Podiatrist work week

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GLT-1

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On the AACPM website it reads "The work hours of a podiatric physician vary from less than 40 hours a week to 50 hours or more per week. In general, the practice of podiatric medicine lends itself to flexible hours and is therefore comfortable for individuals who want to make time for family, friends and other involvements that characterize a balanced lifestyle." When I speak with advisers about podiatry they also refer to it as a "more balanced lifestyle".

My question is why would this be a more balanced lifestyle compared to an orthopedic surgeon, endocrinologist, or even a primary care physician? Especially if you were to own a practice and don't have many partners willing to take call with you? I believe practicing in any field of medicine is probably like anything else in life though where your getting out of it what you put into it.

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Lifestyle is a big selling point of the podiatry schools. It depends on the practice setting. I put in about 40 to 50 hours a week seeing patients. I'm not including all the times I have to write my notes after clinic or at home. I work in a mostly outpatient setting and I don't take call. That might not be the cause for another podiatrist that works for group that requires call will probably work more than 50 hours a week. Add in inpatients you could be working around 60 hours a week.
 
You work what ever you want, you want to make lot of money work long hour, want to be one more average podiatrist work for someone 4 days a week
 
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I think a lot of one's schedule depends on the practice setting. I work part time hours by choice but other guys work well above 40 hours per week. I take call for my group but I don't have to take ER call for the hospital thank goodness. I fall well on the lifestyle side of the spectrum. You have to have partners who can work with this type of arrangement for it to work.
 
My concern comes from observing my mother, a primary care physician, work endless hours a week only to come home to endless calls from patients and hospitals. Then again she runs her own practice without partners, just an NP to help. It's a bit intimidating reflecting on it. Growing up I have been able to appreciate the treatment I've received from podiatrist and I've seen how rewarding of a job it can be after shadowing podiatrist. What I like most about both primary care and podiatry is the diversity of cases associated with each... Something I'm afraid I won't get if I went the MD/DO route and became a specialist. I really think it's awesome that podiatrist can do surgery some days of the week then go treat simple things like hang nails the next.
 
My concern comes from observing my mother, a primary care physician, work endless hours a week only to come home to endless calls from patients and hospitals. Then again she runs her own practice without partners, just an NP to help. It's a bit intimidating reflecting on it. Growing up I have been able to appreciate the treatment I've received from podiatrist and I've seen how rewarding of a job it can be after shadowing podiatrist. What I like most about both primary care and podiatry is the diversity of cases associated with each... Something I'm afraid I won't get if I went the MD/DO route and became a specialist. I really think it's awesome that podiatrist can do surgery some days of the week then go treat simple things like hang nails the next.

Some primary care docs have a lighter schedule and if the hospital has hospitalists on staff then they could take care of the inpatients, but it depends on one's community and practice setting. I think it would be hard to be a solo practitioner in primary care these days.

You can indeed see quite a variety in podiatry, although the general public and a lot of other doctors think feet = one dimensional limited work. That's why podiatry is one of the best kept secrets in medicine. Depending on your practice setup you may be able to focus on just the work you like and refer out the stuff you'd rather not do. For example, I find diabetic wound care to be soul-sucking work so I send those patients to my partners or to a local wound clinic while I select for more sports medicine, general podiatry, and surgical cases. Of course there are podiatrists who dedicate their careers to diabetic wound care out of a passion for it.
 
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