Moonlighting in Fellowship

[jsr52]

My first year GI fellowship does not permit moonlighting. Is it reasonable to ask to moonlight for just a couple of shifts/year to make ends meet?

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[gutonc]

If they don't allow moonlighting, they don't allow moonlighting.

And if a couple of shifts a year will "make ends meet" you're better off cutting expenses by $1500 over the course of the year than you are by moonlighting.

 

[visari]

Don't moonlight if they don't allow moonlighting... I've seen bad things happen to people from this very same situation

 

[jdh71]

My first year GI fellowship does not permit moonlighting. Is it reasonable to ask to moonlight for just a couple of shifts/year to make ends meet?

In order to moonlight you have to be credentialed. And in order to get credentialed any hospital will want verification of your training and it includes current training. Your program coordinator will wonder why small hospital is asking for verification and then you'll be in trouble.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Follow the rules bud. It is not worth it. Wait until second year.

 

[jsr52]

Follow the rules bud. It is not worth it. Wait until second year.

To clarify I am fully licensed as a PGY-3 and credentialed to moonlight at my institutions VA. I am not asking about moonlighting against policy... I am asking if anyone has ever asked their PD if they could moonlight when technically they were not allowed to. In other words getting an exception granted. I know a fellow across town who was not allowed to moonlight during his first year but his PD made an exception so he could afford childcare.

 

[jsr52]

If they don't allow moonlighting, they don't allow moonlighting.

And if a couple of shifts a year will "make ends meet" you're better off cutting expenses by $1500 over the course of the year than you are by moonlighting.

solid advice gutonc, see above though, I would only do it if they allowed. Im really just asking how reasonable is it to ask the PD to be granted an exception to moonlight even if its once every other month.

 

[Celestia]

Reasonable to ask- they may or may not grant the exception. Worst they can do is say no? As long as you don't give off a bad impression with the asking?

 

[gutonc]

solid advice gutonc, see above though, I would only do it if they allowed. Im really just asking how reasonable is it to ask the PD to be granted an exception to moonlight even if its once every other month.

But you can already moonlight. So I'm not sure what the question is?

 

[jsr52]

But you can already moonlight. So I'm not sure what the question is?

My Residency allows moonlighting so I am allowed to moonlighting as a 3rd year resident. But my fellowship which I start this summer does not permit moonlighting. Is that more clear?

 

[Mad Jack]

Why do some fellowships not allow moonlighting anyway? Like, I was looking at an ID fellowship that only works you like, 45 hours a week but doesn't allow moonlighting, which really just feels like a waste. Why not let you do some extra work with all that off time to keep your non-ID skills up? Just seems so pointless to not allow it.

 

[deleted547339]

Why do some fellowships not allow moonlighting anyway? Like, I was looking at an ID fellowship that only works you like, 45 hours a week but doesn't allow moonlighting, which really just feels like a waste. Why not let you do some extra work with all that off time to keep your non-ID skills up? Just seems so pointless to not allow it.

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question...

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question...

I'm actually completely serious, I don't get why fellowships (particularly lower hour, mostly outpatient ones) wouldn't allow one to moonlight. It seems like it's an arbitrary "because we said so" sort of decision.

 

[deleted547339]

I'm actually completely serious, I don't get why fellowships (particularly lower hour, mostly outpatient ones) wouldn't allow one to moonlight. It seems like it's an arbitrary "because we said so" sort of decision.

Because they want 100% of your attention to go to your full time job. If you're not working, they want you reading or doing research, not working in an unrelated job.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but that's why.

 

[MaximusD]

Because they want 100% of your attention to go to your full time job. If you're not working, they want you reading or doing research, not working in an unrelated job.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but that's why.

That’s probably the logical basis but in actuality it’s probably to limit legal exposure/liability in allowing you to overwork and distract yourself. Rarely to corporations have your best interest(s) in mind.

</resurrection>

 

[FutureInternist]

At my fellowship a previous graduate was sued while in private practice (some 5 years later) and the patient’s lawyer brought up his “sub par training” since doc was moonlighting during fellowship, and hence wasn’t well rested, focused enough etc to devote time to studying.

 

[chessknt]

At my fellowship a previous graduate was sued while in private practice (some 5 years later) and the patient’s lawyer brought up his “sub par training” since doc was moonlighting during fellowship, and hence wasn’t well rested, focused enough etc to devote time to studying.

Sounds desperate I hope he lost

 

[IMreshopeful]

At my fellowship a previous graduate was sued while in private practice (some 5 years later) and the patient’s lawyer brought up his “sub par training” since doc was moonlighting during fellowship, and hence wasn’t well rested, focused enough etc to devote time to studying.

Sounds like a scum bag piece of **** lawyer. Moonlighting by definition still has to fit within duty hour limits...it isn’t like you can’t still go to work in your fellowship

 

[FutureInternist]

Is there another kind?

 

[Fermi]

I moonlit (moonlighted?) throughout cards fellowship since we didn't have much overnight call. Some of it was medicine at the VA where I did residency. Some of it was through a sweet deal with a private cardiology group an hour away, where we were put up at a hotel, we covered a hospital cardiology service for 60 hours (Fri 7 pm - Mon 7 am) and were paid a very good hourly rate for all 60 hours. That was pretty sweet, but it also gave us a good education on what it is like to be a private practice general cardiologist.

 

[drfunktacular]

Generally I agree with gutonc. You have to assume the the program has their particular policies for one reason or another; whether you think those reasons are good or not is beside the point. For all you know, a sleep-deprived post-moonlighting fellow perf'ed 3 colons in a morning during routine scopes 5 years ago. Regardless of the cause it's not really your business or your place to change policy--at least not until you become the program director.

Look at it the other way: if you're a program director and a brand-new, peon fellow plops down in your office and demands you change policies for their benefit because they know better than you, how are you going to feel about that trainee going forward?

 

[Siggy]

Is there another kind?

My girl friend (but she doesn't do medmal).