do.

etc, etc, etc.

Although I like to bash the ED guys every now and then for various reasons, you couldn't pay me enough money to work down there. It is one big chaotic zoo and many times they are dealing with complex situations with very limited information. The ones I know work their butts off. I don't think you can compare the two specialties by hourly pay or by hours worked, they are just too different.

 

[inspirationmd]

It just is. There's no comparison. There aren't that many EM/CCM folks, but everyone I've talked to says they find the ICU much, much more relaxing.

In the ICU, everyone is sick and there is the baseline expectation that they could die. You have a finite number of beds. No empty beds? Not my problem. You have appropriate (or at least close to it) nursing ratios. Consultants treat you with more respect. Consultants understand that the consult is important because it's coming from the ICU. You have a patient for hours to days to weeks and are have the time to see the results of your therapy and, if you make a mistake you are generally the one to catch it, or they die and no one else finds out.

In the ER, everyone was previously somewhat well - no one wakes up and expects to die or have a stroke or heart attack that day. You have an infinite number of patients that can come in and you are there and you are legally responsible for every last one of them. Have every bed full and have a patient with occult sepsis deteriorating in the waiting room - guess what? No one is watching them and they are your patient. Consultants speak down to you and have the baseline assumption that it's a bogus consult. If you have an obvious appy and don't get a CT, you get told that they won't see the patient without a CT; if you get the CT they tell you appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis and you exposed the patient to unnecessary radiation. If you have 2 arrests, a trauma and a patient with septic shock come in, you don't get more nurses. And the lawyers don't care that there were 40 patients in the waiting room. We can't cancel a case. Every weak and dizzy patient could be completely fine or be a time bomb. Ever seen a chief complaint of ankle pain have an MI and crump? Ever seen a headache be a saddle PE with strain? Ever have an admitting physician refuse to admit symptomatic heart block or surgeon give you grief about seeing their post-op complication? I have. Also, the "I did an EM rotation as a med student, I don't get why people think it's stressful" is really impressively juvenile thinking. And people say EM is cookbook medicine - that's about the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, you put patients in boxes, but your job is being able to recognize which patients go in what boxes and where the subtly of a patient presenting with a HA actually needs to go in the ACS workup box or the patient with chest pain actually needs to be worked up for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

I'm saying all this not to complain about EM. It's a great specialty. I'm not saying this to garner sympathy. I'm just saying this to explain that the ED is an extremely stressful field, much moreso than the ICU. There is no comparison between ED and ICU work. Obviously, I can't compare it to anesthesia because I don't do anesthesia.

Sorry to derail. I'm glad anesthesia is compensated well. Ya'll are some of the unsung heroes of the medical specialty. Because you do your job so well, people don't understand or appreciate it.

EM/IM/CCM guy here. This is one of the best descriptions I have seen and is absolute truth. Despite what my ICU attendings think it's not as hard as managing a crazy ED with perpetually inadequate resources. Nursing shortages are screwing everyone but I have 1:2 nursing ratios (sometimes 1:1 when ECMO patient, or other involved modality). At best 1:4 or 5 in ED.

Giving me $hit about my icu emergent consult, sub specialist? I'll remember that when you're begging me to come help via text with your crashing pt or need a quick bed and not have to go through the consult pager process. Virtually no one pushes back on me now though I didn't really let them get away it much when I was in the ED anyway.

EM folks earn the money. 1/3 of your shifts being evenings, nights, and holidays is hard. And the lobby is ALWAYS unforgiving. I love the controlled chaos but it is a different beast that not many can understand and arm chair/Monday morning quarterback critiques are far too common.


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[CompensationExpert]

Yup. Gotta take the whole workload picture in order to fully comprehend income.

Like i worked briefly at a surgery center last year for 5.5 months. The pay was in the high 300s for rh year. Monday through Friday. Not bad on paper right?

Yet my friend worked at same exact surgery center for essentially same exact pay (high 300s).

