How to get a job as a general practitioner and get board certified?

[Winged Scapula]

Absolutely.

I had forgotten to mention that she will not be eligible for a medical license as an FMG/IMG in most states with only 1 year of residency.

shojimoji show this to your husband and ask him if he wants you to quit residency after 1 year to have children and be virtually unable to obtain a license and a job or to finish residency and have both: http://www.fsmb.org/licensure/fcvs/state-requirements

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DokterMom]

My husband is the primary breadwinner and we have been putting off our desire for children ever since I came to the country. We worked minial jobs while I studied steps and now we are both nearing 40 very closely. I don't know if I can manage both pregnancy, raising family and residency at the same time. I am comfortable with less income as a GP.

But I do see your point regarding importance of bored eligibility in the eyes of practicing successful manner in this country amongst hospital administration privileges.

Have a baby. Get a nanny. Not ideal, but certainly better than the alternative.

 

[1992btw]

As a non BE GP, in addition to cash, you can take take some insurances like medicare, medicaid (in clinic only) and Blue cross blue shield at least if not a few more.

I am also in the unfortunate licensed but not BE boat. My impression was that it is impossible to be accepted in insurance rosters of carriers in your posting. Is this likely per your experience? This is the only barrier preventing me from opening a GP community clinic.

 

[pluripotent]

After reading this thread from start to finish, I must say there is a bunch of B.S. getting passed along as "official advice" to GP's. Let me tell all of you who are in a position as a GP, you will be fine, you just have to be persistent. I am a US trained medical student, completed 2 years in General Surgery, and left for personal reasons not more than 2 years ago. I have had a license to practice medicine in the state of CA (of all places it is VERY hard to get a license here) and I have found excellent paying positions in Los Angeles that put me above $200k a year. I am credentialed by multiple insurance companies (numerous IPA's, Health Net, Medical, Medicare and the list keeps growing). AND TO PUT AN END TO ALL OF THE NON-SENSE ignorant BE/BC or so called "experienced" attendings posting on this thread, I did all of these with a PROBATIONARY LICENSE for a reckless driving charge from 2014. Wait he is not BE/BC? He is a year and a half into licensure and has insurance companies credentialing him? And he is on probation? He must be a terrible doctor! Lol the ironic thing is, I would consider myself to be superior in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine to many of my BC colleagues, just proves what many have said in this post previously about feeling "entitled" and "superior" because of completion of residency and board status. In addition to all of the scope of care they practice, I also incorporate my surgical training for beside procedures, dermatology (minor Aesthetics), and alot of urgent care. I have been employed by locum tenems, private clinics, as well as sought out aggressively by numerous clinics in La. Sure, there are downsides to being a GP
1) I can't get hospital privileges - but there even ways around this. I am working on being a surgical assistant to some of my colleagues who proceeded through surgical residency. I can get in very easily that way once all the details of the situation are settled on. 2) Expect a pay cut - many places won't go over $100/hour in urban areas due to high presence of BC/BE physicians. Get smart, branch out into other areas of medicine. I doubled my salary getting trained, and yes, even "Board Certified" by Aesthetic Associations. Believe it or not, even though these Associations are not recognized by ABMS, they put you through a tough training program before you become qualified to be board certified. I had to spend 1.5 years, 3 weeks in intermittent focused didactics, numerous real live demos on patients followed by BC (Plastics, Dermatology) professor supervised patient injections, 6 months of practicing Aesthetic Medicine in my clinic, almost $10k out of pocket, pass a written and oral exam and present randomly chosen patient charts before I obtained this certification. I have a busy aesthetics practice in addition to the Family Medicine and Urgent Care practices that I contract with. In addition, I just got credentialed to practice Hospice Care, and am on the fast track to becoming the Hospice's medical director, as well as possible two of the practices I contract with.

