What is the average radiology job like?

[hfzballer11]

Hi all,

Just looking for some more insight on this. I just finished two radiology rotations (once academic and once private practice). The academic radiologists were very happy, and seemed to work ~45-50 hours a week. The private practice radiologists seemed unhappy. They worked 8-5 M-F, with two 10 hour weekend calls per month, coming out to 50-55 hours a week. I was told by them that that is what you can expect in PP out of residency.
However, browsing though SDN and AuntMinnie, it seems that some people disagree. Can any attending or fellow seeking jobs give any insight on what you average radiology job is like? Thank you

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[tco]

Well, I just had a friend text me last night about work. He's private practice. He has to cover one 14 hour shift in the ER per year (the other ones are 10-12 hours) and he dictated 280 studies. I don't know how many of those are cross sectional vs plain film, but the screenshot he sent me made it look like it was about 4:1, plain film:cross sectional.

He's up for partner this year, and said that if a VA job would come up in a location he would enjoy before he gets partner, he would take it.

 

[Bayonetwork]

Well, I just had a friend text me last night about work. He's private practice. He has to cover one 14 hour shift in the ER per year (the other ones are 10-12 hours) and he dictated 280 studies. I don't know how many of those are cross sectional vs plain film, but the screenshot he sent me made it look like it was about 4:1, plain film:cross sectional.

He's up for partner this year, and said that if a VA job would come up in a location he would enjoy before he gets partner, he would take it.

280 studies in one shift sounds extremely high, and only one ER shift per year sounds very odd. Is this at an ER with 24/7 Rads coverage? Something sounds off...

 

[hfzballer11]

Well, I just had a friend text me last night about work. He's private practice. He has to cover one 14 hour shift in the ER per year (the other ones are 10-12 hours) and he dictated 280 studies. I don't know how many of those are cross sectional vs plain film, but the screenshot he sent me made it look like it was about 4:1, plain film:cross sectional.

He's up for partner this year, and said that if a VA job would come up in a location he would enjoy before he gets partner, he would take it.

Sorry, Im a bit confused. What does this come out to in terms of hours/week?

 

[Gadofosveset]

It's going to be hard for you to good answer for "average" since there is a fair amount of variability among radiology jobs. Extrapolate from the small anecdotal n on SDN and AM with caution.

I'm a junior faculty academic rad. Avg hours per week is 45-55. Busy call weekend every other month or so. You can add on about 5-10 hours per week for administrative and teaching duties. Compensation is probably 50th percentile for level of experience and academics, probably <15th percentile of the deceptive "average", but probably on par with pure RVUs that I generate. Essentially, the teaching is free.

The level of "happiness" is going to depend on what you want to get out of your job. A fair number of academic rads get some happiness out of teaching and research and will sacrifice income for it.

Academics run a wide range, though, it's hard to generalize. Some of the older ones are straight up lazy, but some are machines. Most young academic rads are pretty busy, but I've met a few who have been total wastes of space. Cultures of academic rad departments vary.

I can't speak to private practice, but the overall trends are increasing work and decreasing reimbursement, with a tougher environment for those not part of health system machines. That seems to be true for MDs across the board.

 

[scootad.]

PP jobs are also variable. A common set up is m-f 8-4 with one evening shift every 2 weeks till 9pm (when nighthawk takes over), plus 1 weekend (sat+ sun) every 4-6 weeks, 10-12 weeks vacation.

Then there are purely outpatient practices that have no hospital contracts. This latter type is becoming less common but it's still out there. Takes some leg work and extra effort to find. (I work for one of these). This is m-f 8-5 pm no nights or weekends, but only 4-5 weeks vacation.

 

[vm26]

Hi all,

Just looking for some more insight on this. I just finished two radiology rotations (once academic and once private practice). The academic radiologists were very happy, and seemed to work ~45-50 hours a week. The private practice radiologists seemed unhappy. They worked 8-5 M-F, with two 10 hour weekend calls per month, coming out to 50-55 hours a week. I was told by them that that is what you can expect in PP out of residency.
However, browsing though SDN and AuntMinnie, it seems that some people disagree. Can any attending or fellow seeking jobs give any insight on what you average radiology job is like? Thank you

Very variable...my 1st pp job in a crappy economically depressed city was horrid, 8-630/700 M-F, weekend call q3 weekends (12 hour shifts Sat, Sun), no partnership....current pp job in nice suburb in Northern Cali, work 3.5 days/week on average (have more time off than my wife who is a teacher), about 8-6, call is still long but about q5 weekends, also partnership was relatively short

 

[tco]

280 studies in one shift sounds extremely high, and only one ER shift per year sounds very odd. Is this at an ER with 24/7 Rads coverage? Something sounds off...

I don't know what sounds off to you. They do normal shifts (I think they're normally 8 hour shifts), but once per year they have to do a 14 hour shift. I didn't ask him why...I don't really care. The point is that in 14 hours, he dictated 280 studies. He sent me the PowerScribe screenshot of the numbers in his dictated pile. Absolutely ridiculous :-\

 

[deleted116380]

I don't know what sounds off to you. They do normal shifts (I think they're normally 8 hour shifts), but once per year they have to do a 14 hour shift. I didn't ask him why...I don't really care. The point is that in 14 hours, he dictated 280 studies. He sent me the PowerScribe screenshot of the numbers in his dictated pile. Absolutely ridiculous :-\

A buddy of mine does pp overnight rads at a Level 1 and reads 20 studies an hour (10 cross sectional and 10 radiographs per hour). Same rate as the numbers you post, but the mix I don't know if it's 50-50.

 

[FootballFoot]

Very variable...my 1st pp job in a crappy economically depressed city was horrid, 8-630/700 M-F, weekend call q3 weekends (12 hour shifts Sat, Sun), no partnership....current pp job in nice suburb in Northern Cali, work 3.5 days/week on average (have more time off than my wife who is a teacher), about 8-6, call is still long but about q5 weekends, also partnership was relatively short

That sounds like heaven. Did you do a fellowship?

 

[vm26]

That sounds like heaven. Did you do a fellowship?

2 fellowships!...1st fellowship was before 1st horrible pp job...when I was looking to get out of that job my 2nd fellowship had a late unexpected opening...market was still tight and fellowship was in Cali and would give me breast and light IR training so I went with it

 

[tco]

A buddy of mine does pp overnight rads at a Level 1 and reads 20 studies an hour (10 cross sectional and 10 radiographs per hour). Same rate as the numbers you post, but the mix I don't know if it's 50-50.

I said that what he showed me was about 50/50. I don't know if the whole night was like that. I don't think it's possible...

 

[deleted116380]

I said that what he showed me was about 50/50. I don't know if the whole night was like that. I don't think it's possible...

For that long yeah that sounds like a lot. The guy I know reads 160 in an 8 hour shift.

 

[tco]

For that long yeah that sounds like a lot. The guy I know reads 160 in an 8 hour shift.

Yeah. That's what he said he usually does. 140-160 in 8 hour shifts.

 

[vm26]

A buddy of mine does pp overnight rads at a Level 1 and reads 20 studies an hour (10 cross sectional and 10 radiographs per hour). Same rate as the numbers you post, but the mix I don't know if it's 50-50.

They should be making bank...my group reads significantly less than that on average and we do fine

 

[meister]

Depends on how much of it is charity work.