But he was working 25-30 hours roughly seeing maybe 15-25 patients daily (mixture of peds ent/eyes/ortho and some endo getting down at 1pm most days and a few off days paid as well

But I was seeing 50-60 patients daily. Heavy GI. Double as many eyes. Same peds/Ortho. Only md covering 3 crnas. Working 55-58 hours often times to 6pm (12 hour days). I'm the only md seeing that many preops.

So on paper compensation is exact same at this surgery center. But I'm doing 2-3x the work and almost double the hours.

This is absolutely right. One major problem is that this survey is just simply inaccurate. While there are many many surveys, most often it is a combination of a few with additional data that gets you the right information. So the example of analyzing the actual workload, hours, and setting is absolutely necessary to understanding the accuracy. The sad part is that this stuff is much more complicated than the surveys explain. In addition, I think it impacts physician value negatively. For example, if it says increases are occurring but does not explain a corresponding increase in work, that is simply negatively impacting the physicians.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Okay. I'll keep it simple for you. The subspecialty fields offer the chance for a hard working Physician to earn DOUBLE what the Medscape survey lists as "the average annual salary." Those fields where a young Physician can enter into true private practice arrangement/fee for service/eat what you kill/partner in a group are much different than those where the vast majority of employment opportunities are "employee models."

Employee model= Average Medscape Salary plus maybe 25% (if you are lucky or fellowship trained)

Private practice Model in a subspecialty= 2 X average Medscape Salary (potentially)

Both EM and Gas are now mostly "employee models" with EM about $250 per hour vs Gas at $200 per hour.

This is all true but you have to add some caveats so people don't the the wrong idea. There's a lot of stars to align to make double the survey figures. I have some buddies at that level and they work their butts off. Subject to call in 24/7, no post call days off, not much vacation, etc. plus you have to have a good payor mix, the right cases. You have to be a true owner. Those situations exist but they're become more and more rare.

 

[BLADEMDA]

This is all true but you have to add some caveats so people don't the the wrong idea. There's a lot of stars to align to make double the survey figures. I have some buddies at that level and they work their butts off. Subject to call in 24/7, no post call days off, not much vacation, etc. plus you have to have a good payor mix, the right cases. You have to be a true owner. Those situations exist but they're become more and more rare.

Sure, they are rare in Anesthesiology but no so rare in Ortho, ENT, Urology and medical subspecialties. Those areas still offer "true ownership" especially in the Midwest.

EM= employed model

Gas= employed model (70% or so of available jobs)

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Sure, they are rare in Anesthesiology but no so rare in Ortho, ENT, Urology and medical subspecialties. Those areas still offer "true ownership" especially in the Midwest.

EM= employed model

Gas= employed model (70% or so of available jobs)

What about Rads? Is there a room for prosperity in it?

 

[deleted162650]

What about Rads? Is there a room for prosperity in it?

If one seeks to own his practice, then he must own his patients.

-Lau Tzu

 

[NightNight]

My comparison of EM vs. Gas

When I do my night shift/my weekend anesthesia call, there is always the possibility, though slim, that we will do essentially nothing all day long. Sure we get hammered from time to time but there are those days where we do a little ortho trauma and an appy or two and then I sleep all night.

When you're in the ED, every time you walk through the doors you know the beds are full or filling up and the lobby is the same way (I'm excluding the sleepiest of sleepy little towns). Whether it's real emergencies or softballs, it's still WORK.

Usually when I'm laying down for a night and the OR is quiet as a church mouse I pour one out for those poor bastards in the ED. God bless 'em, cause I sure as **** don't wanna do it.


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[aneftp]

My comparison of EM vs. Gas

When I do my night shift/my weekend anesthesia call, there is always the possibility, though slim, that we will do essentially nothing all day long. Sure we get hammered from time to time but there are those days where we do a little ortho trauma and an appy or two and then I sleep all night.

When you're in the ED, every time you walk through the doors you know the beds are full or filling up and the lobby is the same way (I'm excluding the sleepiest of sleepy little towns). Whether it's real emergencies or softballs, it's still WORK.