All in all, anyone who tells you "being a GP is a dead art," or "you can't get contracted with insurance companies" "or you won't get paid" really doesn't know a god damn thing about the actual practice of persistence, and you are telling me you got through residency with that attitude? No wonder you are all jaded, in the next couple years I am on schedule to make an estimated $300k if my growth continues at this rate. How many of you BC and BE physicians can say you've made that much? And how many of you can say you made that by virtue of your own means and ambition? Very few. You have to create, you have to be able to accept the challenge, to be told no, denied opportunities, but you cannot quit. I see 20-30 patients a day sometimes, and I cannot say a single one of them doesn't leave my office saying "Wow that physician is something else, can we start seeing him everytime we come here?" Not blowing smoke of your @sses, but how many of you BC/BE physicians have patients saying that about you? Lol don't get mad or offended, it's not a certification that makes you who you are, see that is where YOU ARE WRONG. Who you are, what you do with your education, well that is something that comes from within. I don't allow anyone to dictate that I am an inferior or less qualified physician because I don't have the board certified acronym under my name. Instead, I have confidence in what I do, faith in where I am going, smart with my money (invest most of it to compensate for the financial set backs of being paid less as a non-specialist), and I am doing all of this with a restricted license. Even the medical board can't dictate who you are or what quality of care, level of service, or satisfaction you can get from being a physician. It only gets better from here. I think whoever is a GP, indeed, if you can it is always better to return to residency training if the situation permits, but this is not always the case. I was just tired of it all, needed out for a bit, and it was really hard to get back in once you resign (on very good terms I must say, still have a glowing LOR from my PD if I ever chose to return to residency, although my probationary license is currently the main reason I have not returned - most residency programs will look down on it and I don't want to be red listed). For me, if I do return to residency, it will most likely be Preventative Medicine. When I left residency, I started my M.P.H. and just graduated 3 weeks ago, so I am already 1/2 of the way done with a Preventative Health residency program.

The lesson here in all of my ranting.... is DON'T STOP LEARNING. I am only 34, have a full life and career ahead of me, went through some tough times, focus on the joy of medicine, and good things come as as result. All of the positive career moves I have taken the past 2 years have been the result of my attitude, of being who supported me because of the attraction to my attitude, and built a practice around me that will one day be my own when they are gone. That is more than many of you can say you will achieve in your lifetime working for a hospital, never or barely achieving partner status. So, to anyone who is a GP, I say unto you never give up - it is a little harder, you are at a slight disadvantage, but if you look at that wiggle room you have been given as an opportunity, you can do more and go farther than narrow minded, restricted to a single way of thinking, tunnel vision Board Certified physicians.

P.S. I do agree with the previous posts that the American Board of General Practice is a scam. However, to my dismay today (which is why I found this old thread in the first place) a very well known insurance company that was putting me through GP credentialing asked me for either 5 years experience or "certificate through the American Board of General Practice." I don't know what to say to them TBH on this one, it is really strange after reading all of the websites on this GP board certification thing that all sounded like a complete scam only to see a very popular insurance company request it. Your thoughts?

 

[gutonc]

TL;DR - I'm a GP and I'm better than all the BC FM, IM docs out there so suck it...

P.S. I do agree with the previous posts that the American Board of General Practice is a scam. However, to my dismay today (which is why I found this old thread in the first place) a very well known insurance company that was putting me through GP credentialing asked me for either 5 years experience or "certificate through the American Board of General Practice." I don't know what to say to them TBH on this one, it is really strange after reading all of the websites on this GP board certification thing that all sounded like a complete scam only to see a very popular insurance company request it. Your thoughts?

Have you ever known an insurance company to do anything that was rational or based on any sort of data beyond their own bottom line?

 

[cerebral edema]

I read pluripotent's potent in David Brents voice for some reason

 

[Rodent82]

I am very sorry to revive old thread, but it is very relevant to my current situation. I was wondering if there is anyway one can become general practitioner and then become a hospitalist in undesirable state such as Louisiana or North Dakotas?

