Radiologists, how much do you work per week?

[Student189045]

I'm one of the students who unfortunately didn't enjoy anything about clinical year with no specialty sticking out as enjoyable. I began to look into radiology and feel like it is a better fit for me being based more on independent intellectual work rather than patient facing or hugely team based (I understand radiologists still work with teams, but the day to day is more independent than working as a hospitalist is what I'm trying to say).

However, there is one thing that is highly concerning to me: Work hours. Given that I found no passion for any specific field, it would not make sense for me to enter a field that works excessively. Minimizing my hours worked is a priority for me. I've heard time and time again that reading volumes are through the roof and radiology is no longer lifestyle friendly, with 50-60 hour weeks being the norm. I want to ask actual radiologists if there is truth to this. Is it possible to find a 40 hour/week job anymore? How much do you personally work per week?

The other setup that is highly intriguing to me is 7 evening/ night shifts + 14 days off, are setups like this still readily available?

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[Tiger100]

You can work a lot or you can work just a few days a week but off course with completely different salaries.

50-60 is the norm but there are a good number of rads who work 2-3 days a week.

Those night jobs are always available.

Have you thought about doing cosmetic aspect of medicine? Something like Botox shop or Medical Spa?

 

[DoctorMD1]

I'm one of the students who unfortunately didn't enjoy anything about clinical year with no specialty sticking out as enjoyable. I began to look into radiology and feel like it is a better fit for me being based more on independent intellectual work rather than patient facing or hugely team based (I understand radiologists still work with teams, but the day to day is more independent than working as a hospitalist is what I'm trying to say).

However, there is one thing that is highly concerning to me: Work hours. Given that I found no passion for any specific field, it would not make sense for me to enter a field that works excessively. Minimizing my hours worked is a priority for me. I've heard time and time again that reading volumes are through the roof and radiology is no longer lifestyle friendly, with 50-60 hour weeks being the norm. I want to ask actual radiologists if there is truth to this. Is it possible to find a 40 hour/week job anymore? How much do you personally work per week?

The other setup that is highly intriguing to me is 7 evening/ night shifts + 14 days off, are setups like this still readily available?

You can work for big teleradiology company and set up your own schedule and work on your own pace without list pressure whatsoever. There is not much team work in tele as you work from home. In terms of hours, I know some people who work 500 hours per year. 7/14 jobs are readily available.

 

[qxrt]

I work around 40-45 hrs/week, but with the caveat that I also take IR call on top of that. That part's a gamble, but usually only involves coming in for a couple hours on a call weekend.

 

[odyssey2]

You can work for big teleradiology company and set up your own schedule and work on your own pace without list pressure whatsoever. There is not much team work in tele as you work from home. In terms of hours, I know some people who work 500 hours per year. 7/14 jobs are readily available.

They’re pay must be pretty low accordingly though, right?

 

[DoctorMD1]

They’re pay must be pretty low accordingly though, right?

One is getting paid per study. So hourly rate is actually good be really good.

 

[Cognovi]

I'm one of the students who unfortunately didn't enjoy anything about clinical year with no specialty sticking out as enjoyable. I began to look into radiology and feel like it is a better fit for me being based more on independent intellectual work rather than patient facing or hugely team based (I understand radiologists still work with teams, but the day to day is more independent than working as a hospitalist is what I'm trying to say).

However, there is one thing that is highly concerning to me: Work hours. Given that I found no passion for any specific field, it would not make sense for me to enter a field that works excessively. Minimizing my hours worked is a priority for me. I've heard time and time again that reading volumes are through the roof and radiology is no longer lifestyle friendly, with 50-60 hour weeks being the norm. I want to ask actual radiologists if there is truth to this. Is it possible to find a 40 hour/week job anymore? How much do you personally work per week?

The other setup that is highly intriguing to me is 7 evening/ night shifts + 14 days off, are setups like this still readily available?

Peruse the job boards at jobs.acr.org

Example - Cornell - 7 on/14 off 10pm-8am, remote, emergency radiology, supervise residents, $300-550k

 

[Student189045]

You can work a lot or you can work just a few days a week but off course with completely different salaries.