Usually when I'm laying down for a night and the OR is quiet as a church mouse I pour one out for those poor bastards in the ED. God bless 'em, cause I sure as **** don't wanna do it.


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Seems like my old hospital anesthesia group where nights and weekends were light and I only had after 10pm anesthesia cases maybe 10-15% of the time and sleep beeper outside the hospital.

Sure ERs can be busy. But remember most ERs cover nights 11pm-7am. Some 7pm-7am. Every practice is different. My friend does 3 overnight shifts in the ER a month. The other times are either 7-3 or 7am-7pm.

So like anesthesia. There are some bad EM jobs and good EM jobs. Some EM jobs have more nights than others.

 

[Ezekiel2517]

It just is. There's no comparison. There aren't that many EM/CCM folks, but everyone I've talked to says they find the ICU much, much more relaxing.

In the ICU, everyone is sick and there is the baseline expectation that they could die. You have a finite number of beds. No empty beds? Not my problem. You have appropriate (or at least close to it) nursing ratios. Consultants treat you with more respect. Consultants understand that the consult is important because it's coming from the ICU. You have a patient for hours to days to weeks and are have the time to see the results of your therapy and, if you make a mistake you are generally the one to catch it, or they die and no one else finds out.

In the ER, everyone was previously somewhat well - no one wakes up and expects to die or have a stroke or heart attack that day. You have an infinite number of patients that can come in and you are there and you are legally responsible for every last one of them. Have every bed full and have a patient with occult sepsis deteriorating in the waiting room - guess what? No one is watching them and they are your patient. Consultants speak down to you and have the baseline assumption that it's a bogus consult. If you have an obvious appy and don't get a CT, you get told that they won't see the patient without a CT; if you get the CT they tell you appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis and you exposed the patient to unnecessary radiation. If you have 2 arrests, a trauma and a patient with septic shock come in, you don't get more nurses. And the lawyers don't care that there were 40 patients in the waiting room. We can't cancel a case. Every weak and dizzy patient could be completely fine or be a time bomb. Ever seen a chief complaint of ankle pain have an MI and crump? Ever seen a headache be a saddle PE with strain? Ever have an admitting physician refuse to admit symptomatic heart block or surgeon give you grief about seeing their post-op complication? I have. Also, the "I did an EM rotation as a med student, I don't get why people think it's stressful" is really impressively juvenile thinking. And people say EM is cookbook medicine - that's about the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, you put patients in boxes, but your job is being able to recognize which patients go in what boxes and where the subtly of a patient presenting with a HA actually needs to go in the ACS workup box or the patient with chest pain actually needs to be worked up for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

I'm saying all this not to complain about EM. It's a great specialty. I'm not saying this to garner sympathy. I'm just saying this to explain that the ED is an extremely stressful field, much moreso than the ICU. There is no comparison between ED and ICU work. Obviously, I can't compare it to anesthesia because I don't do anesthesia.

Sorry to derail. I'm glad anesthesia is compensated well. Ya'll are some of the unsung heroes of the medical specialty. Because you do your job so well, people don't understand or appreciate it.

Thanks for sharing your experiences but still not impressed enough to see how em is "infinitely more stressful" lmao. Everything becomes a job and a routine after a while. I don't care what it is you do. The most difficult stuff in anesthesia or in the unit or in the ed all becomes routine after a while. You just havent done it enough it yet. I also am a boarded intensivist and I could also go on and on about all the crazy **** I've experienced, more than anything you've described. I also know em/ccm guys and some who actually feel the opposite of what you do. It all depends on the details of the service you're covering and the hospital. You could be at a place where the ed is slower and the unit is crazy busy with 30 patients on your census with 25 of them vented and on pressors. Devil's in the details

 

[deleted547339]