I am turning 35 and husband wants children at this stage. We are comfortable with reduction in income if possible to practice independently with 1 year of post graduate training in Psychiatry. I think hospitalist job will suit me as I think better along those lines.

I'm trying to be a GP in one of those states. I'm an AMG (graduated with awards too!) and although PGY1 was great I was dismissed from a specialty residency program, couldn't find another residency. Without going into my own situation, I will say that there ARE toxic programs out there. I fully admit I had a rocky start but I bucked down and was told that I was improving right up to the very day that I was called into the chair's department. Heck, even the chair told me that I was doing a lot better.

So for everyone who denies that there are toxic, unfair programs, I will say this. A program that would tell you you're doing better on the very day that you're let go sounds pretty toxic to me.

BUT I FOUND A JOB!!! I fulfill all their criteria, and it's in a state in critical need of health professionals, should work. I'm thanking God that I don't have to retry the match this year and I'm landing on my feet for at least a year. Foolish me...not the problem

They're running me through the ringer. While I was waiting to go through the match again, I had to live in a state I couldn't get licensed in because they wanted two years of PG training. They're using that against me, on top of being dismissed. Now the state licensing board is saying that I have to go through mental and physical testing, and then some sort of knowledge based test, before I can get a license.

AND THIS IS WHEN I HAVE A JOB WAITING FOR ME!!!!

So it's very stressful. Very stressful. If it works, then I'll be doing what I love. If not, no idea (hey, open for positive suggestions).

So don't do it. Don't do it. I have bad thoughts every day, can't sleep, and if it wasn't for my wife's support I don't know what I would do.

It's very difficult, and I wouldn't do it if I were you.

 

[constantlyhussling]

After reading this thread from start to finish, I must say there is a bunch of B.S. getting passed along as "official advice" to GP's. Let me tell all of you who are in a position as a GP, you will be fine, you just have to be persistent. I am a US trained medical student, completed 2 years in General Surgery, and left for personal reasons not more than 2 years ago. I have had a license to practice medicine in the state of CA (of all places it is VERY hard to get a license here) and I have found excellent paying positions in Los Angeles that put me above $200k a year. I am credentialed by multiple insurance companies (numerous IPA's, Health Net, Medical, Medicare and the list keeps growing). AND TO PUT AN END TO ALL OF THE NON-SENSE ignorant BE/BC or so called "experienced" attendings posting on this thread, I did all of these with a PROBATIONARY LICENSE for a reckless driving charge from 2014. Wait he is not BE/BC? He is a year and a half into licensure and has insurance companies credentialing him? And he is on probation? He must be a terrible doctor! Lol the ironic thing is, I would consider myself to be superior in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine to many of my BC colleagues, just proves what many have said in this post previously about feeling "entitled" and "superior" because of completion of residency and board status. In addition to all of the scope of care they practice, I also incorporate my surgical training for beside procedures, dermatology (minor Aesthetics), and alot of urgent care. I have been employed by locum tenems, private clinics, as well as sought out aggressively by numerous clinics in La. Sure, there are downsides to being a GP
1) I can't get hospital privileges - but there even ways around this. I am working on being a surgical assistant to some of my colleagues who proceeded through surgical residency. I can get in very easily that way once all the details of the situation are settled on. 2) Expect a pay cut - many places won't go over $100/hour in urban areas due to high presence of BC/BE physicians. Get smart, branch out into other areas of medicine. I doubled my salary getting trained, and yes, even "Board Certified" by Aesthetic Associations. Believe it or not, even though these Associations are not recognized by ABMS, they put you through a tough training program before you become qualified to be board certified. I had to spend 1.5 years, 3 weeks in intermittent focused didactics, numerous real live demos on patients followed by BC (Plastics, Dermatology) professor supervised patient injections, 6 months of practicing Aesthetic Medicine in my clinic, almost $10k out of pocket, pass a written and oral exam and present randomly chosen patient charts before I obtained this certification. I have a busy aesthetics practice in addition to the Family Medicine and Urgent Care practices that I contract with. In addition, I just got credentialed to practice Hospice Care, and am on the fast track to becoming the Hospice's medical director, as well as possible two of the practices I contract with.

