Haha, seems more likely this kept you from the field rather than the research aspect. You belong to a group that encompasses most physicians out there. The life of EM is pretty decent, but in other's eyes we have to "put up with" things they don't want to do. For us, it's largely why we love it.
EM is not a lifestyle specialty
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Haha, seems more likely this kept you from the field rather than the research aspect. You belong to a group that encompasses most physicians out there. The life of EM is pretty decent, but in other's eyes we have to "put up with" things they don't want to do. For us, it's largely why we love it.
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Yeah, but it's a major source of stress for me. I like to have the X ray, labs, and general gist of the HPI ready before I see the patient. I don't begrudge you guys compensation one bit. We doctors are all underpaid compared to a CVS pharmacist.
D
deleted6669
hard to beat an em schedule. if time off is your priority there are jobs out there that are full time at 10-12 twelve hr shifts/mo or six to eight 24 hr shifts/mo.
additionally several of my md and pa partners take month long vacations every yr by working more hrs early in the year.
additionally several of my md and pa partners take month long vacations every yr by working more hrs early in the year.
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deleted103644
Not sure why you're calling me out months after I last posted in this thread, but okay.
I have no envy for ER - would rather be earning $100k in Ohio as a radiologist than do what you guys do (personal preference, no judgments).
So I'm not sure which post you're referring to, but I'm sure you're mistaken about my point.
Good luck with ortho.
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Underlined part is demonstrably false. We make 2-3 times as much as CVS pharmacists. I don't know where you get this strange idea from.
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I just want to update people about my situation. I have long complained on this forum about EM and medicine in general. Although I still wouldn't have gone into medicine at all, I must admit that my burnout levels from residency have subsided. I think I found the right gig. At times, I am even enjoying my job. More importantly, I have found overall happiness with my third job post-residency. I still think we should make a little bit more $$$--after all, we literally save lives on the brink of death--but ah well, it's still pretty good.
I also think my happiness level has been increased by my confidence level and skills... In fact, I am probably in danger of becoming arrogant.
I also think my happiness level has been increased by my confidence level and skills... In fact, I am probably in danger of becoming arrogant.
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That's great to hear!
Glad to hear this! I think that there are unfortunately a lot of bad EM jobs out there. I also believe that a lot of the burnout can be burnout from a bad job and not necessarily burn out from the field of EM. I have several friends who have left EM and all of them were in less than optimal ED positions. Granted there are some challenges that are common throughout our field, but there are fantastic EM jobs out there if you are willing to look around.
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EM is NOT a lifestyle specialty. I think derm is, and good on them. But our patients die, daily, though no fault of our medical management. We also get everything primary care gets scared about. We also get trashed from every other specialty - maybe we deserve some of that. But...
Ours is a really, really hard job.
How many orthopedists or neurologists have to tell a spouse their loved one has died? How many pediatricians have actually coded a kid - and how many of them live with that. How many GI docs or Rheumatologists deal with rape, of kids, of anyone?
We miss stuff. We are hurried. We don’t do things the way certain specialists or subspecialists do. We don’t always work out Winter’s equation or figure out the A-a gradient. We can’t always show that we are smart too.
Sometimes we cry with patient’s families. Sometimes we hang back as the caring providers we are and support the family as much as we can. But we are always there, always on call, always on duty, always ready for what comes through those doors.
So no. We are not a lifestyle specialty. We specialize in trying to figure out medically and socially how to un-**** horrible situations.
Yes, we have shift work. Yes, it can be predictable and can be scheduled. No. It is not lifestyle.
Thank you all, for all that you do.
Ours is a really, really hard job.
How many orthopedists or neurologists have to tell a spouse their loved one has died? How many pediatricians have actually coded a kid - and how many of them live with that. How many GI docs or Rheumatologists deal with rape, of kids, of anyone?
We miss stuff. We are hurried. We don’t do things the way certain specialists or subspecialists do. We don’t always work out Winter’s equation or figure out the A-a gradient. We can’t always show that we are smart too.
Sometimes we cry with patient’s families. Sometimes we hang back as the caring providers we are and support the family as much as we can. But we are always there, always on call, always on duty, always ready for what comes through those doors.
So no. We are not a lifestyle specialty. We specialize in trying to figure out medically and socially how to un-**** horrible situations.
Yes, we have shift work. Yes, it can be predictable and can be scheduled. No. It is not lifestyle.