Thanks for sharing your experiences but still not impressed enough to see how em is "infinitely more stressful" lmao. Everything becomes a job and a routine after a while. I don't care what it is you do. The most difficult stuff in anesthesia or in the unit or in the ed all becomes routine after a while. You just havent done it enough it yet. I also am a boarded intensivist and I could also go on and on about all the crazy **** I've experienced, more than anything you've described. I also know em/ccm guys and some who actually feel the opposite of what you do. It all depends on the details of the service you're covering and the hospital. You could be at a place where the ed is slower and the unit is crazy busy with 30 patients on your census with 25 of them vented and on pressors. Devil's in the details

Yea. I've seen crazy stuff in the ICU, too. Glad you think my opinion in comical. Glad you are also ready to reject someone else's experience when you have no first hand knowledge. If an anesthesiologist told me the OR was more X, Y or Z than the ICU and they practice in both, I would believe them because they have personal experience in that, but I guess you just know more about the ER than I do.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Sure, they are rare in Anesthesiology but no so rare in Ortho, ENT, Urology and medical subspecialties. Those areas still offer "true ownership" especially in the Midwest.

EM= employed model

Gas= employed model (70% or so of available jobs)

I don't disagree with that at all. Although, it may be lless than 70% now. I hear people call themselves "partners" in USAP. I don't know how that's different from being an employee who has reached their ceiling.

The other thing that is significant about the other specialties you listed, along with cards, is they have many other revenue streams. Most of the ones I know have ownership in hospitals and surgery centers. Plus a lot of the ortho guys own their instrumentation. The spine guys own the neuromonitoring. None of that gets reflected in these salary surveys.

 

[Strider_91]

I don't disagree with that at all. Although, it may be lless than 70% now. I hear people call themselves "partners" in USAP. I don't know how that's different from being an employee who has reached their ceiling.

The other thing that is significant about the other specialties you listed, along with cards, is they have many other revenue streams. Most of the ones I know have ownership in hospitals and surgery centers. Plus a lot of the ortho guys own their instrumentation. The spine guys own the neuromonitoring. None of that gets reflected in these salary surveys.

The gas guys in the building I work in with a surgery center own the 2nd largest portion of the center after this CPA. I don't know how common it is tho.

 

[vernhart]

why did almost every specialty's job satisfaction go up so much from previous surveys?

 

[deleted547339]

why did almost every specialty's job satisfaction go up so much from previous surveys?

SSRIs?

 

[aneftp]

I don't disagree with that at all. Although, it may be lless than 70% now. I hear people call themselves "partners" in USAP. I don't know how that's different from being an employee who has reached their ceiling.

The other thing that is significant about the other specialties you listed, along with cards, is they have many other revenue streams. Most of the ones I know have ownership in hospitals and surgery centers. Plus a lot of the ortho guys own their instrumentation. The spine guys own the neuromonitoring. None of that gets reflected in these salary surveys.

Examine all the gas ads. Many are either 1099 (daily rate u DO NOT KEEP What u bill). Or W2.

Blade is taking about anesthesia being employee model and or independent contractor (but give up billing rights).

Maybe out west or in some parts of the country like Texas or upper mid west. But 70% sounds right.

I'm in Florida and the numbers seem closer to 80% W2 model or independent contractor working for a set rate rather than eat what you kill.

 

[d9sccr]

why did almost every specialty's job satisfaction go up so much from previous surveys?

Polling questions? Polling audience?

 

[surfguy84]

I'm a third year student, starting rotations in about 8 weeks. I've gone back and forth about what I like doing based on what I've seen. I've been leaning towards psych because of the job market, but deep down I know I much prefer anesthesia and being in the OR (though not surgery).

My only hold up is the year-in, year-out talk about how bad the gas market is, etc. Would you recommend a student avoid this field based on the business/economics the future may hold? I know this is such a tough thing to predict, but I'm extremely worried I put all this time/effort/money into pursuing a medical degree, and I end up choosing a "dying" field....or a field that's going to see its pay cut in half.

If I could return to live and work in the extremely pleasant coastal California city I am from, I'd be over the moon. I'd even be happy doing locums elsewhere if the money/job was right. Can anyone tell me if anesthesia will allow this type of life?

