Author Topic: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?  (Read 5080 times)

affordablehousing

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Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« on: July 06, 2015, 03:01:00 PM »
Forum docs, my SO, thoughtful as she is brought up the idea of moonlighting when she gets to her last year of residency to earn some extra income. We are fortunate to not have any debt but it would definitely be nice. As a pediatrics resident is this possible? advisable? worth it both monetarily and stress-wise? would love to get some feedback on her plan from some more experienced folks who have tried it themselves.

hops

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2015, 04:01:33 PM »
I look forward to reading the replies, as my partner's a third-year resident who plans to start moonlighting next month. Since her new schedule is far more relaxed than it was in PGYs 1 and 2 and she already knows she can pull 30-hour shifts, she figures working maybe two nights a month will give her an extra $1,000+ of income to throw at her loans. I'm worried about whether it's worth the stress, but she seems confident it'll be fine.

Midwestache

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2015, 04:06:20 PM »
First check with your program to see if this is allowed, some programs frown upon doing this and there can be consequences. Here's the deal, if you moonlight now you will make "decent" money but compared to attending salaries you are still getting the shaft. And during residency you are working many hours already. The time off should be spent with friends, family, or just plain old relaxing in my opinion. Otherwise burning out may creep up on you fast. It may be wiser to pick up a few more shifts if possible after residency since the number of hours will be less and the pay will be much much more.

Also remember residency you are still training, learning, and you want to have the best environment to do so. AKA, not being tired, burnt out, too stressed. And if you perform poorly during residency you can be kicked out, and then forget about that attending salary. Focus and learn as much as you can in residency, it will make your attending career much easier.

thingamabobs

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2015, 04:50:28 PM »
Agree with checking with your program first to see if moonlighting is allowed. It's probably in your residency contract as well.

I actually feel that if there is an opportunity to work a couple of days a month and it doesn't strain your work schedule you (or your SO) should do it. It's a great opportunity to start experiencing what working would be like without having an attending supervising you but still have the available resources to ask for advice if you run into a case that stumps you. I feel it's a good experience for transitioning out of residency plus the extra $$ doesn't hurt.

TheThirstyStag

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2015, 06:01:22 PM »
This totally happened on an episode of Scrubs.  Dr. Kelso will be furious...

abhe8

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2015, 09:30:01 PM »
I'm assuming you mean out of house moonlighting? I did both, in house and out. In house was a piece of cake. Just picking up extra calls. Out of house pays much better, but requires you r own permanent license and malpractice insurance. So even though it pays better, make sure to negotiate all of those extra costs in.

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milesdividendmd

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2015, 12:24:14 AM »
Well worth it. I n training I moonlit for urgent care, night call, and private cardiology practices.

It feels great to get paid fairly for your work at that point in your life.

Hamster

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2015, 05:26:44 AM »
As a general pediatrician 9 years into practice post-residency, my bias is toward not worrying about making a few extra bucks during an already stressful and busy time.

As long as you aren't in a saturated market, your SO can be making 200k a few years into practice (MGMA median for pediatric primary care). Without any loans, I wouldn't work that hard to push the income side as a resident. I would focus on developing relationships, frugality muscles, and low cost hobbies that will be fulfilling and continue for life.

Physician Burnout is very real. I personally wouldn't add fuel to that fire by adding more work hours.

thingamabobs

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2015, 11:13:48 AM »

Physician Burnout is very real. I personally wouldn't add fuel to that fire by adding more work hours.

I agree with the concern for burnout, but given this is her last year in residency, her schedule should not be that hectic and 1 or 2 moonlighting shifts per month should not add that much burden. I still believe that moonlighting would benefit her transition to attending status so that it's not a complete change when she starts her first job.

affordablehousing

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2015, 12:52:38 PM »
Thanks all for the points of view and perspective. My wife always surprises me with her entrepreneurialism but the many cautions are well noted.

Hamster

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Re: Moonlighting as 3rd year resident?
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2015, 08:21:00 PM »

Physician Burnout is very real. I personally wouldn't add fuel to that fire by adding more work hours.

I agree with the concern for burnout, but given this is her last year in residency, her schedule should not be that hectic and 1 or 2 moonlighting shifts per month should not add that much burden. I still believe that moonlighting would benefit her transition to attending status so that it's not a complete change when she starts her first job.

Full disclosure: I am taking a 6 month 'sabbatical' - essentially a glorified unpaid leave - which I requested, as a test of pretirement. I am finishing a 1 month volunteer stint in Laos right now. It is so much better for the soul than corporate (including 'corporate' not-for-profit) medicine in the U.S. I never regret my choice to go into medicine, but I plan to stop full-time work within the next year, and see if I can engineer a part-time option with my employer going forward.

It is sad how much I see my colleagues being drained of their compassion by the stress of the workplace. I don't want that to happen to me. That is why I suggest not pushing hours more than necessary. We have managed to save up to a million-plus net worth after residency (only focusing on mustachianism, per se, for the last 3 years) and it is not hard to do on a physician salary if you just spend less.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!