Thank you all, for all that you do.
D
deleted859535
I always call EM a semi-, quasi-, sorta-lifestyle specialty. Maybe in part because it makes me feel better for having chosen it. After all, for all the hard parts, there are some definite perks.
But some of the stressors unique to the specialty sure aren't understood by those who aren't doing it.
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EM is not a ‘lifestyle specialty.’
Unless you consider chronic shift-work sleep-dysphoria a desirable lifestyle.
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Unless you consider chronic shift-work sleep-dysphoria a desirable lifestyle.
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Glad this thread got necrobumped. Its important.
Pay attention, kids.
Pay attention, kids.
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Key for me will be dropping down to single digit shifts ASAP. The BS is a lot more tolerable when it’s only twice a week on average.
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A lot of truth here, although I suspect that you're talking about 12-hour shifts.
I will soon be out of my high-interest (4%) debt. I'm dropping to 120-125 hours/month altogether. Period.
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Actually, this post is only partly true. EM is a lifestyle specialty if you do a Pain fellowship like I did, or find another fellowship niche that allows you to scale back your ED shifts to 6 or less, or you find the rare job that not short staffed and allows you to work less than 100 hours per month without pressuring you to work more and you’re financially disciplined enough to live & save on that salary.
In other words, EM is not a lifestyle specialty.
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High interest 4%. Must be nice.
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Refinance. I recently did mine and am now a bit under 4%.
Also, yes not a lifestyle specialty.
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Gotta refinance those student loans. Got mine down under 3% recently. Obviously, you have to be willing to give up IBR/loan forgiveness etc if you're going to refi. If you live in CA, OR, CT, FL, MA or NY, send me a PM and I can send you info on the bank I used. Rates are still <3%.
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2/7 shifts are 12s, the rest 8s and 10s.
Would love to get down to 8 or so a month (I’m about 14 years post residency). Hopefully that’s 5-6 years away. Grats on paying off the debt.
Would love to get down to 8 or so a month (I’m about 14 years post residency). Hopefully that’s 5-6 years away. Grats on paying off the debt.
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First year attending here. I consider myself to be a cynical pessimistic f*** who would rather not work than work, however sometimes the tone on this sub-forum is pretty damn bleak. I admit I don't have the lifelong experience a lot of you folks do obviously. Yes, our time on the job is difficult. Yes, hospitals and CMGs are making money off of us. Yes, there is shift work sleep disorder (I experience it). Yes we work nights / weekends / holidays.
How many (forget jobs in the USA) specialties can you easily work 120 hrs/mo (10 days a month) and make > $350k/yr?
Yeah, I'd agree derm and plastics have us beat. Maybe certain practice styles of things like rads / rad onc / ent / uro; but lots of those guys/gals (ent / uro) are pulling tons of hours.
We all want the 1 pt/hr, no midlevel supervision, easy admit, well staffed, work 90 hr/mo and make $500k/yr job. Believe me I do too. Maybe it exists somewhere. I don't have it, but I don't think I'm doing THAT badly.
How many (forget jobs in the USA) specialties can you easily work 120 hrs/mo (10 days a month) and make > $350k/yr?
Yeah, I'd agree derm and plastics have us beat. Maybe certain practice styles of things like rads / rad onc / ent / uro; but lots of those guys/gals (ent / uro) are pulling tons of hours.
We all want the 1 pt/hr, no midlevel supervision, easy admit, well staffed, work 90 hr/mo and make $500k/yr job. Believe me I do too. Maybe it exists somewhere. I don't have it, but I don't think I'm doing THAT badly.
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Best ninja-like necrobump I ever did in a long time.
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Not to mention as an EMT, I still had to deal with 2pts/hr pulling the out of not-so-comfortable environment (homeless tent, crime scene, car accident in middle of a highway, etc) while still only earning minimum wage in louisiana ($10/hr) yet still come back to my supervisor standing in the ambulance lot after a 12 hour shift to be asked to do another 12 hour shift or else my job may be threatened. I still laugh to this day when now (currently in medical school after quitting last summer as an EMT) I'm getting texts from my operations supervisor asking me when I could start working again. Keep in mind that he suggested I take my leave when I offered to still do a PRN position while still a student.
Luckily I was in the right mind to restrain myself and respond politely and told him I'm currently busy with finals.
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