The other shoe...

[Primate]

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Everyone talks about how EM is great b/c you only work for 24-40 hours/week (academic/private) and can still make a nice living. Does anyone see this changing (less pay, more hours)? If not, WHY NOT?

Appreciate any thoughts on this. I'm not that concerned, personally, but am curious about he field. Who'd've thought, I'm apparently an EM type!

Thanks,
P

 

[Sessamoid]

It's not any more likely to change than it is for any other field of medicine, and less so than for surgery. Medicare's cuts have been hitting us all, but more so in surgical fields. Plastics is the exception since it's essentially a cash business.

 

[beyond all hope]

1) 25-40 hours a week of EM is like 40-60 of other specialities with regard to exhaustion. Working a 8 hour ER shift is like 12 hours on the wards. A 12 hour shift makes you feel like you've been beaten up.

2) Money is good but malpractice is high.

That being said, EM still rocks.