50-60 is the norm but there are a good number of rads who work 2-3 days a week.

Those night jobs are always available.

Have you thought about doing cosmetic aspect of medicine? Something like Botox shop or Medical Spa?

For 50-60 per week jobs, is it still standard to have 12 weeks vacation?

The other specialty I thought about and have a somewhat competitive application for is ophtho, I enjoy short surgeries, the tech, and the visual aspects of the field. The thing is I don't really enjoy talking to patients, and clinic is extremely high throughput. So I guess I need to figure out if doing that for 35-40 hours a week with 4 weeks vacation or doing radiology for more hours a week but more vacation would be better for me.

In terms of pay I don't think there is too much of a difference between the fields

 

[Womb Raider]

For 50-60 per week jobs, is it still standard to have 12 weeks vacation?

The other specialty I thought about and have a somewhat competitive application for is ophtho, I enjoy short surgeries, the tech, and the visual aspects of the field. The thing is I don't really enjoy talking to patients, and clinic is extremely high throughput. So I guess I need to figure out if doing that for 35-40 hours a week with 4 weeks vacation or doing radiology for more hours a week but more vacation would be better for me.

In terms of pay I don't think there is too much of a difference between the fields

General ophtho makes significantly less than DR. I too was between the two fields. Extremely glad I chose DR - zero regrets.

 

[Student189045]

Peruse the job boards at jobs.acr.org

Example - Cornell - 7 on/14 off 10pm-8am, remote, emergency radiology, supervise residents, $300-550k

Most jobs I see have huge salary ranges listed like that, what goes into making the low end vs the high end of what they list?

 

[Student189045]

General ophtho makes significantly less than DR. I too was between the two fields. Extremely glad I chose DR - zero regrets.

My perspective might be skewed by hearing about the top ophtho earners hitting huge numbers...but for every one of them there is an associate making in the 200's

 

[Cognovi]

Most jobs I see have huge salary ranges listed like that, what goes into making the low end vs the high end of what they list?

clinical productivity, academic productivity, academic rank, internal moonlighting (extra shifts), administrative leadership positions, financial health of the department

 

[Rads4lyfe]

My perspective might be skewed by hearing about the top ophtho earners hitting huge numbers...but for every one of them there is an associate making in the 200's

Optho average salary is significantly lower than Rads average. You should compare those instead of comparing the 99th percentile. Both can make a lot of money at the top if you are business savy and own your own equipment, but most people don't.

More importantly, I think you should decide which specialty you actually enjoy the most. Who knows where salaries and reimbursement will go in the next 15-20 years. You will be financially fine either way with both.

 

[jambro]

My perspective might be skewed by hearing about the top ophtho earners hitting huge numbers...but for every one of them there is an associate making in the 200's

id expect that for everyone high earner theres like 2-3 ophtho making in the 2s. ophtho seems surprisingly not great if you want to be in a desirable area considering how competitive it is

 

[vm26]

I'm one of the students who unfortunately didn't enjoy anything about clinical year with no specialty sticking out as enjoyable. I began to look into radiology and feel like it is a better fit for me being based more on independent intellectual work rather than patient facing or hugely team based (I understand radiologists still work with teams, but the day to day is more independent than working as a hospitalist is what I'm trying to say).

However, there is one thing that is highly concerning to me: Work hours. Given that I found no passion for any specific field, it would not make sense for me to enter a field that works excessively. Minimizing my hours worked is a priority for me. I've heard time and time again that reading volumes are through the roof and radiology is no longer lifestyle friendly, with 50-60 hour weeks being the norm. I want to ask actual radiologists if there is truth to this. Is it possible to find a 40 hour/week job anymore? How much do you personally work per week?

The other setup that is highly intriguing to me is 7 evening/ night shifts + 14 days off, are setups like this still readily available?

As of now there are many different PP practices which operate vastly different based on what is valued by the group. In the past 8 years I've worked in a small semi-rural PP where average work week was 3 days. Caveat being one had to read most studies, perform light IR, and breast imaging. Obviously wasn't a high income group but good enough. Mild-moderate volume. Ample time off so I started picking up extra shifts with large local HC system...Another group was high volume/high income in suburbs of major metro with 8 hour workdays so average work week was about 40 hours. Caveat being I never got out on time since I am not a speed reader. 8 weeks vacation. No pre/post weekend call days off...Current group is sort of in the middle. 9-hour work day with moderate volume. 10 weeks off. Always pre/post call days off. Pretty solid overall.

