Working as an EM attending in Texas

[pinipig523]

I was wondering, how is it to work in Texas as an EM attending? Where's the few good places to work?

I was thinking of making a move towards the Dallas/Ft Worth area. My attendings tell me that Austin is nice as well.

I still got some time, but I just wanted to make some groundwork into looking for job areas.

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[pinipig523]

I'm sure there's someone who has insight into working in Texas. I know there's tort reform and limited malpractice caps. How's the pay as well?

I'm guessing, it's gives us a lot more freedom to practice evidence based medicine rather than CYA medicine... am I right or wrong?

 

[deleted109597]

Pay in those cities (as destination cities) is less than other places on average. You can make loads of money in the panhandle if you want.
Don't know anything specific about places that are "good" to work in or not.

 

[tegs15]

Pay in those cities (as destination cities) is less than other places on average. You can make loads of money in the panhandle if you want.
Don't know anything specific about places that are "good" to work in or not.

In the major cities of the panhandle, such as Amarillo and Lubbock? Or the more rural areas?

I spent a couple years in Lubbock and loved it, would definitely consider going back.

 

[deleted109597]

I can't say what Lubbock pays, because I haven't look at their stuff, but they certainly have jobs. I have seen Dumas, Plainview, Hereford. Most of those smaller places (Dumas is 65 bed hospital) you will be working with primary care docs as well though.
The jobs are out there, you just need to pick an area and see what's there.

 

[pinipig523]

So the pay in the Dallas/FW area is less than I would probably get in Chicago or just about the same? Or were you saying that it's good pay but less than those in the panhandle?

 

[deleted109597]

DFW pays more than the Northeast or West coast. Lots of places in and around DFW, so a large range of pay scales. But they pay less than the more rural (read, harder to get people to work there), but better than San Antonio or Austin (which are more destination cities than DFW, and also have fewer facilities). $300K isn't even hard to get in Texas as a starting salary (except in academics).

 

[GeneralVeers]

DFW pays more than the Northeast or West coast. Lots of places in and around DFW, so a large range of pay scales. But they pay less than the more rural (read, harder to get people to work there), but better than San Antonio or Austin (which are more destination cities than DFW, and also have fewer facilities). $300K isn't even hard to get in Texas as a starting salary (except in academics).

What was said above was correct. Texas is one of the best areas in the country to practice with great salary, low cost of living, and tort reform.

I work part time in a semi-rural area and could easily make over 400K if I worked full time about 150 hours per month.

 

[tegs15]

What was said above was correct. Texas is one of the best areas in the country to practice with great salary, low cost of living, and tort reform.

I work part time in a semi-rural area and could easily make over 400K if I worked full time about 150 hours per month.

How semi-rural? I would look forward to a more rural area to continue to raise my family. I know west Texas pretty well, can you relate the size of community you work in to another town or PM. Thanks for your time

 

[Jeff698]

I work in community practice in Round Rock, just north of Austin. I'm very happy and think this is a great part of the country to work. Our tort reform worked. Salaries are above the median and cost of living is well below the norm.

And best of all, it's Texas!

Take care,
Jeff

 

[txterp98]

I've been in Austin since graduating from residency in 2002.

From what I can tell, from a salary standpoint, Houston > Dallas > Austin.

That being said, I have no plans on moving. Austin's a young city with plenty of water and plenty to do. I can't complain from a money standpoint.

And the Texas legal climate, for now at least, is fair.

Feel free to PM me for any specifics about anything.

 

[DrDrummer]

This is sort of a random question, but I figure it's an alright spot to put it... maybe I'll get lucky.

I'm living in Houston, TX right now and applying to all the schools via TMDSAS and such. I'm focused on eventually ending up in EM practice (but first have to get into school). Are there any ED residents/attendings/physicians in here who work in Houston and are open to someone coming in and shadowing them? I've got lots of shadowing hours from up near Chicago, where my mom works in an ED, but little exposure here besides when I've accompanied friends as patients. I graduated from undergrad a few years ago and moved here to do Teach for America, so my connections are lacking down here in TX, but I've learned to love the state.

Looking forward to posting here more in the future as a resident. Thanks!

 

[GeneralVeers]

How semi-rural? I would look forward to a more rural area to continue to raise my family. I know west Texas pretty well, can you relate the size of community you work in to another town or PM. Thanks for your time

Corpus Christi, approx 300,000 people. Nothing around it for 150 miles though.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

I can't say what Lubbock pays, because I haven't look at their stuff, but they certainly have jobs. I have seen Dumas, Plainview, Hereford. Most of those smaller places (Dumas is 65 bed hospital) you will be working with primary care docs as well though.
The jobs are out there, you just need to pick an area and see what's there.

I am from the West Texas area. Amarillo, Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Midland/Odessa, and Abilene are all 300-400K ED jobs at the respective large hospital(s) in town.

I dont know that any one place is better than the other. If you are from 'outside' and move to one of those places for the money, you probably are not going to be happy. They are dry, dusty, desolate towns. On the flip side, you will find CHEAP housing, GREAT schools, and FRIENDLY people. Its a great place to raise kids.

Someone already mentioned about DFW/Houston/Austin. You would certainly take a pay cut, but anything I have looked into there are in the 250-320s+ range. Housing is still very afforable and the public schools in most areas are fine. Those towns have major theaters, professional ball teams, major airports, and terrific night life (as far as Texas goes). You also would generally have better access to specialist in those areas, but also have a larger indigent population.

 

[deleted109597]

Although I must say, the selfish side of me wants everyone to stop talking about this until I sign a contract. Then everyone else can hunt for jobs.
EmCare (corporate, etc, etc) has a ton of contracts all over Texas. Right now they have 65 job openings, although many are in the same place. Presumably you could work in any city you wanted to for a short period of time. Credentialling would probably be hell though.

 

[GeneralVeers]

Although I must say, the selfish side of me wants everyone to stop talking about this until I sign a contract. Then everyone else can hunt for jobs.
EmCare (corporate, etc, etc) has a ton of contracts all over Texas. Right now they have 65 job openings, although many are in the same place. Presumably you could work in any city you wanted to for a short period of time. Credentialling would probably be hell though.

Credentialing difficulty is inversely proportional to how desperate the hospitals are. Some of the hospitals in the Corpus area were able to credential me in 2 days.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

Credentialing difficulty is inversely proportional to how desperate the hospitals are. Some of the hospitals in the Corpus area were able to credential me in 2 days.

I second that. I think I am credentialed at about 12 hospitals in Mississippi. Some took months, others took hours. There is a direct relationship between length of time to credential and need for a licensed physician!

 

[pinipig523]

Thanks so much guys... this was a good amount of help!

I definitely will pay TX a visit one of these weekends that I'm off just to check out the place.

 

[Anastasis]

This is sort of a random question, but I figure it's an alright spot to put it... maybe I'll get lucky.

I'm living in Houston, TX right now and applying to all the schools via TMDSAS and such. I'm focused on eventually ending up in EM practice (but first have to get into school). Are there any ED residents/attendings/physicians in here who work in Houston and are open to someone coming in and shadowing them? I've got lots of shadowing hours from up near Chicago, where my mom works in an ED, but little exposure here besides when I've accompanied friends as patients. I graduated from undergrad a few years ago and moved here to do Teach for America, so my connections are lacking down here in TX, but I've learned to love the state.

Looking forward to posting here more in the future as a resident. Thanks!

This sounds familiar... I think we have a Baylor friend in common.