new grad ortho offer

[gator11]

The position would be working with 4 surgeons (5 come next year) in South Carolina, 40 hours a week. Call is 1:5. I would be working in total joints, hand/upper ext, trauma and sports. 50/50 split between office and OR. 

 

104k annually

5k sign on bonus

5k relocation

5 days CME with $2500

PTO: 6.15 hrs/ 2 weeks

401k matched at 3%

Full benefits (medical, dental, vision)

license and certificate fees are reimbursed

4 days of call are included in salary but any additional call is compensated for

 

Please let me know what you guys think of this.

Thanks

[AbeTheBabe]

Is there a bonus based on productivity? If not, it's a decent offer if you're working 40 hours per week (except call). But if you're working 60 hours a week like in some ortho practices, no bueno.

[gator11]

There is no bonus, at least for the first year. When i asked, they said that they might begin to implement it next year. From what I know, its 40 hours a week. Obviously it might be some hours over that but when i spoke with the other PAs they said their weeks are usually 40 hours.

Thanks for the reply

[AbeTheBabe]

Looks pretty solid then, go for it! You said it's 50/50 between office and clinic, but I assume you meant OR and clinic. Make sure you're getting some OR time for good experience. Also, figure out how much medical costs you and if you add spouse/children. You also didn't mention anything about malpractice, hopefully it's occurence or if it's claims then they pay for tail.

[gator11]

Yeah, that's what I meant, I just changed it. So the group uses an occurrence based plan. When it was explained to me, I understood it as it does not matter when the malpractice  claim is submitted but I will be covered if it occurred while I was working. So I was told I do not need tail coverage due to this type of plan

[AbeTheBabe]

That's correct, you will not need tail. Congrats on the job!

[Monte]

Just know what you're getting into with the call! I graduated last year and began in ortho surgery. They undersold the call and I didn't expect it to suck so badly! I recently put in my notice 

[mgriffiths]

Yes, call absolutely sucks, but in many places it is just part of being in healthcare - especially when working in a surgical specialty that includes trauma.  But, it is also location dependent.  I am well acquainted with the local ortho group in my town and the two surgeons split call 365 days per year.  Technically they cover trauma, but very few cases are actually kept so it is usually a phone call and then ship the patient to higher acuity hospital.  The few that do get kept don't require the surgeon to come in and the patient is evaluated in the morning on rounds and scheduled for surgery as needed.  Maybe once per month that one of them has to actually go in to see a patient during off hours due to call.  Granted this is a small, rural, Midwest town and may be significantly different than South Carolina.

The question is how call is reimbursed - there is a big difference between being available on call and then actually having to doe something.  To be on call may be part of your salary, but what if you need to drive to the hospital to evaluate, set a fracture, cast, etc. or is a surgical case that you end up assisting on for several hours?  Is there an extra reimbursement for actually having to do something?  This would be my sticking point for call.