When considering jobs the two most important #s that you have to know are:
1. Expectations for wRVU/shift or year.
2. Compensation/wRVU.

If those #s are sub-par then move on

 

[Ole_Toe]

As of now there are many different PP practices which operate vastly different based on what is valued by the group. In the past 8 years I've worked in a small semi-rural PP where average work week was 3 days. Caveat being one had to read most studies, perform light IR, and breast imaging. Obviously wasn't a high income group but good enough. Mild-moderate volume. Ample time off so I started picking up extra shifts with large local HC system...Another group was high volume/high income in suburbs of major metro with 8 hour workdays so average work week was about 40 hours. Caveat being I never got out on time since I am not a speed reader. 8 weeks vacation. No pre/post weekend call days off...Current group is sort of in the middle. 9-hour work day with moderate volume. 10 weeks off. Always pre/post call days off. Pretty solid overall.

When considering jobs the two most important #s that you have to know are:
1. Expectations for wRVU/shift or year.
2. Compensation/wRVU.

If those #s are sub-par then move on

A few questions: 1) in your experience, what's the salary range typical for the 3 day/week volume semi-rural PP? 2) Is there a particular fellowship that would prepare you best or be more desirable for this type of job (including light IR and breast imaging)?

Thanks for your post. Great insights.

 

[vm26]

A few questions: 1) in your experience, what's the salary range typical for the 3 day/week volume semi-rural PP? 2) Is there a particular fellowship that would prepare you best or be more desirable for this type of job (including light IR and breast imaging)?

Thanks for your post. Great insights.

I can't generalize to other states but my 3-day gig was in the 375-400K range at around 9K wRVU/year (this was 2017/2018)...Caveats being health insurance was not provided (but premiums deductible as group was a S-corp), and location was NorCal, only about 3 hours from SF so a similar gig in the mid-west would likely pay 20-30% more

Best fellowship would be a hybrid (which at face value may be sub-optimal these days). I happen to do 2 fellowships (both hybrids ironically) but my 2nd one in Cali had the label of Body MR but included light IR, MSK, and 3-4 months of electives, part of which I used on breast imaging. If you want precise details send me a PM

 

[NothingBurger]

Optho average salary is significantly lower than Rads average. You should compare those instead of comparing the 99th percentile. Both can make a lot of money at the top if you are business savy and own your own equipment, but most people don't.

More importantly, I think you should decide which specialty you actually enjoy the most. Who knows where salaries and reimbursement will go in the next 15-20 years. You will be financially fine either way with both.

Case in point - Search | Find Ophthalmologist Jobs Everywhere in the United States

Ophtho clinic in Chicago for sale with financials. All the headache of running your own practice to make $400k.

• 4 exam lanes with potential for expansion
• Collections of $1.215 million
• EBITDA of nearly $400,000
• 4400 patient exams in 2022
• 50-55 new patients/month

 

[GadRads]

Case in point - Search | Find Ophthalmologist Jobs Everywhere in the United States

Ophtho clinic in Chicago for sale with financials. All the headache of running your own practice to make $400k.

• 4 exam lanes with potential for expansion
• Collections of $1.215 million
• EBITDA of nearly $400,000
• 4400 patient exams in 2022
• 50-55 new patients/month

There are significant tax advantages with running your own business. So they might make less, but take home pay can be higher.

 

[Smallfishtinypond]

Case in point - Search | Find Ophthalmologist Jobs Everywhere in the United States

Ophtho clinic in Chicago for sale with financials. All the headache of running your own practice to make $400k.

• 4 exam lanes with potential for expansion
• Collections of $1.215 million
• EBITDA of nearly $400,000
• 4400 patient exams in 2022
• 50-55 new patients/month

His salary is likely included before EBITDA so 400K is bonus calculation.. Granted that 1.2M gross revenue is not a lot.