Sunnyn Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Is it common for a PA to work more than 40 hrs/week in order to give themselves a higher salary at the end of the week? What types of Specialties are usually common (what combo, i.e. ER and Hospitalist, Derm and Surgery?) and how many more hours are more hours do they typically work? Are there any particular specialties that are easier to do this Split? Many thanks for all your responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlottew Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Any specialty that requires 24/7 coverage and goes by shifts. I work critical care and if there are open shifts in the schedule we can volunteer for them, with a higher rate of pay. It is difficult work, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyn Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Any specialty that requires 24/7 coverage and goes by shifts. I work critical care and if there are open shifts in the schedule we can volunteer for them, with a higher rate of pay. It is difficult work, however. In your experience...how much more ....are you usually talking? And how many more hrs on average have you worked when they were available? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlottew Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 It's about 50% above the regular rate, variable depending on budget/degree of need. They're 12 hour shifts, how many one picks up depends on your individual tolerance/flexibility. I've done as many as 4 extra in a month (full time is 13 shifts); others can and might pick up more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 4, 2016 Moderator Share Posted January 4, 2016 I typically work 45-55 hrs/week. I have one primary job (urban) and 2 (soon to be 3) rural part time or per diem jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyn Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 I typically work 45-55 hrs/week. I have one primary job (urban) and 2 (soon to be 3) rural part time or per diem jobs. Thanks for your input. Are the rural areas close by or do you have to travel significantly to them? Do the jobs provide any additional compensation for travel, extra benefits, etc? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 4, 2016 Moderator Share Posted January 4, 2016 rural job #1 is 3 hrs away. I have a condo there. rural job #2 is 75 min away. beautiful commute rural job #3 will be 1 hr away no extra $ for travel, although they do cover one of my state licenses because my only job in that state is for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Curious - why are you asking about more than 40 hours in a week? Is money a critical issue at this time in your life? As someone who has "been there, done that" - PLEASE look at quality of life. My job is 40 hrs per week. I get paid no more for more than 40 hours - PERIOD. I am in a private family practice. Urgent Care, Per Diem, ER and some places pay per hour or shift. Most corporate or private practices pay salary - you make your hours worth what they are. Few PAs leave at 5 pm in whatever type of practice they are in. We are professionals who are expected to complete necessary work. A lot of corporate take advantage of this - you see patients 40 hrs a week - no built in time for admin, charting, meetings, whatever. A decent set up in my opinion is a 40 hr week with 34-36 hours of patient contact and the rest admin. Any office that doesn't lock the doors during lunch or expects folks to be available during lunch are jerks in my opinion. PLEASE don't try to work as many hours as possible for as much as possible. Think quality first - do a good job and enjoy your time away. My very old 2 cents….. My doc is a blessing and we have admin time built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyn Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Curious - why are you asking about more than 40 hours in a week? Is money a critical issue at this time in your life? As someone who has "been there, done that" - PLEASE look at quality of life. My job is 40 hrs per week. I get paid no more for more than 40 hours - PERIOD. I am in a private family practice. Urgent Care, Per Diem, ER and some places pay per hour or shift. Most corporate or private practices pay salary - you make your hours worth what they are. Few PAs leave at 5 pm in whatever type of practice they are in. We are professionals who are expected to complete necessary work. A lot of corporate take advantage of this - you see patients 40 hrs a week - no built in time for admin, charting, meetings, whatever. A decent set up in my opinion is a 40 hr week with 34-36 hours of patient contact and the rest admin. Any office that doesn't lock the doors during lunch or expects folks to be available during lunch are jerks in my opinion. PLEASE don't try to work as many hours as possible for as much as possible. Think quality first - do a good job and enjoy your time away. My very old 2 cents….. My doc is a blessing and we have admin time built in. Many thanks for your insight as to what to expect, and to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 4, 2016 Moderator Share Posted January 4, 2016 Job #1 Practice owner - now at 20+ hours a week - to hard to make ends meet paying all my own bennies - hourly rate is about $50 or slightly less Job #2 IM consult - 20 hours per week - plus on call 24x7 for a local facility - pay is double what I make in private practice plus full bennies Job #3 - ER per diem - just quit - no time to give to it Job #4 - Nursing home per diem - added in when they need me Overall I am at the point where #2 is really enough for me Money is not everything, and in fact somewhat useless.... family, friends, raising kids, healthy living... that's important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBanner Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Money is great to a point. It facilitates freedom, which is a big contributor to happiness. I think after your bills are paid and you have enough to save, pursue