cgravsha Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Hello Colleagues, needing your input…………. I’m an Urgent Care(UC) PA thinking about making the move to Orthopedics. I have been during UC for the past 14yrs, but now would like to change things up and take on new challenges. My problem is; the decrease in salary! I understand I will take a pay cut based on my limited Ortho experience, but from what I am hearing here on this forum it appears pretty drastic. I practice in TX Base Pay is 120k/yr, with weekend differental pay + time-and-a-half for over time. Hours per week: 40-50, with some nights and every other weekend. CME $1500/yr with 5 paid CME days, / 2weeks vacation 401K with 3% match, / QTR Bonus avg $7k/yr Malpractice paid 100%, Med-Ins paid @40-60 split. Average yearly Salary: $148K I am afraid that I will only be offered 80-90K based on my limited Ortho experience, and no way to earn additional income. To the Surgeon, I would be like a new grad; limited Ortho through UC and no surgical experience. Any thoughts on how I should marked myself; to get the most from them and not take a huge pay cut? Thanks Cgravsha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanna.nola Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I'm a new grad so have no real advice to give you, but it seems to be you are most definitely *NOT* a new grad. You have lots of experience, even if not in ortho. That experience should matter. What would the job entail: are you doing pre and post op as well as surgery, mostly surgery, mostly pre/post op? While it might be a pay cut, I think you can certainly argue for something higher than a new grad. I guess the ultimate question is how much money can you bring to their business, how much training you'll need to get up to speed etc. (BTW, you make Texas sound good as far as pay goes! Are you rural or in a city?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 You won't like it, but that sal is about right for an Ortho newbie. Initial contract might be able to construct a way for performance review and establishment of bonus or pay for productivity as you get better in orthopedics. And possibly a higher rate for call ... And eventual ED procedures ( fracture reductions joint reductions, ) or, in the future, rounding on nursing homes. You are making a major change, and will be downscaling in salary significantly, and increasing your hours/wk worked. Job satisfaction is terribly important.. If you really love this surgeon and anticipate getting jazzed every day by working with him, then the loss in cash is worth it. If not, I'd recommend staying right where you are.. You are at the ceiling of your speciality, but life can't be too bad at 150k for those hours. Sorry to sound negative.. I am concerned that no matter how much you MAY live Ortho, extrinsic and intrinsic pressure due to the severe loss in salary will soon temper the fire, and lead to dissatisfaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FleurDeLis5 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Don't make the move. I made a move from a few years of EM to ortho ... In reality the PA role in the ER is very different from that in the private practice specialty world. And the posts above are right, even if you enjoy it -- the downscaling on the finance aspect will catch up to you. I wouldn't make the move again myself, in fact after a year and a half in ortho, I'm looking to get myself back in the ER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgravsha Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Joanna: I work in the city - DFW metroplex rcdavis: No need to be sorry!, you were spot-on with your comment. I thought heavly about the decrease in salary and the increase in administative duties. FluerDeLis: I appreciate your input and you are probably correct and that I would look to return to UC. Thank You all for your comments. They were infomative and knowledgable. After seeing my situation in writing, I really have a nice situation, maybe just a little bored at this time. Does anyone know of how do I go about getting a part time postition with an Ortho to help out in surgery to give me that challenge I am looking for? Thanks Cgravsha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primadonna22274 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I also think it's a good idea to stay put. That much of a salary cut hurts! (I can say from experience....) I don't know how to break into part-time ortho but I was going to suggest such a thing might be a good way to try it out. I understand being bored--so undertaking a new challenge, with less of a hit to your family budget, seems prudent. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonewalljaxn Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Follow your passion. If UC/ER is where you're happy, then why change? If you've always dreamed of working in ortho, then do it. There's more to life than money and there's a lot to be said about loving your job. I have a hard time believing anyone has more fun on the job than orthopedics surgery, but I'm a little biased. Salary as an ortho is effected by many variables. For example, nowadays it is often tied to production. So, if you end up working with a doc who is not very busy, you won't make as much as if you work with a busy surgeon. The way you are utilized matters as well. If you are seeing all of the postop visits, your production is going to suffer since those are generally not billable. In the end, I think my compensation is pretty good, although I have 10 years experience. Base Pay is 85k/yr + production bonus Hours per week: 40-50, no weekday call, every 6 weeks weekend call (we have 6 PAs to rotate with); occasional AM rounds CME $2500/yr with 6 weeks combined vacation/CME 401K with 7% match, / Production Bonus avg $65k/yr Malpractice paid 100%, Med-Ins paid @100% for me reasonable plan for fam. Average yearly Salary: $150K Good luck with your decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainiac Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Joanna: I work in the city - DFW metroplex rcdavis: No need to be sorry!, you were spot-on with your comment. I thought heavly about the decrease in salary and the increase in administative duties. FluerDeLis: I appreciate your input and you are probably correct and that I would look to return to UC. Thank You all for your comments. They were infomative and knowledgable. After seeing my situation in writing, I really have a nice situation, maybe just a little bored at this time. Does anyone know of how do I go about getting a part time postition with an Ortho to help out in surgery to give me that challenge I am looking for? Thanks Cgravsha -------------------------------------------------------- How about checking with in ED where you work? Pick up a shift? Shadow? Alot of Ortho in the ED, setting fx's, relocating dislocations & with your UC I think you'd be a great fit! with little change in your current status! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinylilron Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Hello Colleagues, needing your input…………. I’m an Urgent Care(UC) PA thinking about making the move to Orthopedics. I have been during UC for the past 14yrs, but now would like to change things up and take on new challenges. My problem is; the decrease in salary! I understand I will take a pay cut based on my limited Ortho experience, but from what I am hearing here on this forum it appears pretty drastic. I practice in TX Base Pay is 120k/yr, with weekend differental pay + time-and-a-half for over time. Hours per week: 40-50, with some nights and every other weekend. CME $1500/yr with 5 paid CME days, / 2weeks vacation 401K with 3% match, / QTR Bonus avg $7k/yr Malpractice paid 100%, Med-Ins paid @40-60 split. Average yearly Salary: $148K I am afraid that I will only be offered 80-90K based on my limited Ortho experience, and no way to earn additional income. To the Surgeon, I would be like a new grad; limited Ortho through UC and no surgical experience. Any thoughts on how I should marked myself; to get the most from them and not take a huge pay cut? Thanks Cgravsha Let us know what you decide to do. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted October 1, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 1, 2012 for another perspective sell yourself and the skills you have - there is no way as a 14 yr UC PA you should be at 70-80 in any field - esp one that you sort of work in already..... Be open and honest with the doc's - say "I am willing to take a pay cut for 6 months to get up to speed, but then I have to fairly quickly progress back up to the 125k/yr range plus bonus" honestly - if I were hiring and the option of a long term experienced PA versus a newbie - I would take the exp as their is so much time teaches you that you can't learn any other way. I went from IM/UC to Radiology, to pain management to ER - started at 80, left at 120k in about 3 years (and the three job switches... yeah not really smart...) but I tried the subspeciality med and found it not for me - back in IM/Primary for me (and a pretty big pay cut on top of that) but I am happy Point is, don't sell yourself short - another Doc would cost them 300k+ - if you demand 100k plus a 6 and 12 month review where you go up 10k each time - they might just take you up on it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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