Surgery - part-time possible?

[nychila]

---

Members don't see this ad.

As a surgeon, is it possible to work part-time (20-40h/week as opposed to 60h/week), to devote the rest of my time to other personal affairs, excluding research?

I am deeply interested in surgery, particularly cardiac. However, ideally I would also like to run my family business in the healthcare industry after my medical training, which would require about 20-40h/week. You can also think of my question as someone interested in surgery who wants to work less than the usual full-time position in order to spend more time with family.

Thanks in advance for any help. What about part-time positions for cardiologists or gastroenterologists?

 

[Laplace]

In cardiac surgery, no. However, I shadowed an orthopedic surgeon who worked 9-5 Monday-Thursday and 9-1 on Friday. 3/2 split among clinic and OR days. Of course, he did only outpatient procedures on healthy candidates and referred inpatient cases to his partner.

 

[nychila]

orthopedic surgeon who worked 9-5 Monday-Thursday and 9-1 on Friday

What about slightly even less than 35h/week? Could anybody else weigh in here?

 

[VisionaryTics]

I would ask this on the surgery forum. Attendings know more about this stuff than a bunch of MS2s.

 

[xf3rn4nd3sx]

As a surgeon, is it possible to work part-time (20-40h/week as opposed to 60h/week), to devote the rest of my time to other personal affairs, excluding research?

I am deeply interested in surgery, particularly cardiac. However, ideally I would also like to run my family business in the healthcare industry after my medical training, which would require about 20-40h/week. You can also think of my question as someone interested in surgery who wants to work less than the usual full-time position in order to spend more time with family.

Thanks in advance for any help. What about part-time positions for cardiologists or gastroenterologists?

Typically this isn't possible, especially when starting out. Once established it may be more doable. What you may consider looking into is locum tenens work (short term gigs with varying circumstances and conditions).

 

[Buzz Me]

You know why you can't (for the most part) be a part-time surgeon? Your skills would deteriorate too quickly.

 

[xf3rn4nd3sx]

You know why you can't (for the most part) be a part-time surgeon? Your skills would deteriorate too quickly.

Yup, that and no one really wants to hire a new guy who's only willing to work 30 when the rest of the partners work 60-70+.

But yes, from a patient perspective, would you rather go to a surgeon who does 150 craniotomies a year or to one that does 20? You'll lose skill quickly.

 

[Alvarez13]

In cardiac surgery, no. However, I shadowed an orthopedic surgeon who worked 9-5 Monday-Thursday and 9-1 on Friday. 3/2 split among clinic and OR days. Of course, he did only outpatient procedures on healthy candidates and referred inpatient cases to his partner.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

What about slightly even less than 35h/week? Could anybody else weigh in here?

You can't be a lazy surgeon, old sport.

 

[JP2740]

What about slightly even less than 35h/week? Could anybody else weigh in here?

What's your goal here? FFS man, this is the saddest **** I've read on this board. If you want to be a surgeon don't look for ways to work under 35 h a week. It's not like being a substitute teacher.

 

[Hour30]

This is hard to do, but not impossible. Honestly, you should work full time for awhile until you are established, and then scale back to entertain other hobbies/jobs.

I could see a general ENT only doing 30-40 hours a week... as some do this before they retire. They simply focus on outpatient tubes, tonsils, septoplasties, basic sinus surgery, etc.

However, it takes a while to build a surgical practice through referrals. Generally this involves years of being open and available to the local PCPs referring patients to you. A surgeon often takes everything they can, and then scale back when they get busy to subspecialties they desire.

Academic docs heavy on research or leadership (i.e. department chairs) do clinical work half-time so they can accommodate those activities. So, not impossible, just difficult.

 

[nychila]

Thanks for your replies everyone. Running my family business is something that I am seriously considering, but I'm sure that other surgeon-hopefuls may encounter other interests of their own, thus cutting their time in the clinic and OR in half. For example, a surgeon interested in research, administration (head of surgery or faculty dean), or constantly expanding their own clinic. Are these surgeons able to work in the clinic and OR for only 30-40h/week (and spend the rest of the 60-80h week with their other work)?

 

[nychila]

This is hard to do, but not impossible. Honestly, you should work full time for awhile until you are established, and then scale back to entertain other hobbies/jobs.

I could see a general ENT only doing 30-40 hours a week... as some do this before they retire. They simply focus on outpatient tubes, tonsils, septoplasties, basic sinus surgery, etc.

However, it takes a while to build a surgical practice through referrals. Generally this involves years of being open and available to the local PCPs referring patients to you. A surgeon often takes everything they can, and then scale back when they get busy to subspecialties they desire.

Academic docs heavy on research or leadership (i.e. department chairs) do clinical work half-time so they can accommodate those activities. So, not impossible, just difficult.

This is very helpful - thank you.

 

[link2swim06]

Isnt that basically what doctor oz does? He does his TV show the majority of time but still operates enough so he can call himself a cardiac surgeon.

 

[mimelim]

Isnt that basically what doctor oz does? He does his TV show the majority of time but still operates enough so he can call himself a cardiac surgeon.

