It is safer to work in a hospital or own your own private practice?

[mitrieD]

In terms of job security. On one hand a hospital can fire you at any time for whatever reason, but when you own your own practice you're the sole reason to why patients will or will not visit your practice. Or if the economy goes down and people can't afford as much healthcare then you'd have to close down shop. I don't know it seems to me that it would be less stressful to work for a hospital than own your own practice. Your thoughts?

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[ksucpm21]

In terms of job security. On one hand a hospital can fire you at any time for whatever reason, but when you own your own practice you're the sole reason to why patients will or will not visit your practice. Or if the economy goes down and people can't afford as much healthcare then you'd have to close down shop. I don't know it seems to me that it would be less stressful to work for a hospital than own your own practice. Your thoughts?

I also think it depends. Some people have no desire to own their own practice. There's a lot of stress and liability that comes with it! For me personally, I would rather have my own place. I don't want to work in a hospital for my entire career.

 

[marinepod]

I will chime in and give my thoughts. The podiatrist I shadowed was a solo practitioner and he gave me his thoughts on employment after residency. He told me either get a job with a large group (podiatry/ortho) or hospital. Personally my goals are to join a podiatry/ortho group (med to large) with the option to be a partner one day that is connected to hospitals with a residency program and schools b/c I love to teach and that it will help me from getting complacent.