For those of you making the big $$$...

[UpperLeftPAC]

So it seems like a decent number of us are making >$125K yearly, and some even above $150k.

My question to these folks is, how much are you working per month?

My hospitalist group recently got absorbed by Providence. I took a paycut when this happened because the HR rep told me that they do not negotiate on salaries and that APCs are paid by tiers based on however many years of experience they have. I only recently came on with this group in April of this year and the prospect of looking for another job was hard to take due to other stuff going on in my life, so possibly against my better judgment I took their offer. For perspective, my hourly wage dropped from about $80 to about $73 an hour, and my yearly salary dropped by about $10k. I work nights only so this does include a built in differential. Providence offers me a $10k bonus each year, however it's contingent on me jumping through a bunch of hoops (going to meetings, sitting on committees, etc.) which will all take up my time outside of work. I'll probably do these things because the $10k bonus puts me back at what I was making before the transition, but I definitely resent the whole thing as part of the reason I like working nights is so that I don't have to do this kind of crap.

Needless to say, I'm frustrated. One of my supervising physicians, who I really like and respect, pointed out that the way you get big raises is by making more money when you switch jobs. Well I technically just "switched jobs" to make LESS money, and to have an increased requirement in my number of yearly shifts. To add further salt to the wound, all the docs who stayed with the practice got big increases in their pay, large signing bonuses, AND they will all be working FEWER shifts.

So, now I'm left trying to decide what to do. The issue at hand is that my schedule is pretty awesome- I work 10-11 12-hour shifts a month (all night shifts) so that typically works out to 5 nights on and then 10 off. I am feeling a little undervalued but I'm wondering how much these folks making the big bucks work. Is it $150K but you work 50 hours a week? If so then maybe I'm upset over nothing. 

Thanks in advance for any input!

[newton9686]

I think it just depends on the speciality. A colleague of mine is making around 200,000 a year out of school but working 80+ a week in cardiology. Me on the other hand should make about 150k next year doing 7 on and 7 off in addition to rounding a few times a month at a psych facility and taking students. My main position will be working nights but I did that less for the money and more for the opportunity to run codes and an icu at a small community hospital.

[Joelseff]

I make around that in FM but work only 32 hours a week all days no weekends and no call. But I work at a very High COL area so you might be doing better depending on where you live.

 

I used to make much more when I was 5 days a week but find the midweek break great for my sanity and everyone else's around me.

 

Also the benefits have to come into play. Some ppl post their higher yearly salaries here but if they're 1099ers then you have to account for a third of that pay for taxes per quarter and no benefits so it may just all wash out or they actually end up with less.

 

I would not compare w/other PAs but assess your own situation. If you are happy with what you are getting commensurate to the work you are putting in then I think you are doing well but if you are frustrated (as your post alludes to) then you should try to find another job.

 

I have thought about leaving my job MANY times but compared to my other options around where I live, I realized it's a great (or at least very good) gig so I'm staying put but always have my eyes and ears peeled for better opportunities.

 

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[ventana]

125k

20 hr week with call being 24x7x345.  Phone call only call. 

Informal dept clinical leader. 

[EMEDPA]

6-7 24 hr shifts and 3 12 hr shifts/month + two sections of online teaching/semester(all done while at other jobs).

I currently work at 3 critical access hospitals 10 days/month.

[ohiovolffemtp]

I do EM.  From what I've seen over the past 5 years employment is a collection of slightly overlapping "micro-markets", i.e. cities and their adjacent areas.   Compensation is very much a function of local supply and demand.  The gain/loss of a contract at a hospital or hospital chain can make a huge difference in a matter of a few months.  The most drastic example recently was when USACS took over the Suma system in Akron, Ohio and had to offer about 2x normal hourly rates to staff the sites at the last minute.  Personally, by switching to a small critical access hospital about 4 hours from where I live I was able to get a 30% raise and 12 hour overnight shifts, making it possible for me to work 1/3 less days to make the same gross income.

[UpperLeftPAC]

Thanks for all the input, folks. Seems like for now I probably will just stick with what I have and maybe try to find a supplemental role to pick up a little extra cash. It seems like my hourly wage is probably pretty fair for my job and years of experience, hearing some other perspectives was super helpful.

[sas5814]

44 hours a week on average. No call. UC. 153 base pay and I'm tracking to hit about 180 this year.

Trust me...there is more to a good job than money. Being treated well/respected is a big one. Good relationships with the docs. I have had crap jobs that paid well and they sucked...period.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

24 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

44 hours a week on average. No call. UC. 153 base pay and I'm tracking to hit about 180 this year.

Trust me...there is more to a good job than money. Being treated well/respected is a big one. Good relationships with the docs. I have had crap jobs that paid well and they sucked...period.

Preach it!  Every stinkin' job that I've ever had they changed the ground rules at some point in the process.  Current one hasn't changed yet, but it's starting to get late in the process for them to do so without my just saying "See ya' later!"

[ohiovolffemtp]

My perspective from doing EM: it can easily take 6 months to find a new job then get credentialed by the employer and by the facility(or facilities).  That's a long time without a paycheck if you lose or just leave your current job.  However, if there is an opportunity for full-time at a place where you're already working it's pretty easy to go from PRN or PT to FT.  But, opportunities are hit or miss.  So, it's best to have 1 or more PT/PRN jobs in addition to your FT EM job.  There's just too much volatility due to companies gaining & losing EM contracts, new companies trying to low ball current providers, and hours cuts due to volume declines.  That's the best way to keep your income safe.

 

[narcan]

You're making $73 an hour, which if you assume the "average American" works 40 hours per week, is 2,080 hours per year, which is the equivalent of $151,840. You choose to only work 5 shifts per pay period, which is 60 hours, or only about 75% of what the "average" person works per pay period. So your salary is actually quite good, you're just only working at 0.75 FTE.

[UpperLeftPAC]

Yeah, that's more or less why I was asking the questions regarding hours worked. If the folks that are making $150k are also working typical 40 hour weeks then the difference seems pretty reasonable.

You're making $73 an hour, which if you assume the "average American" works 40 hours per week, is 2,080 hours per year, which is the equivalent of $151,840. You choose to only work 5 shifts per pay period, which is 60 hours, or only about 75% of what the "average" person works per pay period. So your salary is actually quite good, you're just only working at 0.75 FTE.

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