 

[AdmiralChz]

I'm a third year student, starting rotations in about 8 weeks. I've gone back and forth about what I like doing based on what I've seen. I've been leaning towards psych because of the job market, but deep down I know I much prefer anesthesia and being in the OR (though not surgery).

My only hold up is the year-in, year-out talk about how bad the gas market is, etc. Would you recommend a student avoid this field based on the business/economics the future may hold? I know this is such a tough thing to predict, but I'm extremely worried I put all this time/effort/money into pursuing a medical degree, and I end up choosing a "dying" field....or a field that's going to see its pay cut in half.

If I could return to live and work in the extremely pleasant coastal California city I am from, I'd be over the moon. I'd even be happy doing locums elsewhere if the money/job was right. Can anyone tell me if anesthesia will allow this type of life?

Ugh please not this post, you aren't going to get very productive answers from either side.

Come up with a better reason to do gas than "being in the OR" would be the first thing to do. Also you haven't really done rotations yet so I'd explore your options a little bit more rather than poking the bear here...

Anyway, back to the more pertinent conversation it is strange to see such an improvement in job satisfaction. Really makes me wonder if the phrasing of the question changed.

 

[surfguy84]

Ugh please not this post, you aren't going to get very productive answers from either side.

Come up with a better reason to do gas than "being in the OR" would be the first thing to do. Also you haven't really done rotations yet so I'd explore your options a little bit more rather than poking the bear here...

Anyway, back to the more pertinent conversation it is strange to see such an improvement in job satisfaction. Really makes me wonder if the phrasing of the question changed.

Fair enough, and I don't mean to start something here. That said, you shouldn't assume my only reason for doing gas is because I like being in the OR. I was just trying to briefly state I liked the field - I wasn't looking to give a point by point analysis of why I enjoy it. But I digress...

I realize I still have a long way to go, and I've got an open mind, I just think the sooner I can decide on something, the sooner I can start building my CV towards that particular field by way of extracurriculars, experiences, letters, etc. It's just hard to decide on something when you are hearing such conflicting opinions.

 

[Mman]

Fair enough, and I don't mean to start something here. That said, you shouldn't assume my only reason for doing gas is because I like being in the OR. I was just trying to briefly state I liked the field - I wasn't looking to give a point by point analysis of why I enjoy it. But I digress...

I realize I still have a long way to go, and I've got an open mind, I just think the sooner I can decide on something, the sooner I can start building my CV towards that particular field by way of extracurriculars, experiences, letters, etc. It's just hard to decide on something when you are hearing such conflicting opinions.

my best advice possible is to do what you love. It's a long, hard slog to get through and if you don't like the day to day mundane details then no amount of pay will make you happy. Conversely, if you truly love a specialty, you'd be happy doing it for what you will get paid 10 years from now even if that is less than what people are getting paid to do it now.

 

[anbuitachi]

I'm a third year student, starting rotations in about 8 weeks. I've gone back and forth about what I like doing based on what I've seen. I've been leaning towards psych because of the job market, but deep down I know I much prefer anesthesia and being in the OR (though not surgery).

My only hold up is the year-in, year-out talk about how bad the gas market is, etc. Would you recommend a student avoid this field based on the business/economics the future may hold? I know this is such a tough thing to predict, but I'm extremely worried I put all this time/effort/money into pursuing a medical degree, and I end up choosing a "dying" field....or a field that's going to see its pay cut in half.

If I could return to live and work in the extremely pleasant coastal California city I am from, I'd be over the moon. I'd even be happy doing locums elsewhere if the money/job was right. Can anyone tell me if anesthesia will allow this type of life?

It's a still a bit early for you. Id def keep your options very open. I decided on anesthesiology at the end of my MS3 year in June cause that was when my rotation was. I would not choose a field solely based on current job market since there are cycles. There are a lot of specialties in high demand these days in addition to psych (Fam med, geriatrics, neuro, etc).

The job market for anesthesiology is def a concern, but if it is what you like the most, def do it. Sure job market is bad, but psych can be bad too in 10 years.