Private Practice Radiology - A Radiologist Perspective

[ncmd2005]

My advice to all of you trying to decide on a specialty is talk to actual practicing physicians out in the real world who are in THAT specialty.
Do NOT rely on limited academic perspectives. Most people in academic centers have no clue what's going on in the 'real' world.

I am in private practice (Radiology) in a large metropolitan area.
I can tell you that I heard all the same doomsday scenarios 7 years ago when I was applying.
I got news for you - it's mostly all just hype.
Radiology is still one of the most fascinating, rewarding specialties.
And yes.. we are way better off than most of the other specialties.
Most of the people in my group make 700k+
I am making 350k first year out of fellowship.
I have 10 weeks of vacation. Get a half day off each week.
My days are 7:30 - 5 unless I'm working a weekend or evening shift which is once/twice per month. Yes it is busy but you are compensated well and have more time off than any other MD. Radiologists are probably busier than most other physicians while they are at work because our work is nonstop from the time you walk in till you leave. Contrary to popular belief, we are not hanging out in the doctors lounge (I don't even know where our lounge is). We are busting our asses each second at work either reading the boatload of ER/inpatient cases or doing procedural work. Either way you are constantly busy. There is no downtime, which is fine because when its 5pm, you walk out and no one bothers you afterward. Unlike other clinical fields, we don't have 'lull's during the day - where you're just sitting around waiting for admissions or consults.

Trust me - I explored every specialty out there when I was in your shoes. There are pros/cons to each field. Do what you enjoy the most. You cannot predict the economic changes in medicine. It will affect all specialties more or less, so do not try to outsmart the system and pick the 'perfect' specialty. It does not exist.

Good luck!

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[badasshairday]

Thanks for the post. What do you think of Interventional Radiology?

 

[dopetown]

How many years does it take to make partner in your group? and other groups?

 

[fun8stuff]

Thanks for the post. What do you think of Interventional Radiology?

surgical hours for a small % increase in pay.

 

[fun8stuff]

How many years does it take to make partner in your group? and other groups?

1-3 yrs

 

[drizzt3117]

Thanks for the post. What do you think of Interventional Radiology?

My fellow told me he was weighing an private practice offer (granted in a smaller city most people would consider less desirable) for full time interventional rads with for 500 starting and partner in 1 yr (100k buy-in which is coincidentally what the 1st year bonus was) at 1m with 15 wks vacation a year plus holidays. His NYC/Boston offers were significantly less lucrative, along the lines of what the op mentioned. Keep in mind this is coming out of perhaps the best IR fellowship.

 

[PokerDoc]

at my program, which is academic (but the IR group is technically private, they just do all their procedures at the hospital), the IR guy make about 80-90k more than the diagnostic guys.

Just throwing in my two cents.

 

[ccmonopolies]

My advice to all of you trying to decide on a specialty is talk to actual practicing physicians out in the real world who are in THAT specialty.
Do NOT rely on limited academic perspectives. Most people in academic centers have no clue what's going on in the 'real' world.

I am in private practice (Radiology) in a large metropolitan area.
I can tell you that I heard all the same doomsday scenarios 7 years ago when I was applying.
I got news for you - it's mostly all just hype.
Radiology is still one of the most fascinating, rewarding specialties.
And yes.. we are way better off than most of the other specialties.
Most of the people in my group make 700k+
I am making 350k first year out of fellowship.
I have 10 weeks of vacation. Get a half day off each week.
My days are 7:30 - 5 unless I'm working a weekend or evening shift which is once/twice per month. Yes it is busy but you are compensated well and have more time off than any other MD. Radiologists are probably busier than most other physicians while they are at work because our work is nonstop from the time you walk in till you leave. Contrary to popular belief, we are not hanging out in the doctors lounge (I don't even know where our lounge is). We are busting our asses each second at work either reading the boatload of ER/inpatient cases or doing procedural work. Either way you are constantly busy. There is no downtime, which is fine because when its 5pm, you walk out and no one bothers you afterward. Unlike other clinical fields, we don't have 'lull's during the day - where you're just sitting around waiting for admissions or consults.

Trust me - I explored every specialty out there when I was in your shoes. There are pros/cons to each field. Do what you enjoy the most. You cannot predict the economic changes in medicine. It will affect all specialties more or less, so do not try to outsmart the system and pick the 'perfect' specialty. It does not exist.

Good luck!

So are most of the people in your group who are making 700k+ at least 10 years out of residency?

It seems far-fetched that they would start you at 350k and then bump you up to 700k after just 2-3 years. Additionally, you said most are making 700k, new hires probably don't comprise too large a percentage of the people in the group, so some long timers are probably making less than 700k, but more than your 350k.

 

[officedepot]

So are most of the people in your group who are making 700k+ at least 10 years out of residency?

It seems far-fetched that they would start you at 350k and then bump you up to 700k after just 2-3 years. Additionally, you said most are making 700k, new hires probably don't comprise too large a percentage of the people in the group, so some long timers are probably making less than 700k, but more than your 350k.

what the OP said is on par with what I have heard. It probably takes several years to get that 700k but rads make tons of money compared to other pretty much all other docs. Also I'd happily take 550k.

To add to what other have been saying... working in a more rural area has 2 advantages: 1. you make more money. 2. your cost of living is lower.

OP, thanks for posting your experiences.

 

[NAGNAM]

What fellowship did you do? Was having a fellowship necessary/incredibly helpful to get the job you currently have?