Regrets in choosing EM?

[RoyBasch]

Crap, I can't believe I got triggered by a necro-bumped thread! Argh!

I still enjoyed the post.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Birdstrike]

Crap, I can't believe I got triggered by a necro-bumped thread! Argh!

The "necrotrigger."

 

[bravotwozero]

my only 'regret' is not being able to own/become partner in a group. But to do so would require major trade-offs, like moving to another state, away from family, and potentially taking a large pay cut.

 

[colucho19]

Sure, I can see where you're coming from. I went from neurosurgery to EM and it was a "whoa!" kind of switch. Occasionally I fantasize about what it would be like to have stayed the course, but then I realize:

- I'd still be in residency
- I'd be a LOT (and I mean a LOT) more stressed than I am now.
- I'd know more about one thing and be (relatively) clueless about a broader scope of medicine.
- Yeah, lots of BS in the ER, but occasionally not, and when the chips are down? You probably want that good EM guy doing the stabilization/airway/resus. Then I get to hand off to others for the long term care.
- Didn't you HATE being in the OR for HOURS at a time? I mean, cool stuff to do and you get to focus one one thing and do it well but the TIME.....
- I get to see my kids a LOT.
- I get to see my wife a LOT
- I have a relationship with my friends and family that residency and medical school took away.
- Of course, I'll never make what I *could* have made once NSGY residency was done, but I'll take my life right now.

That's me, two years out from residency. Talk to me in five more and we'll see.

It's been five years now... care to update?

 

[emergentmd]

My kids go to private school. I know other parents who are General Surgeons, Anesthesiologist, Family practice.

When My kids have events/first day of school/parties/last day of school, I am ALWAYS there. I see the spouses of said docs there by themselves or when the docs do come, they are in their scrubs rushing in/rushing out to go back to the clinic/hospital.

I come in leisurely, leave when everything is done. I drop my kids off/pick up about 75% of the time. I am very sure I make more money than all of them, have more time with my kids.

Some on here may not think EM is a a lifestyle field, but it all depends how you define lifestyle.

yes EM work weekends, but I may work 1 out of 8 a month
yes Em does nights, but I may work past midnight 1-2 times a month
yes EM work holidays, but I have not done one in 3 yrs

Even when I did all of the above in my early career, I still felt it was a lifestyle field. I took off a week every month and went on vacation. I worked 14-15 dys a month. I still made more per hr than almost any other field. I know of EM docs who made $1 mil last yr.

If you like EM work, it checks off most boxes in my mind.

 

[namethatsmell]

My kids go to private school. I know other parents who are General Surgeons, Anesthesiologist, Family practice.

When My kids have events/first day of school/parties/last day of school, I am ALWAYS there. I see the spouses of said docs there by themselves or when the docs do come, they are in their scrubs rushing in/rushing out to go back to the clinic/hospital.

I come in leisurely, leave when everything is done. I drop my kids off/pick up about 75% of the time. I am very sure I make more money than all of them, have more time with my kids.

Some on here may not think EM is a a lifestyle field, but it all depends how you define lifestyle.

yes EM work weekends, but I may work 1 out of 8 a month
yes Em does nights, but I may work past midnight 1-2 times a month
yes EM work holidays, but I have not done one in 3 yrs

Even when I did all of the above in my early career, I still felt it was a lifestyle field. I took off a week every month and went on vacation. I worked 14-15 dys a month. I still made more per hr than almost any other field. I know of EM docs who made $1 mil last yr.

If you like EM work, it checks off most boxes in my mind.

For the med students reading this (I'm assuming the person who resurrected this thread is one), Emergentmd has an important message here: you can make EM fit your life. However, the big operative word is "can." He didn't just fall into his current situation -- if you read some of his prior posts you'll see he lives in one of the highest paying states and over the years seems to have built a network of locum-style gigs that are within a drive of his house. It's a pretty rare setup relative your average EM gigs.

If you work locums, you can escape holidays, nights, and weekends but you'll work at places that are often less than desirable. You'll also have to be firm with your recruiter and less picky about where you work to get this. And of course you'll typically spend your time between shifts away from home in addition to travel to/from the site on either end of a string of shifts.

If you pick a full-time gig, expect to work half holidays and half weekends. Expect to do nights.

That said, most EM docs can create a decent work-life balance if they work at it and get creative. Two keys include negotiating hard for the lowest number of required hours per month and learning how to say "no."