All in all, anyone who tells you "being a GP is a dead art," or "you can't get contracted with insurance companies" "or you won't get paid" really doesn't know a god damn thing about the actual practice of persistence, and you are telling me you got through residency with that attitude? No wonder you are all jaded, in the next couple years I am on schedule to make an estimated $300k if my growth continues at this rate. How many of you BC and BE physicians can say you've made that much? And how many of you can say you made that by virtue of your own means and ambition? Very few. You have to create, you have to be able to accept the challenge, to be told no, denied opportunities, but you cannot quit. I see 20-30 patients a day sometimes, and I cannot say a single one of them doesn't leave my office saying "Wow that physician is something else, can we start seeing him everytime we come here?" Not blowing smoke of your @sses, but how many of you BC/BE physicians have patients saying that about you? Lol don't get mad or offended, it's not a certification that makes you who you are, see that is where YOU ARE WRONG. Who you are, what you do with your education, well that is something that comes from within. I don't allow anyone to dictate that I am an inferior or less qualified physician because I don't have the board certified acronym under my name. Instead, I have confidence in what I do, faith in where I am going, smart with my money (invest most of it to compensate for the financial set backs of being paid less as a non-specialist), and I am doing all of this with a restricted license. Even the medical board can't dictate who you are or what quality of care, level of service, or satisfaction you can get from being a physician. It only gets better from here. I think whoever is a GP, indeed, if you can it is always better to return to residency training if the situation permits, but this is not always the case. I was just tired of it all, needed out for a bit, and it was really hard to get back in once you resign (on very good terms I must say, still have a glowing LOR from my PD if I ever chose to return to residency, although my probationary license is currently the main reason I have not returned - most residency programs will look down on it and I don't want to be red listed). For me, if I do return to residency, it will most likely be Preventative Medicine. When I left residency, I started my M.P.H. and just graduated 3 weeks ago, so I am already 1/2 of the way done with a Preventative Health residency program.

The lesson here in all of my ranting.... is DON'T STOP LEARNING. I am only 34, have a full life and career ahead of me, went through some tough times, focus on the joy of medicine, and good things come as as result. All of the positive career moves I have taken the past 2 years have been the result of my attitude, of being who supported me because of the attraction to my attitude, and built a practice around me that will one day be my own when they are gone. That is more than many of you can say you will achieve in your lifetime working for a hospital, never or barely achieving partner status. So, to anyone who is a GP, I say unto you never give up - it is a little harder, you are at a slight disadvantage, but if you look at that wiggle room you have been given as an opportunity, you can do more and go farther than narrow minded, restricted to a single way of thinking, tunnel vision Board Certified physicians.

P.S. I do agree with the previous posts that the American Board of General Practice is a scam. However, to my dismay today (which is why I found this old thread in the first place) a very well known insurance company that was putting me through GP credentialing asked me for either 5 years experience or "certificate through the American Board of General Practice." I don't know what to say to them TBH on this one, it is really strange after reading all of the websites on this GP board certification thing that all sounded like a complete scam only to see a very popular insurance company request it. Your thoughts?

 

[constantlyhussling]

Hey Pluripotent

Same Boat, 5yrs of residency training and left residency, not BE at this time.

happy to chat.

Currently working as a prison physician, 7am-2pm, $200k, 5-10 pts/shift. Low key, no stress, no weekends, call once every 4-5weeks

Let me know if anyone is interested. Non BE Physician jobs. Always hiring new doctors, we have positions throughout the country.

It is safe as correctional officers provide security around the clock and inmates are kind to their health care providers.

Do not deal with pesky insurance companies.

Complicated cases get sent to the Hospital, and we make referrals if cases cannot be handled locally.