He doesn't operate so he can call himself a cardiac surgeon. He operates because he is a surgeon and a damn good one at that. When you are at or near the top of your field, after you have your practice up and running, it is easy to have limited clinical duties so you can devote time to research, administration, TV shows etc.

 

[link2swim06]

He doesn't operate so he can call himself a cardiac surgeon. He operates because he is a surgeon and a damn good one at that. When you are at or near the top of your field, after you have your practice up and running, it is easy to have limited clinical duties so you can devote time to research, administration, TV shows etc.

I'd content his colleagues that work 50 hours a week have more experience in the OR...but I just know he has suggested some bizarre medical suggestions on his tv show that are have no support at best.

My point was it is possible to be a part-time cardiac surgeon, which was the OP's question.

 

[Hour30]

Consider Emergency Medicine- shift work....

 

[45408]

I'd content his colleagues that work 50 hours a week have more experience in the OR...but I just know he has suggested some bizarre medical suggestions on his tv show that are have no support at best.

My point was it is possible to be a part-time cardiac surgeon, which was the OP's question.

....if you're really famous and have working for decades already...

 

[mimelim]

I'd content his colleagues that work 50 hours a week have more experience in the OR...but I just know he has suggested some bizarre medical suggestions on his tv show that are have no support at best.

My point was it is possible to be a part-time cardiac surgeon, which was the OP's question.

You think his colleagues work 50 hours a week? Our CV surgeons are in the OR between 20 and 40 hours a week. There is one guy that routinely hits 36+. That is OR time. Most of them work 80-110 hours a week. If you operate one day a week, you are working as a surgeon 30+ hours a week. You seriously think that someone that was good enough to get to the top of Columbia Presby and continues 30+ hours a week is lacking?

And the OP's question was, "I want to run my family side business now and be a surgeon". The reality is no, you can't be a surgeon part time when you start out. Most people can't do it later when things are going, but it is impossible to find a group to join when first starting that will let you work only part time.

 

[link2swim06]

You think his colleagues work 50 hours a week? Our CV surgeons are in the OR between 20 and 40 hours a week. There is one guy that routinely hits 36+. That is OR time. Most of them work 80-110 hours a week. If you operate one day a week, you are working as a surgeon 30+ hours a week. You seriously think that someone that was good enough to get to the top of Columbia Presby and continues 30+ hours a week is lacking?

And the OP's question was, "I want to run my family side business now and be a surgeon". The reality is no, you can't be a surgeon part time when you start out. Most people can't do it later when things are going, but it is impossible to find a group to join when first starting that will let you work only part time.

Where did I ever say he was lacking in surgical ability? I didn't. My point is he isn't working many hours and has suggested some bizarre/wrong information on his TV show. BTW the average for surgery is 60 hours per week.* Obviously not all in the OR but far more than he is doing.

I'd opt for a full-time community surgeon over him any day. While both are obviously competent, I'd go for the one with more surgeries under his belt. But my original point was doctor oz's primary passion is being on TV...he is on/involved with TV far more than he is in the OR in any week. He also happens to be a part-time cardiac surgeon.

* http://www.medfriends.org/images/salary, work hours.jpg

 

[mimelim]

Where did I ever say he was lacking in surgical ability? I didn't. My point is he isn't working many hours and has suggested some bizarre/wrong information on his TV show. BTW the average for surgery is 60 hours per week.* Obviously not all in the OR but far more than he is doing.

I'd opt for a full-time community surgeon over him any day. While both are obviously competent, I'd go for the one with more surgeries under his belt. But my original point was doctor oz's primary passion is being on TV...he is on/involved with TV far more than he is in the OR in any week. He also happens to be a part-time cardiac surgeon.

* http://www.medfriends.org/images/salary, work hours.jpg

Couple of issues. The average general surgeon in the US works 60 hours a week. Lets just assume that is accurate. There is a significant range. In general academic surgeons are working more hours than community practice. I am not disputing that he is operating less than others. Of course he is. My point is that none of any of this is relevant to his abilities as a surgeon. Number of hours is largely irrelevant after a certain point of course.

I understand your point about going to a community surgeon. I would do the exact same for a hernia, lap chole, colectomy etc. But when searching for someone to do a multi-valve repair on a sick as hell patient, if I were back in NYC I'd go for Oz and if he is too busy ask him to tell me who to go to.

 

[Smurfette]

Actually, the PP (community) guys work more (with regards to direct, hands on patient care) than the academic guys who have residents to do all the work for them and call them with updates/consults. In PP, the surgeons round/do orders/take all phone calls and pages on the patients/dictate/do consults/operate/discharge/etc. themselves. And you don't get a half day of "research" time per week and other 'academic' things. In PP the more you work, the more you make.

A sick-as-can-be heart patient should go to a skilled CT guy who has a high case volume. i.e. not Dr. Oz, but someone who has recently successfully operated on a lot of sick-as-can-be patients.

 

[MrJiggles]

A friend of mine worked as an assistant to Dr. Oz, she said he basically doesn't sleep, rather he chooses not to and does TKD and works on his writing instead in the wee hours of the night. Some people just have the passion I guess, or genes, or stimulants...