Working over 60 hours/ week??

[PreMedDocMD]

OK, this might sound like a stupid question, but...lets say you are in PP. I don't really understand how surgeons can really work over 60 hours/ week. I mean, it would be really easy in academics, becuase you are in the hospital on call and traumas come in and such. But lets say you are in PP, where you schedule surgeries for certain times. No one will want to really schedule a procedure at 3 AM, so those early hours are gone. Same thing at night. So, when you are scheduling surgeries, how is it possible to work the long hours you hear about on these boards?

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[San_Juan_Sun]

OK, this might sound like a stupid question, but...lets say you are in PP. I don't really understand how surgeons can really work over 60 hours/ week. I mean, it would be really easy in academics, becuase you are in the hospital on call and traumas come in and such. But lets say you are in PP, where you schedule surgeries for certain times. No one will want to really schedule a procedure at 3 AM, so those early hours are gone. Same thing at night. So, when you are scheduling surgeries, how is it possible to work the long hours you hear about on these boards?

Many surgeons in private practice still take call, both for their group and ER call. If you are in a vibrant practice, you'll get consults at night, etc. And even if you schedule your surgeries, you can't really schedule surgical complications. And sometimes you might have a partner or a friend who needs you to assist them or cover for them. It can add up quickly.

 

[PediBoneDoc]

OK, this might sound like a stupid question, but...lets say you are in PP. I don't really understand how surgeons can really work over 60 hours/ week. I mean, it would be really easy in academics, becuase you are in the hospital on call and traumas come in and such. But lets say you are in PP, where you schedule surgeries for certain times. No one will want to really schedule a procedure at 3 AM, so those early hours are gone. Same thing at night. So, when you are scheduling surgeries, how is it possible to work the long hours you hear about on these boards?

please remember that you are not just seeing patients and doing surgery, you are also running a business. the 60 hr work week is very typical. that is just 5 12hr days (no call). a 6am to 6pm

don't for get once you are done with clinic and OR, there are other things that need to be taken care of, patient notes, calling other physicians, patients, insurance paperwork, checking schedules, checking billing and collections, etc. many of the business things can eat up time quicker than patient care responsibilities.

most residents never see this aspect of medical care until they go into practice. and the emergent cases are just thrown into the mix to make you angry.

the other thing is as a new surgeon in a hospital, you may not have block time. so your cases may not have the preferential 7-730 start. you may have your patients put at the end of the case load of another surgeon. and you know how surgeons are about being exact with their surgery times

 

[njbmd]

OK, this might sound like a stupid question, but...lets say you are in PP. I don't really understand how surgeons can really work over 60 hours/ week. I mean, it would be really easy in academics, becuase you are in the hospital on call and traumas come in and such. But lets say you are in PP, where you schedule surgeries for certain times. No one will want to really schedule a procedure at 3 AM, so those early hours are gone. Same thing at night. So, when you are scheduling surgeries, how is it possible to work the long hours you hear about on these boards?

Those hours creep up more quickly that you would believe. On a typical day, I start operating at 7:30AM (after morning rounds that started at 6AM) and finish my last cases around 4:30PM. I usually grab a quick sandwich for lunch or in between cases along with a bottle of water (and check SDN). I usually do evening rounds (5PM) and final instructions to the intern on call before I leave the hospital at 7pm. My schedule is like this daily with occasional emergency cases (ruptured AAA etc.) in the middle of the night. In addition to my operative duties, I am required to hold conferences and lecture which take prep time which I do on lighter operative days such as today or on the weekends.

I am certain that practice (I am headed for academia) will be along the same lines with a bit of management and academic duties (committee work) thrown in. Those hours can add up quickly but it's all good.

 

[Blade28]

If you're in solo private practice, you'll be on call every single day. If you're in a group (e.g. with 4 other people), then you'll likely be on call 1 in 5 (every 5th day). Those hours can really add up.

 

[Pilot Doc]

Not to discount anything said above - it's all true. But you don't have to work those hours - the things that most surgeons seek out are

- good payer mix
- attractive location (e.g. LA = Los Angeles and not lower Alabama)
- interesting/non-painful cases

The more of those you are willing to give up, the better your hours can be.

 

[supercut]

Don't forget that OR delays are common..sometimes the case just takes longer than you think, sometimes turnover is slow, sometimes the anestheologist doesn't move as fast as you'd like. I would say it's rare for there to be a day when all cases start on time.

And then there are the PMDs. It's hard to appreciate as a med student or junior resident just how much of a slave surgeons wind up being to the local PMD's. For example....when Mr Jones showes up in the ED and is found to have a hot appendix, Dr PMD insists on surgeon X, even though it's a 6 surgeon practice and surgeon Z is on call that night. So surgeon X can either come in, admit and and add on the case, or can say, "No I'm not on call"...do that a few times and surgeon X loses all referrals from Dr PMD.

Trust me, it's really easy to rack up 60 hours a week!

 

[NDESTRUKT]

I'll tell you what:

Do breast cases, lap cholys, lap appys, and hernias. You won't be having too many crazy workweeks after that! Those people are outpatient surgeries or 23 hour obvs patients!

 

[dralex]

PreMedDocMD, welcome to the world of medicine.
60 hours/week is par for the course my friend. I know some IM's and FP's that work more than that per week.
As you work your way up the experience ladder and if you are able to get a good practice going your work hours may get better over time.
Unless you want to get into a field that has absolutely no emergencies (derm, ped genetics) you are going to work long hours.
As a resident you will be working 60 hours/week minimum, and that's on an easy month.
Funny thing is that it's not the same as working 60-100 hours/week on a terrible job you hate. You are doing what you love (hopefully) and the time just flies by.
If you really want to be a doctor you will do it and that's all there is to it.
Good luck to you!