Who can moonlight?

[WildcatsDoc]

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So this is probably a dumb question. When looking at repayment options for the future (I'm an incoming medical student), I was told that many residents do some amount of moonlighting to help with repayment/income issues. Now I've heard of FM, IM, and EM residents moonlighting, but can any specialty moonlight at some point during residency (general surgery or specialties, etc)? I know this all depends on whether the residency program allows it or not, but I will be attending school in a pretty rural state, so the opportunities to moonlight (at least in PC/hospitalist capacities) are decent. Just wondering if other residents can do it as well. Thanks!

 

[Biscuit799]

As you've noted, the opportunity to moonlight is both specialty and program specific. EM residents tend to moonlight a lot, as they don't work the hours of other specialties and they can pick up ED shifts easily. IM is the same I believe. General Surgery programs often prohibit residents from moonlighting. A lot of programs will prohibit residents from moonlighting officially, but allow it if the resident is not struggling in the program and does not let it interfere with clinical responsibilities. It's a legitimate question to bring up at residency interviews.

 

[Arcan57]

A lot of surgery residents moon-light "in-house" covering services that are tradtionally lower volume (burns where I trained), especially for programs that have required lab time. There may be programs that allow moon-lighting "in-house" as a 1st year, but in the vast majority 2nd year is the minimum. I believe all 50 states require at least one year of residency prior to licensing a physician for independent practice. And you have to have a license prior to practicing medicine outside of your training program. Given the length of time it takes to obtain a license and get credentialed at a facility, you're usually looking at the 2nd half of 2nd year to moonlight outside of your residency. Of course, moon-lighting counts against your duty-hours (ACGME didn't reduce duty-hours so you could moonlight more). So in many programs you're going to have relatively few months (electives, vacations) you can moonlight without violating hours.

Plan on living poor as a resident, and if you do get to moonlight it's an added bonus.

 

[Cliff Huxtable]

If you are an IM resident, can you moonlight in EM?

 

[gutonc]

In general, no.