Ortho hours/lifestyle

[kfcman289]

Hey, I’m a medical student interested in ortho. For those who are in ortho, can you tell me what the hours are like/ what a normal day is like? I understand that ortho requires less hours than other surgery specialities, but I would like a better idea overall. Thanks!


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[DNC127]

Hey, I’m a medical student interested in ortho. For those who are in ortho, can you tell me what the hours are like/ what a normal day is like? I understand that ortho requires less hours than other surgery specialities, but I would like a better idea overall. Thanks!


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Who told you it was less??

I am on my ortho rotation right now with my home program and have worked at a minimum 12 hours every day thus far.

Orthopaedic surgeons work hard. Especially in residency

 

[kfcman289]

Who told you it was less??

I am on my ortho rotation right now with my home program and have worked at a minimum 12 hours every day thus far.

Orthopaedic surgeons work hard. Especially in residency

Thanks for your reply. Do you have a rough idea of what hours are like for an attending?


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[DNC127]

Thanks for your reply. Do you have a rough idea of what hours are like for an attending?


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Depends on the attendings goals / specialty.

Trauma works the most generally, with joints being towards the least. But, it all depends. Our hand attending (generally one of the more lifestyle ortho fields) works just as much as the current residents because he chooses to. Ortho usually self selects a pretty hard working group of people.

 

[militaryPHYS]

Hey, I’m a medical student interested in ortho. For those who are in ortho, can you tell me what the hours are like/ what a normal day is like? I understand that ortho requires less hours than other surgery specialities, but I would like a better idea overall. Thanks!


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This is highly variable depending on sub-specialty, location and practice/group for which you work. Please give us more specifics if you'd like a helpful answer.

You really need to seek out mentors whom you want to emulate. See if their lifestyle works for you.

 

[kfcman289]

This is highly variable depending on sub-specialty, location and practice/group for which you work. Please give us more specifics if you'd like a helpful answer.

You really need to seek out mentors whom you want to emulate. See if their lifestyle works for you.

What are typical hours in an outpatient setting? I understand it’s a broad question so I appreciate your help. If you could also list some hours for certain sub specialties that would be great


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[Innocent2]

"Hey, I’m a medical student interested in ortho. For those who are in ortho, can you tell me what the hours are like/ what a normal day is like? I understand that ortho requires less hours than other surgery specialities, but I would like a better idea overall. Thanks!"

I think your question is "life style". Resident and attending are similar, except residents might spend more hours.
Surgery starts at seven and goes to "5" which means until finished, easily 12 hrs. Then prep for next day.
Clinic starts later and the extra hours are filled with stuff. Count it 5 days a week for sure.
On top, on call and weekends! Nights start at 5pm and end at 7am. Whether you have to go in or not (more often yes), the hospital is open.
You will cherish your weekends off to sleep. Residency is basically 80 hrs one way or another.
The attending can't avoid on call or weekends, it comes with hospital privileges and the job. Depends alot on the employent model, hospital, academic or private practice. More controlled than the residents. It's a question of when and frequency.
Medscape: Medscape Access

One saying is "If anyone can talk you out of Ortho, don't do it". That is not negative, it's you "need to operate" to feel good.
Medscape has yearly surveys that might be of interest. Good luck

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

See my ama thread. I answer all those questions and more. Disclosure: I am trauma, so my hours are slightly different but I talk about other specialties as well.


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[OrthoRox]

yea it depends.

new attending who wants to take call - lets say you're in a small city. up at 5 am or 6 (depends on you), grand rounds at 630, only on mondays, round on any inpatients as necessary....OR for 7am or clinic for. 8 am....Do that until 4/5pm. If post-call, may have case left over to do in evening, stay and do that home by 7/8? If on call...thats where all the fun is, you get non stop outside calls, in house er calls, plus cases that need to be done...you get called and woken up throughout the night into the next morning. this is at a level I center in a small city. Residents/hospitalists would cover the ward, but all consult calls come through you.

If not on call, you can be home by 5-6pm. If you're senior, with an established practice and don't feel it necessary to take er call, then your day would be 7am-5pm, you'd likely only have to take. call for your elective patients, which is less busy.

Plus add evening coverage for sports teams etc so you can build your practice.

community call should be lighter, still tiring though, you'd still operate into the evening, usually up until 11pm, may get called at night from the er, you can likely see whatever consult it is at 6am, so no need to come in; still not a restful night. At community places, the floor may be nice enough not to page you unless absolutely necessary.


Basically, call is what is heavy. it pays and helps get your practice established. Some people pay a PA to take call, others don't take call...but problem with that is, you' wont like your income without call, it'll be hard to build a practice...and if you're with a group, as many are these days, a young person coming in and not taking call won't fly.

 

[Innocent2]

Call responsibility is written into contracts.Most groups or hospitals will require it as part of the job. Very few opportunities will exist for no call starting out.