What does the typical attending schedule looks like through the week?

[throwaway12dk]

To preface this whole conversation, I know this will vary from group to group and you can choose between what you want to do, get paid, and live. I've been asking around a lot and talking to various OB's but not a large sample or in depth and I haven't found a whole lot on reddit or sdn so I'll ask specific questions. But let's just say for a general Ob/Gyn, mid-size city, without any negotiating what can I expect an attending schedule to look like?

1) What are typical group sizes that are hiring right now (asking to figure out what I can expect call schedule to be like q3,q5 etc).
2) When you are on call, would you say a majority of practices require you to be in the hospital or will a majority allow you to take home call.
3) To follow up with the home call, what are other things that need to be considered if the group allows this (aside from how far you live). Is taking home call even worth it or do a majority of you all end up just staying in the hospital to avoid emergencies?
4) When on call how, often is a page for something that requires you to come in and physically be there? (Again I know this is highly variable but is it more than 50% or less?)
5) Are there a lot of places that will hire a hospitalist OB to cover nights so that you can focus on your days or is that very few and far between.
6) How will a week or two vacations/holidays work out, especially if you have kids and you’re looking at spring break when your partners also have the same shared holidays?
7) Overall what will your lifestyle look like? I’ve been hearing that it’s what you make of it and now with bigger groups it’s getting better than when many were in solo practice. But I’ve heard from many whom were Q3 that it’s been rough even after coming out as an attending. Any last thoughts on this last broad question?

Really appreciate the help on this long question. Again I know it will widely vary from what you choose but if there’s enough answers from various people it’ll honestly help me understand what I’d be signing up for.

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[Dr. Death]

These questions are so unanswerable I honestly thought you were a pre-med.
1. Depends where you are
2. Depends how far away you live and how busy call is
3. Depends how big your group is. If you have a big or busy group, it might not be worth your time to try and be home. Rarely is there something so emergent that you won't be able to get into the hospital before the patient's condition changes drastically
4. Less than 50% most likely
5. Not super common where I am but seems to be gaining traction nationally
6. Someone has to be on call. Sacrifices have to be made
7. Depends on the size of your group, how content you are with your compensation, how naturally happy or unhappy you are as an individual, etc.

 

[anonperson]

To preface this whole conversation, I know this will vary from group to group and you can choose between what you want to do, get paid, and live. I've been asking around a lot and talking to various OB's but not a large sample or in depth and I haven't found a whole lot on reddit or sdn so I'll ask specific questions. But let's just say for a general Ob/Gyn, mid-size city, without any negotiating what can I expect an attending schedule to look like?

1) What are typical group sizes that are hiring right now (asking to figure out what I can expect call schedule to be like q3,q5 etc).
2) When you are on call, would you say a majority of practices require you to be in the hospital or will a majority allow you to take home call.
3) To follow up with the home call, what are other things that need to be considered if the group allows this (aside from how far you live). Is taking home call even worth it or do a majority of you all end up just staying in the hospital to avoid emergencies?
4) When on call how, often is a page for something that requires you to come in and physically be there? (Again I know this is highly variable but is it more than 50% or less?)
5) Are there a lot of places that will hire a hospitalist OB to cover nights so that you can focus on your days or is that very few and far between.
6) How will a week or two vacations/holidays work out, especially if you have kids and you’re looking at spring break when your partners also have the same shared holidays?
7) Overall what will your lifestyle look like? I’ve been hearing that it’s what you make of it and now with bigger groups it’s getting better than when many were in solo practice. But I’ve heard from many whom were Q3 that it’s been rough even after coming out as an attending. Any last thoughts on this last broad question?

Really appreciate the help on this long question. Again I know it will widely vary from what you choose but if there’s enough answers from various people it’ll honestly help me understand what I’d be signing up for.

There are practices of varying sizes. From solo to mega 15 physician practices.

The busier the practice, the more likely you have to be in house.

If home call, typically have to live within 30 minutes from hospital.

Regarding number 5. Who is hiring the laborist? Typically a hospital or health system will hire a laborist to cover unassigned patients etc. If they do a delivery for a private group etc., they will typically bill for this service taking away from your bottom line.

Usually you have several weeks off. People take vacation and deal with it.

Call is call. It can be busy if you have a busy group.

 

[throwaway12dk]

These questions are so unanswerable I honestly thought you were a pre-med.

By All means I understand the naiveness of this questions as it's so broad but there doesn't seem to be a lot of resources for medical students to find out what attending lifestyles looks like once they are out in practice so that's why I'm asking. Thanks for your answer as well as "anonperson" I do greatly appreciate it a lot!

 

[Dr. Death]

By All means I understand the naiveness of this questions as it's so broad but there doesn't seem to be a lot of resources for medical students to find out what attending lifestyles looks like once they are out in practice so that's why I'm asking. Thanks for your answer as well as "anonperson" I do greatly appreciate it a lot!

Do you have any electives that you could do with private practice guys? They'd give you a better idea based on where you are

 

[throwaway12dk]

Do you have any electives that you could do with private practice guys? They'd give you a better idea based on where you are

Thanks for the idea. I've worked with a few in one practice in a group of 5. It didn't seem that bad but my biggest fear is that I'm lucking into a practice. I wouldn't mind this practice but I don't know if it's the norm or abnormal.

 

[Dr G Oogle]

describe the practice maybe we can tell you if it’s normal or abnormal

 

[throwaway12dk]

describe the practice maybe we can tell you if it’s normal or abnormal

Sure, the place that I did my rotation was practice group of 5 at a 330 bed hospital. Hospital was walking distance from outpatient clinic. Weekdays was 830-5 for 4 days a week with 1 day as protected surgery day. During the day (6a-6p) you were expected to deliver any of your patients. Nights were locums but had the option to deliver. Weekends covered by locums as well. Seemed like there was a delivery at least twice a week outside of bankers hours.

To me this sounds atypical but again I don't even know what normal is

 

[Dr. Death]

I would say that's atypical. Similar practices I've seen you cover one weeknight per week and every 5th weekend or something like that with the day off post call weekend