radiology vavcation time vs other specialties

[psycho-matic]

I'm just curious what it is about the nature of the radiology group that allows its partners to have so much more time off than other specialties? If one looks at radiology jobs listed online, you will often find 12-17 weeks of vacation offered. Job listings for other specialties show much less time, typically 3-6 weeks, to start. I'm just wondering why this disparity exists.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[atomi]

-

 

[penguin24]

That's b/c radiologist appreciate the impt of spending time outside of medicine to pursue other interests.

Well, to be a radiologist, you gotta do 4 yrs college, 4 yrs med school, 5+ yrs residency, so I believe a couple perks are in order.

 

[spyyder]

more time to see people/daylight/etc...

 

[penguin24]

Well, the thing about Radiology is that you deal w/ other MD's, you're have relationships w/ the patients. Primary care & surgeons have personal relationships w/ their patients, thus, patients expect 'their' MD to be there when they go into the office. Patients don't even know the radiologist who read their study, 1/2 the time don't even know what a radiologist is.

That sounds like it sucks to be a Rads (no warm & fuzzy relationships), but it really is a blessing in disguise. That allows Radiologist to take all kinds of vacation as long as another Rads is there to read the studies, doesn't matter who reads it as long as it gets done.

A primary care/surgeon can't take vacation like that b/c that will break the 'continuity of care' for the patient. Patients hate when they go to see their MD, only to find that they're on vacation & another MD who doesn't know them is covering.

 

[psycho-matic]

Well, the thing about Radiology is that you deal w/ other MD's, you're have relationships w/ the patients. Primary care & surgeons have personal relationships w/ their patients, thus, patients expect 'their' MD to be there when they go into the office. Patients don't even know the radiologist who read their study, 1/2 the time don't even know what a radiologist is.

That sounds like it sucks to be a Rads (no warm & fuzzy relationships), but it really is a blessing in disguise. That allows Radiologist to take all kinds of vacation as long as another Rads is there to read the studies, doesn't matter who reads it as long as it gets done.

A primary care/surgeon can't take vacation like that b/c that will break the 'continuity of care' for the patient. Patients hate when they go to see their MD, only to find that they're on vacation & another MD who doesn't know them is covering.

Then why aren't anesthesiologists' vacation times similar to those of radiologists? They don't have any continuity of care. Job listings for gas tend to show 3-6 weeks.

 

[penguin24]

Good point, since I'm not going into GAS, I didn't know what type of vacation those guys get. That sucks they only get so little vacation, even though they have the same distant relationships w/ patients like Rads do. It's not like patients care who puts them to sleep (or like they have a choice).

To answer your question, I don't know.

 

[fun8stuff]

The vacation does not include weekends, but often does include holidays (so the same criteria as most other jobs). I know a couple who have 14 weeks off per year and take 1 week off per month and 2 weeks in December and 2 weeks in July.

My program director told me radiologists have traditionally taken more vacation because at one time they did so many barium studies and other procedures that exposed them to radiation and it was thought at the time the body needed time away from the radiation to heal itself. I thought this was an interesting thought... he is an old timer, so I thought there might be some truth to it. Any one ever hear this?

 

[penguin24]

Yeah, I vaguely remember something along those lines, but I can't name a definite reference.