your hobbies and do some travelling, any more is redundant and most just end up spending it on things they don't need. But to answer your question, I work 40-50 hours at both my jobs combined. My main FP job is 30-35 hours, my per diem job is usually 8-12 with half of that being charting from home. All things being equal, I would take a job that paid $45/hr with a max 40 hour workweek than a $60/hr job that hits 55 or 60 hours a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike mike Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 One thing I love about my job in critical care cardiology is that I'm scheduled for 3 x 13 per week but when shifts open up I can pick them up and get bonus pay. I usually pick up 2 extra shifts per month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I work about 50 hrs/wk between 2 jobs and a volunteer EMS gig. It is important now because I have loans (lots of them) and need to get that paid down. It is worth it for the time being, but I plan to be down to about 36hrs/wk in the next year as I have little children and I want to see them grow up instead of hear about it when I get home at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andohert Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Some really good points made already here: 1- don't kill yourself. Everybody has a different set point for workload tolerance, but once you're over it, you practice crappy medicine and will be either grouchy or half-comatose at home. 2- Money gives you freedom. This is a balance though- If you work too much too enjoy it, there's no point. If you have a specific reason for the extra, then go for it and cut back to "normal" again once you've hit your goal. Earmark the extra- this shift is for the vacation fund, this one is to allow us move someplace warmer, etc. Personally, I'm at about 45-55 hrs/wk at my regular job. It's urgent care, everything over 40 is at time and a half. I'm also in the Guard. Currently a commander, but once I rotate out it's time to go back to being just a regular provider- too much on the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 This is a quote by someone anonymous. I think there are several of us on this forum that could take this to heart! "Please help me not be so busy making a living.......I forget to make a life!" I have this posted in my den as a reminder of all the things I have missed and can't get back now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 6, 2016 Moderator Share Posted January 6, 2016 I just came off a stretch of 14 in a row and my family spent yesterday telling me what a bear I was. I try not to do that, but sometimes with 3(soon to be 4) jobs, the scheduling of roughly 180 hrs/month involves long stretches both on and off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquafresh11 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I am kind of amazed at the amount of people working more than one job. My former life I was a paramedic and working multiple jobs was a must. I went back to school so I could get away from that. I work 32 hours a week, 4, 8's. I am very fortunate where I make a good living for that 32 hours, I have the option of doing 5 days a week for an extra 30 grand a year, but it wasn't worth it to me. I even have the option of extra shifts when ever I want, I think I picked up 8 extra hours for all of 2015. I enjoy my time off too much and more money doesn't make me happier than the time off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPassing Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I work in Ortho and a light week is ~50 hrs, avg is 55, and call weeks are 65+. Typically the time outside of 40 hrs ( rounding in the hospital) I am not even compensated for ( unless it is an elective call day/weekend in which I volunteered for). However, I do make more than many of my classmates I graduated with. I love my job and the group I am with, so it makes it much easier. I am also highly motivated to pay off my student loans. Food for thought: Any time there was an opportunity for me to volunteer to help the practice out, with bonus compensation or not, I stepped up to do it. To the point there were times I thought I would break because I was running on E, and also the stresses of being a new grad and always second guessing yourself. However, after my first year I was rewarded very well for my efforts with a raise in salary and incentive increase. I have always believed in the great Zig Ziglar's saying," When you do more than you get paid for eventually you'll be paid for more than you do." By no means am I there yet and there is always a fine line between working hard for your team versus being taken advantage of. Be aware of the difference, stay focused on becoming the best provider you can, and keep a good attitude no matter what and everything else will fall into its place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted January 7, 2016 it's not about the money for me, it is about the scope of practice and varied experiences. my primary job is fairly boring for me at this point, but is only 80 hrs/mo with great benefits and retirement. I work the other jobs part time because they are much better jobs, but these places don't have full time positions open so I basically have created a 1/2 time job between 3 other places. at one of these places I think I have a good shot at being the only full time guy in a few years. when that happens I will significantly decrease my hours and work at fewer places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I work 40 hours at a family practice clinic and pick up shifts at an urgent care in the evening or on weekends for extra money. The urgent care is flexible and I could work 0-5 extra shifts per month totaling 4-36ish extra hours, on average around 16 extra hours. Doesn't really "cramp my style" and making an extra loan payment is always good. If I had a family I would not have a per diem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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