Moonlighting

[GmailQueen]

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Some programs have told me that moonlighting is not allowed, some say you can do it in 3rd and 4th year, some say that you can do it as early as 2nd year while on some rotations, some say that you can do it after you pass Step 3. While I'm guessing that some of these are institutional rules and based on work hours, are there any rules that are widespread that we should know about? For example:

-Do you HAVE to pass Step 3 in order to moonlight in most places?
-If a program allows moonlighting that is typically done in years 3 & 4, and you happen to want to moonlight as a 2nd year, and you're working significantly less than 80 hours/week, is there really anything to stop you? Or do some programs really have regulations that state that you can't moonlight until 3rd year?
-If you want to moonlight within your own institution, can you just pick up shifts here and there? Or do you have to work with some consistency (ie, minimum number of shifts per month)? What about if you're doing it at an outside institution?

 

[howelljolly]

To moonlight, you need your unrestricted license.
To get your unrestricted license you need to pass Step3
Ergo, to moonlight, you need to pass Step3

You probably also have to stay within an 80hour work week.

 

[MDchouette]

One of the programs that I am considering doesn't allow moonlighting, and I don't really know what exactly I would be missing.

So, a few questions for those of you who went to or are currently at a program that allows moonlighting:
- What is the range of yearly added income (I realize this must vary by region)? How often would one be moonlighting to be at the high and low end of these ranges?
- Do residents with families moonlight?
- Do residents use this money to pay off med school loans, or is it more often just used to raise their current standard of living?

Thank you for any answers!

 

[Doc Samson]

I moonlit at lot my 3rd and 4th. Yes, you have to stay within the 80 hour week. Programs that forbid moonlighting prevent you from doing so with your employment contract that you have to sign every year. Moonlighting 2-3 weekend days and 4-5 weeknights a month I at least doubled my resident's salary. At the time I had a wife, but no kids. We used the money for a house downpayment.

 

[GmailQueen]

Are shifts typically 8 hours?

I've mostly heard of residents making $50-75 an hour, depending upon what they have to do (ie, carry a pager as backup vs actually doing admissions, etc). I've also heard of some places paying you a set rate per hour and then adding $X per patient you admit.

Harvard Cambridge's website actually lists moonlighting pay - idk what "psychiatry 2nd moonlighter" means, but sign me up for $175/hr!
http://www.cha.harvard.edu/house_officers/salary_benefits.shtml

 

[Doc Samson]

When I was doing it a weeknight meant 5pm-8am and a weekend shift was
8am-8am. I also focused on units that had little pt change (chronic forensic units for the most part), so unless one patient was trying to kill another (which did happen once in a while) I got to sleep trough the night.

 

[Sneezing]

You have to pass step three and meet the requirements, dependent upon the state you are in, here: http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html to get an unrestricted medical license.

While training, most states have you use the restricted resident training license. Some states are weird and make you transition to yours after one or two years.

I have come across the range of programs saying no they won't let you. Others that have it within their institution and out, some only within, some only out. Others that have had diminishing opportunities for residents interested. Other programs that advertise more opportunities than residents. Some programs have supportive program directors, others don't.

Moonlighting is important to me and I'm looking more strongly at programs that have it. The best I heard was a resident who tripled their salary, but doubling is something I have often heard of. I have been hearing rates from $65-100. But usually $75+.

I won't do it for less than $75. You should also account for how much time it will take to surpass the overhead of the malpractice insurance and your sleep. Is it really worth it?

My plan is to wait until third year, mostly because of the inpatient focus of years 1-2 in most programs. The thought has even crossed my mind to make my own moonlighting opportunity by creating an outpatient practice that functions with cash only.

Yes, it would likely mean making less hourly, but the real benefit of this, would be learning the laws/finances of the business. This to me would be a down stream payoff, by making the mistakes early in residency while business costs are on a much smaller scale, rather than post residency.

 

[strangeglove]

I'm a PGY-3. I make about $4000 per month for 2 weekend all-day (8am-8am) shifts. They pay for my malpractice. A license is required, as is a letter from my residency director that I'm in good standing.

 

[howelljolly]

You have to pass step three and meet the requirements, dependent upon the state you are in, here: http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html to get an unrestricted medical license.

While training, most states have you use the restricted resident training license. Some states are weird and make you transition to yours after one or two years.

I was under the impression that it was a majority of the states which make you transition to your unrestricted license in 2 -3 years, no? One of the programs I was at brought up this moonlighting/unrestricted license thing, and they made it seem like they were one of the few which kept the residents on the restricted license.