Salary question...fixed or somewhat variable?

[SIGMACHIGUY]

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This is probably the worst way to start a post but...sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm still learning here...

As an anesthesiologist, I know you have a salary per year. So, is it correct to assume that all the call time, staying late, working extra hours, etc. doesn't increase your compensation? I know you may be eligible for yearly productivity bonuses, etc. but besides these bonuses, is your salary fixed?

The only reason I ask this is because I've heard of anesthesiologists picking up shifts/working extra OT to make a little more money to pay off their debt so I was a little confused with this aspect. Thanks in advance for your help!! 👍

 

[militarymd]

Depends on what your work environment is.

My group empties out our bank accounts every month, so our pay is different EVERY SINGLE month....ie we pay ourselves what we collect.

We used to have an hourly employee of our group...that person got paid an hourly wage...whether they generate revenue or not....ultimately, I think we made money on that person.

So the answer....it depends.

 

[Noyac]

And my practice is completely different from Mil's. We are salaried. We get paid the same thing no matter what we do, stay late, come in at night, etc. We can also work extra for more $$. But its more like giving up a week of vacation or if at the end of the year we do more days or more call than our contract states, then we are compensated for this.

 

[Pilot Doc]

Depends on what your work environment is..

So the answer....it depends.

Good post.

A key point that I think a lot of people miss is that many physicians are not employees - they are business owners and their "salary" is actually the profit of the business. Every single dollar you collect goes into your pocket and every single dollar you spend goes out of it. Have a good month and you collect a lot - have a bad month and you may have to front your own money to make payroll.

Anesthesiologists are more likely than other physicians to be employees, though. In that case your compensation can be anything from a totally flxed salary to a totally eat what you kill situation as described above. Most are somewhere in between. And to some extent "call time, staying late, working extra hours, etc" can be built into your salary.

 

[SIGMACHIGUY]

Good post.

A key point that I think a lot of people miss is that many physicians are not employees - they are business owners and their "salary" is actually the profit of the business. Every single dollar you collect goes into your pocket and every single dollar you spend goes out of it. Have a good month and you collect a lot - have a bad month and you may have to front your own money to make payroll.

Anesthesiologists are more likely than other physicians to be employees, though. In that case your compensation can be anything from a totally flxed salary to a totally eat what you kill situation as described above. Most are somewhere in between. And to some extent "call time, staying late, working extra hours, etc" can be built into your salary.

Thanks for not ripping me a new one for asking such a probable silly question to all you who are into the anesthesia setting as residents, attendings, etc. I'm just a newbie trying to get my foot in the door of a medical school as of right now. Thanks guys!!!