Teaching + Clinic

[docycle]

I just wanted to get a feel for what it's like to have both a practice and be teaching at a local med school. Mind you, I'm not specifically talking about "academic medicine," but rather that you are an independent physician working in private practice who also happens to teach. So I'm just going to rapid fire a few questions and anyone who can answer any of them is welcome to respond:

1. How do you balance the work between the clinical and academic worlds?
2. Do you find it is manageable?
3. What sort of hours, realistically, are you working for your academic institution? Including lecture time, office hours, responding to emails etc.
4. How difficult was it to land the job?
5. Is this something that would be open to a newly licensed DO? Or is a decade+ of clinical experience and research the only thing that gets you through the door?
6. Is the pay a better supplement to your existing income than just working more clinic hours?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some helpful advice!

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[smq123]

I just wanted to get a feel for what it's like to have both a practice and be teaching at a local med school. Mind you, I'm not specifically talking about "academic medicine," but rather that you are an independent physician working in private practice who also happens to teach. So I'm just going to rapid fire a few questions and anyone who can answer any of them is welcome to respond:

1. How do you balance the work between the clinical and academic worlds?
2. Do you find it is manageable?
3. What sort of hours, realistically, are you working for your academic institution? Including lecture time, office hours, responding to emails etc.
4. How difficult was it to land the job?
5. Is this something that would be open to a newly licensed DO? Or is a decade+ of clinical experience and research the only thing that gets you through the door?
6. Is the pay a better supplement to your existing income than just working more clinic hours?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some helpful advice!

Typically, most private practice clinicians who say that they teach do not mean that they give lectures. They usually mean that they precept students and residents in their clinics. They generally do not give formal lectures and do not have “office hours.”

Most schools will jump at any clinicians who offer to precept students and residents, especially DO schools (since many don’t have their own dedicated teaching hospitals).

 

[QueenJames]

How much is the pay for accepting a preceptorship role? I've heard that the Caribbean schools pay $500-$1500 a student!
But this is hearsay most definitely.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

How much is the pay for accepting a preceptorship role? I've heard that the Caribbean schools pay $500-$1500 a student!
But this is hearsay most definitely.

The local DO school pays me $1000/student/4 week block

USMD schools typically don't pay, though you'll often get an academic appointment which I think does offer some compensation.

 

[deleted87716]

I've precepted first- and second-year med students from my alma mater for pretty much my entire career. It's not terribly time-consuming, as they're only in the office a few half-days per semester. Third-year students are much more work, as they're with you for a full month. I've only done that a couple of times. Oh, and I get paid nothing. I do get to claim 20 CME credits per year for teaching, so that's something. I mainly do it for the experience. I want students to see what private practice can be like (e.g., way different than med school/residency FM clinic), and I like being able to see things through the eyes of someone who is still so new to everything. When teaching is done right, the teacher also learns from the student.

 

[Keona]

I just joined a practice where one of the partners precepts students. I don’t think there is any compensation but sometimes she’s able to recruit additional people from it. It actually hurts your productivity and likely costs costs money to precept with students. This is from the MD side at an AHEC site. I may begin taking students in the future but will not until I am generating enough income to be off of a guaranteed salary. The medical school where I trained doesn’t send new graduates students until they have been practicing for at least 6 months to a year. There is no extra lecture time or anything beyond normal clinic responsibilities.

 

[deleted87716]

It actually hurts your productivity and likely costs costs money to precept with students.

I don't schedule any fewer patients on the half-days when I have a student. They don't really slow me down much. I can turn them loose on somebody with an acute problem, and go see another patient. It doesn't cost us anything to precept. New students have to complete a short on-line tutorial about HIPAA, etc. (company policy), but that's free, too.

 

[docycle]

Typically, most private practice clinicians who say that they teach do not mean that they give lectures. They usually mean that they precept students and residents in their clinics. They generally do not give formal lectures and do not have “office hours.”

Most schools will jump at any clinicians who offer to precept students and residents, especially DO schools (since many don’t have their own dedicated teaching hospitals).

I get that, but I do have a few profs who are actively practicing and do come in to deliver 1st/2nd year lectures for the school. I'm pretty sure they also precept as well in clinic. So it's kind of this cool hybrid of clinic, academics, and also personal mentoring. But it seems, based on what you've said, more are doing precepting only, for which there may or may not be any compensation. I'm interested in what a straight up prof/clinician role looks like, though. Hopefully someone who does that sort of thing can stop by and give their perspective. Thanks to @Blue Dog and @VA Hopeful Dr for sharing your experiences. Btw @VA Hopeful Dr are you generally working more in FM clinic or EM? I ask because I could have sworn I remember you talking about doing EM shifts in a thread long ago (though it might have been urgent care..). Anyway, just interested. Thanks again for the responses, everyone.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I get that, but I do have a few profs who are actively practicing and do come in to deliver 1st/2nd year lectures for the school. I'm pretty sure they also precept as well in clinic. So it's kind of this cool hybrid of clinic, academics, and also personal mentoring. But it seems, based on what you've said, more are doing precepting only, for which there may or may not be any compensation. I'm interested in what a straight up prof/clinician role looks like, though. Hopefully someone who does that sort of thing can stop by and give their perspective. Thanks to @Blue Dog and @VA Hopeful Dr for sharing your experiences. Btw @VA Hopeful Dr are you generally working more in FM clinic or EM? I ask because I could have sworn I remember you talking about doing EM shifts in a thread long ago (though it might have been urgent care..). Anyway, just interested. Thanks again for the responses, everyone.

I haven't done EM since residency. Lots of UC until recently though.

 

[smq123]

I get that, but I do have a few profs who are actively practicing and do come in to deliver 1st/2nd year lectures for the school. I'm pretty sure they also precept as well in clinic. So it's kind of this cool hybrid of clinic, academics, and also personal mentoring. But it seems, based on what you've said, more are doing precepting only, for which there may or may not be any compensation. I'm interested in what a straight up prof/clinician role looks like, though. Hopefully someone who does that sort of thing can stop by and give their perspective.

Yes, I had those, too. They are very much in the minority, however. Most physicians who "teach" do so mostly by precepting in clinic.

My impression is that those who are more actively involved in teaching 1st and 2nd year actively seek out those opportunities.