 

[southerndoc]

My shifts are as follows:

14 shifts
6a-4p: 2
7a-5p: 2
9a-7p: 2
10a-8p: 1
3p-1a: 2
4p-2a: 2
5p-3a: 1
9p-7a: 2

7 of the shifts are weekends (Friday is considered a weekend day for us).

 

[mymembernames]

My shifts are as follows:

14 shifts
6a-4p: 2
7a-5p: 2
9a-7p: 2
10a-8p: 1
3p-1a: 2
4p-2a: 2
5p-3a: 1
9p-7a: 2

7 of the shifts are weekends (Friday is considered a weekend day for us).

How's the pay?

 

[southerndoc]

How's the pay?

Top 1% if not better. Seriously, I cannot at all complain about my pay.

 

[emergentmd]

For the med students reading this (I'm assuming the person who resurrected this thread is one), Emergentmd has an important message here: you can make EM fit your life. However, the big operative word is "can." He didn't just fall into his current situation -- if you read some of his prior posts you'll see he lives in one of the highest paying states and over the years seems to have built a network of locum-style gigs that are within a drive of his house. It's a pretty rare setup relative your average EM gigs.

If you work locums, you can escape holidays, nights, and weekends but you'll work at places that are often less than desirable. You'll also have to be firm with your recruiter and less picky about where you work to get this. And of course you'll typically spend your time between shifts away from home in addition to travel to/from the site on either end of a string of shifts.

If you pick a full-time gig, expect to work half holidays and half weekends. Expect to do nights.

That said, most EM docs can create a decent work-life balance if they work at it and get creative. Two keys include negotiating hard for the lowest number of required hours per month and learning how to say "no."

When I started EM, I was making right at 300K a yr, did 15 shifts a month (9hrs), did my share of weekends/nights/holidays.

I still enjoyed EM and still found that it was a lifestyle job. I took a week vacation 6-8 times a yr with my wife (no kids). Being without kids, weekends/nights didn't really matter to me much b/c we just went out when I wasn't working.

Fast forward many years, years of experience, and yes I have found a much better situation. But I still believe I had one of the most flexible jobs even when I did a typical EM schedule.

 

[emergentmd]

My shifts are as follows:

14 shifts
6a-4p: 2
7a-5p: 2
9a-7p: 2
10a-8p: 1
3p-1a: 2
4p-2a: 2
5p-3a: 1
9p-7a: 2

7 of the shifts are weekends (Friday is considered a weekend day for us).

I pulled in 500K last yr so I guess I was close to top 1%, working about 15 dys a month.

My current June Schedule for 45K
1-10p : 8 (no weekends)
4 FSER shifts (24 hrs) - 1 Sunday

 

[namethatsmell]

When I started EM, I was making right at 300K a yr, did 15 shifts a month (9hrs), did my share of weekends/nights/holidays.

I still enjoyed EM and still found that it was a lifestyle job. I took a week vacation 6-8 times a yr with my wife (no kids). Being without kids, weekends/nights didn't really matter to me much b/c we just went out when I wasn't working.

Fast forward many years, years of experience, and yes I have found a much better situation. But I still believe I had one of the most flexible jobs even when I did a typical EM schedule.

So you made about 185/hr when you started. And now many years later you're making way more. I think we're in agreement. You've achieved something to be proud of, but it's not going to be reproducible for most EM docs.

 

[emergentmd]

So you made about 185/hr when you started. And now many years later you're making way more. I think we're in agreement. You've achieved something to be proud of, but it's not going to be reproducible for most EM docs.

My bigger point is EM allows you to have flexibility and still make 300K. Surgeons/primary care has m-f clinics, and in no way can take a week off every month.

I talked to a surgeon and he has to find coverage/shut his clinic down if he takes vacation, so the most he ever takes is 1 wk.

I am taking 3 wks this summer and do not need to ask anyone/shut anything down. Also, I don't take a pay cut.

 

[Sam212]

My bigger point is EM allows you to have flexibility and still make 300K. Surgeons/primary care has m-f clinics, and in no way can take a week off every month.

I talked to a surgeon and he has to find coverage/shut his clinic down if he takes vacation, so the most he ever takes is 1 wk.

I am taking 3 wks this summer and do not need to ask anyone/shut anything down. Also, I don't take a pay cut.

Must be nice