I have 2 Mid levels NPs who handle all the BS of the clinic, so I can focus on the sickest patients. We have open positions for 2 other physicians.

Medical License is required, and given its a federal facility, we can accept from any state.

I want to do something after 3pm. Urgent care jobs-don't they all require BC/BE ?? Pluripotent, how did you manage it? I am also looking at creating an Aesthetic practice, however how did you get the training, as the Board does not specify who trains me? Happy to chat Pluripotent. Also, how did you get malpractice coverage?

 

[LocutusofBorg]

I have a medical license and I would like to practice. The biggest problem I face is that I am not board eligible as I did not finish residency. Hence, recruiters are not able to find me a job in "non-rural" areas. Can someone tell me how to go about finding a job that is not too rural? Also, can I get board certified as a general practitioner? Has anyone done this?

Seahorse, I apologize for the crass comments by the other physicians on this thread. The glory days of the Generalist may be gone, but so are the days of professional courtesy and respect.

A few points to consider:

1. The reason why Boards exist is to protect their specialty. If they genuinely felt that Generalist education is incomplete, they would let you sit on their board exams and laugh when you fail. They don't let you do that, because they know full well that with experience, a Generalist may become as good as or better than a recent ACGME residency grad, and that threatens their power position (and relevance).

2. There are urban positions available for Generalists. Check usajobs, check separately the VA and IHS websites. Also, consider applying for the Florida "Area of Critical Need" license. It covers clinics and hospitals in urban areas like Miami and Orlando! If you speak Spanish, you can work in San Juan or Ponce in Puerto Rico, both urbanized locations.

3. Don't let the haters bring you down. Remember that the reason WHY you are not "Board eligible" is because you weren't given a training spot, not because you didn't want one. Lacking privilege is not the same as lacking competence.

4. Don't be afraid to look outside of the US, as most of the world considers General Practice to be an essential part of medical care.

5. Don't forget to be politically active, and fight for your right to practice what you were trained to do. With 10000 residency ready unmatched physicians in the US, the "shortage" of doctors is artificially created by Government funding that limits residency training positions, and barriers to General practice that are erected by the specialty boards in their own self interest.

 

[Raryn]

Seahorse, I apologize for the crass comments by the other physicians on this thread. The glory days of the Generalist may be gone, but so are the days of professional courtesy and respect.

A few points to consider:

1. The reason why Boards exist is to protect their specialty. If they genuinely felt that Generalist education is incomplete, they would let you sit on their board exams and laugh when you fail. They don't let you do that, because they know full well that with experience, a Generalist may become as good as or better than a recent ACGME residency grad, and that threatens their power position (and relevance).

2. There are urban positions available for Generalists. Check usajobs, check separately the VA and IHS websites. Also, consider applying for the Florida "Area of Critical Need" license. It covers clinics and hospitals in urban areas like Miami and Orlando! If you speak Spanish, you can work in San Juan or Ponce in Puerto Rico, both urbanized locations.

3. Don't let the haters bring you down. Remember that the reason WHY you are not "Board eligible" is because you weren't given a training spot, not because you didn't want one. Lacking privilege is not the same as lacking competence.

4. Don't be afraid to look outside of the US, as most of the world considers General Practice to be an essential part of medical care.

5. Don't forget to be politically active, and fight for your right to practice what you were trained to do. With 10000 residency ready unmatched physicians in the US, the "shortage" of doctors is artificially created by Government funding that limits residency training positions, and barriers to General practice that are erected by the specialty boards in their own self interest.

The post you're responding to is from 2011.

 

[Apollyon]

The post you're responding to is from 2011.

Seven years - isn't that legally dead?

 

[d2305]

One could make a living as a GP just Rx ing Suboxone. Corrections is easy, but I don't like getting threatened.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

One could make a living as a GP just Rx ing Suboxone. Corrections is easy, but I don't like getting threatened.

