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How often are podiatrists on call compared to other doctors such as orthopods or general surgeons?
How often are podiatrist on call?
- Thread starter BenPRunkle
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Our call is nothing like Ortho or general surgery. Call is as much as you make it and depends on the type of practice you're in.
If 'you're in a group practice you may cover for your partners. I'm a busy surgeon, but don't have much actual call, because there is an Ortho Trauma team at the hospital I work mostly out of, so trauma generally doesn't come my way through the ED. I do get called for inhouse coverage, but its not the "call" you are talking about.
It really depends. Some of my colleagues that don't do much surgery never have traditional call except for their post op calls for pain meds.
Then again, some who are involved in trauma untis/ortho groups or involved in big hospital systems or multi specialty groups do have to cover ED call and such.
No matter what though, if you do surgery at all, you will have calls from your patients for all sorts of post op issues and may need to admit patients either primarily or through the ED and then "call" is inevitable.
Hope that helps.
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I pretty much take trauma call one week a month but most of it can be sent to my office so I only go in for the really bad stuff.
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How many hours a week does a podiatrist typically work?
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There is no answer to that question. You can work as many or as few hours as you want, and if your practice isn't busy, you may not need to work many hours. If you have a busy practice it may dictate that you work a lot of hours.
Some doctors simply CHOSE not to work hours. There is a doctor who has contributed many times on this forum (NatCH), who practices in a an area with beautiful outdoor landscape and he enjoys his outdoor activities, etc. He has a very unique practice with some partners who each work a light schedule, but that is their CHOICE. I believe that he said he works about 12-15 hours weekly.
I am the on the complete opposite end of the scale. I'm a partner in a large group practice in a more urban setting. We have several offices, cover several hospitals and wound care centers. We also provide services at a few nursing homes (though we have an additional doctor who we "sub out" some of that work to).
As a result of the number of doctors we have and the number of facilities we cover, we also get a lot of referrals, a lot of hospital consults and are called for a lot of emergencies to be seen in the hospital and office. Our offices see a tremendous amount of patients on a weekly basis.
Therefore, it's not unsual for each one of us to put in 10-12 hour days. Each doctor works one Saturday per month and has to take "call" for emergencies/hospitals one weekend per month. Additionally, each doctor is given a day (24 hours) to cover hospitals for consults. However, we all give each other a hand when needed.
Obviously, when you are this busy, there are financial rewards to go with it, but we all work hard and there are no "slackers" in our group. A slacker wouldn't last a week. It's not for everyone, but we created this "monster" and to keep our practice going we have to be available to treat the patients. We will be hiring another doctor soon.
We all work hard and play hard. I go to seminars and hear guys whining that they aren't busy, etc., but then I also hear them complain that they don't want to come into the office early, they don't want to go to the hospital to do consults, they don't want to work past 5 pm, they don't want to this or that, etc. The bottom line is that they are lazy and we didn't build OUR practice by being lazy, and I don't know of anyone who has a busy, successful practice who is lazy.
At this point, all of the docs in our practice can cut back and take it easy, but that's simply not our personalities. Our patients and referring doctors definitely appreciate our dedication.
Despite my practice, the decision is strictly yours. You may be smarter than me or my partners and figure out how to work half the time and make twice the money. But ironically, even on our "short" days, we still seem to find work, so I guess most of us are "workaholics". I have one day a week when I'm done hours by noon, but somehow I still find something to do until at least 3-4, and all my partners do the same. I just feel guilty getting to the gym that early in the day!
Some doctors simply CHOSE not to work hours. There is a doctor who has contributed many times on this forum (NatCH), who practices in a an area with beautiful outdoor landscape and he enjoys his outdoor activities, etc. He has a very unique practice with some partners who each work a light schedule, but that is their CHOICE. I believe that he said he works about 12-15 hours weekly.
I am the on the complete opposite end of the scale. I'm a partner in a large group practice in a more urban setting. We have several offices, cover several hospitals and wound care centers. We also provide services at a few nursing homes (though we have an additional doctor who we "sub out" some of that work to).
As a result of the number of doctors we have and the number of facilities we cover, we also get a lot of referrals, a lot of hospital consults and are called for a lot of emergencies to be seen in the hospital and office. Our offices see a tremendous amount of patients on a weekly basis.
Therefore, it's not unsual for each one of us to put in 10-12 hour days. Each doctor works one Saturday per month and has to take "call" for emergencies/hospitals one weekend per month. Additionally, each doctor is given a day (24 hours) to cover hospitals for consults. However, we all give each other a hand when needed.
Obviously, when you are this busy, there are financial rewards to go with it, but we all work hard and there are no "slackers" in our group. A slacker wouldn't last a week. It's not for everyone, but we created this "monster" and to keep our practice going we have to be available to treat the patients. We will be hiring another doctor soon.
We all work hard and play hard. I go to seminars and hear guys whining that they aren't busy, etc., but then I also hear them complain that they don't want to come into the office early, they don't want to go to the hospital to do consults, they don't want to work past 5 pm, they don't want to this or that, etc. The bottom line is that they are lazy and we didn't build OUR practice by being lazy, and I don't know of anyone who has a busy, successful practice who is lazy.
At this point, all of the docs in our practice can cut back and take it easy, but that's simply not our personalities. Our patients and referring doctors definitely appreciate our dedication.
Despite my practice, the decision is strictly yours. You may be smarter than me or my partners and figure out how to work half the time and make twice the money. But ironically, even on our "short" days, we still seem to find work, so I guess most of us are "workaholics". I have one day a week when I'm done hours by noon, but somehow I still find something to do until at least 3-4, and all my partners do the same. I just feel guilty getting to the gym that early in the day!
Thanks PADPM for the info!
Can you tell me about how much you make? I am just curious, about how much per hour would you estimate your earning to be? I understand if you don't feel comfortable saying, though this forum is anonymous
Can you tell me about how much you make? I am just curious, about how much per hour would you estimate your earning to be? I understand if you don't feel comfortable saying, though this forum is anonymous
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No, I will not discuss how much I make and whether or not this forum is anonymous, I personally find that question inappropriate.
There have been a lot of doctors who come on this site and quote numbers all over the place, and I don't need to discuss my income. I am a partner in a very successful and busy practice, and all the doctors in our practice work hard and are compensated fairly for their time and effort.
There have been a lot of doctors who come on this site and quote numbers all over the place, and I don't need to discuss my income. I am a partner in a very successful and busy practice, and all the doctors in our practice work hard and are compensated fairly for their time and effort.
That's fine. Just curious about how much potential pay is out there if you work your butt off. We all know the average these days of pods, just wanted to know if there is a point where more work doesn't mean more income.
and I am a 3rd year associate and I make about 90K of salary with about 30k in bonuses. I only work about 40 hours a week and have 3 week of vacation. I am also raising a son so I can't do too much overtime.
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It depends on your geographic area and the demographics of your practice. If you are in a very urban area with poor insurance reimbursement, you obviously have to work significantly harder and treat more patients than someone who has a "boutique" practice and can treat patients who are willing and able to pay for a lot of non-covered services such as orthoses, laser nail treatments, ESWT, etc.
In my area, very few insurance carriers cover ESWT, fewer are covering orthoses and none cover laser nail treatment for onychomycosis. Those are relatively "big ticket items" that can add up quickly and substantially improve income without substantially increasing your workload.
Income and pay should coincide with the above.
In my area, very few insurance carriers cover ESWT, fewer are covering orthoses and none cover laser nail treatment for onychomycosis. Those are relatively "big ticket items" that can add up quickly and substantially improve income without substantially increasing your workload.
Income and pay should coincide with the above.