I personally know GPs who practice as hospitalists, have their own clinics with full primary care, work in urgent care, and yes work prisons as well. The ones I know are new and not grandfathered . You don't need to limit yourself to limited practice or to home visits for insurance purposes unless you choose it.

Aside from mainland US even more opportunities exist including emergency practice in the ER and hospital privileges in the US territories.

In comparison to NPs and PAs that have independent practice privileges in the US GPs have much more training and background information from medical school. I agree in principle that the more training you have the better but until there are more residency training opportunities to cover the exceptional deficit of physicians in the US, GPs remain the rational choice to address that deficiency.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I personally know GPs who practice as hospitalists, have their own clinics with full primary care, work in urgent care, and yes work prisons as well. The ones I know are new and not grandfathered . You don't need to limit yourself to limited practice or to home visits for insurance purposes unless you choose it.

Aside from mainland US even more opportunities exist including emergency practice in the ER and hospital privileges in the US territories.

In comparison to NPs and PAs that have independent practice privileges in the US GPs have much more training and background information from medical school. I agree in principle that the more training you have the better but until there are more residency training opportunities to cover the exceptional deficit of physicians in the US, GPs remain the rational choice to address that deficiency.

There isn't really a deficit of physicians, more of a distribution issue. GPs are not really a great model to go for. They don't know what they don't know and that can be dangerous.

 

[Dr. Esq.]

There isn't really a deficit of physicians, more of a distribution issue. GPs are not really a great model to go for. They don't know what they don't know and that can be dangerous.

IMO your statement applies to any generalist “provider” whether DO/MD/NP/PA and some specialties such as diagnostic radiology or orthopedics. There is no way to know enough and some of what I learned in residency 20 years ago is outdated or just wrong now (“pain is the fifth vital sign” LOL.) If you’re a board-certified generalist and not consulting references or consultants regularly you could get into trouble. I would agree that 3 (now 4) years of FP apprenticeship (residency) gives an advantage over one year of internship or a few months of clinical NP training.

But after a few years on the job some of these GP’s and NP’s are excellent clinicians and no more dangerous than a residency-trained FP. So, good mentorship and plenty of humility would be my advice for those starting out. In my first few years of practice I learned as much or more than I did in residency-it just takes time to see all of the possible zebras (not that you ever will have seen it all.)

Over the years I’ve worked with residency-trained and non-residency trained family practitioners, internists, PA’s and NP’s and can’t correlate outcomes with where they went to school, did (or didn’t) do residency or whether or not they have DNP credential or not. The “good ones” keep learning on the job, ask questions, look things up, read and typically can establish rapport with patients and colleagues alike. I can think of numerous well-regarded physicians currently practicing who grandfathers into FM or ED board certificates without corresponding residencies.

For those having trouble getting a physician job it may boil down to how badly you want it. If you want or need it badly then finish the residency, take the rural job, or do corrections. I’ve done all of these and after 20 years I’m not sure I want it badly enough to jump through the AOA’s hoops any longer. Unfortunately, primary care ain’t a fun job these days and immediate care was flooded with escaped PCP’s and isn’t much better. I blame the AOA for the mismatch between graduates and available residency slots. 20+ years ago when there were half as many DO schools there we’re enough residency slots.

 

[AdmiralChz]

But after a few years on the job some of these GP’s and NP’s are excellent clinicians and no more dangerous than a residency-trained FP. So, good mentorship and plenty of humility would be my advice for those starting out. In my first few years of practice I learned as much or more than I did in residency-it just takes time to see all of the possible zebras (not that you ever will have seen it all.)

Yikes. Did you get lost from the nursing forums?

 

[BoardingDoc]

But after a few years on the job some of these GP’s and NP’s are excellent clinicians and no more dangerous than a residency-trained FP.

Again, this sentiment reeks of someone sitting far left on the dunning kruger curve. Several years on the job is enough to gain some experience and move yourself to that leftmost peak, and also enough time to convince yourself that your bad habits are correct, simply because noone taught you that they were dangerous and you haven't killed anyone yet.

 

[zoner]

Hey Pluripotent

Same Boat, 5yrs of residency training and left residency, not BE at this time.

happy to chat.

Currently working as a prison physician, 7am-2pm, $200k, 5-10 pts/shift. Low key, no stress, no weekends, call once every 4-5weeks

Let me know if anyone is interested. Non BE Physician jobs. Always hiring new doctors, we have positions throughout the country.

It is safe as correctional officers provide security around the clock and inmates are kind to their health care providers.

Do not deal with pesky insurance companies.

Complicated cases get sent to the Hospital, and we make referrals if cases cannot be handled locally.

I have 2 Mid levels NPs who handle all the BS of the clinic, so I can focus on the sickest patients. We have open positions for 2 other physicians.

Medical License is required, and given its a federal facility, we can accept from any state.

I want to do something after 3pm. Urgent care jobs-don't they all require BC/BE ?? Pluripotent, how did you manage it? I am also looking at creating an Aesthetic practice, however how did you get the training, as the Board does not specify who trains me? Happy to chat Pluripotent. Also, how did you get malpractice coverage?

What state is this at and also anything near a big city?

 

[licensedGP]

Board certified in general practice? There is no American Board of General Practitioners.

The whole purpose and reason for specialty boards is because medicine grew at such a rate that it was felt that the "one size fits all" - i.e., general practitioner - was an unsustainable and inferior paradigm.

As you state you did not finish residency, you are not fully trained. That is non-negotiable. As such, why would some place not desperate (such as a non-rural opportunity) take you over someone who HAS completed a residency, and can show, by taking and passing a board examination series, that they have a minimal level of competence? Would YOU prefer to have you as a doctor, or someone who has been trained to a higher standard? What about your mother, or your kids? Would you send them to someone that didn't finish?

What is a cake like that is 2/3 done? Would you eat it? What is a baby like born at 24 weeks? Barely alive - BARELY. Would you live in a house 2/3 done? What if the incomplete 1/3 is the plumbing (so no shower or toilet) or the 1/3 is the roof?

Is having 14 years experience not sufficient proof, I’m only 2 months short on completion.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Unfortunately for you, no. There is no practice pathway. At this point, you'd almost certainly need to do additional training. Both the ABIM and ABFM require that you now complete 1 additional year of training. There is no definition of what that year consists of, it's completely up to the PD of the program.

Although I wonder how you ended up 2 months short, it's water under the bridge now and the reason doesn't matter.

 

[Apollyon]

Is having 14 years experience not sufficient proof, I’m only 2 months short on completion.

AWESOME nearly 13 year bump!!

 

[shaggybill]

Might as well contribute to the necrobump. I'm a GP. I work as an employee physician in a PT and Rehab clinic evaluating MSK injuries, ordering imaging, meds, impairment ratings, and referring out to specialists like any PCP would. Full benefits. Bankers hours. I also opened my own clinic doing mostly weight loss a couple of years ago which is a part time gig. I work Mon-Thurs at the PT/Rehab job. I see patients at my own clinic on Friday mornings only, and have a NP who sees the rest. About to hire another one to decrease my work load even more. I grossed $390k last year. It's possible to find decent jobs, but they take time and a lot of looking. I'm starting occ-med residency in June.

What I've learned in my handful of years as a GP is that you are constantly worried about job security. You might find a job, but if for whatever reason you lose it, it might take many months to find another. Even harder if you can't relocate easily. Not worth it in my opinion if there are other options.

 

[Helpful Troll]

I'm starting occ-med residency in June.

What I've learned in my handful of years as a GP is that you are constantly worried about job security. You might find a job, but if for whatever reason you lose it, it might take many months to find another. Even harder if you can't relocate easily. Not worth it in my opinion if there are other options.

@shaggybill - Congratulations on the residency. Get that BE/BC for security.