OrthoStud
Registered User
Posts: 21
(6/23/01 8:46:28 pm)
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Moonlighting
Does anyone know how many years of residency you need to do before you can start moonlighting?
Also, if you're willing to work your butt off, how much can you actually make? I realize you get paid
hourly, but how much is that typically?
Residencygirl
Registered User
Posts: 4
(6/23/01 10:12:35 pm)
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MOONLIGHTING
Every program is different actually. I know in our program you must either by a PGY4 or 5 and have to
be in good standing in all areas. You must have received 50% or higher on the OITE. So, you either
check with the program director or the coordinator. Good luck
OrthoDoc
ezOP
Posts: 49
(6/25/01 11:05:37 am)
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Community Supporter
Re: MOONLIGHTING
In most states, you must have a full license to practice medicine, which takes one year of residency to
obtain. After that it is up to each program whether they allow moonlighting or not. Most ortho programs
are too busy, and I would suggest not moonlighting, so you can actually enjoy your time off.
OrthoStud
Registered User
Posts: 24
(6/25/01 4:17:47 pm)
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Re: MOONLIGHTING
Orthodoc: I've heard that it is possible to make up to 100k a year during your 4th and chief years...don't
know how true that is...I'm only a 4th year student (as of yesterday!!) but I realize how difficult it must
be to moonlight during residency. I'm under a lot of financial strain right now due to family circumstances
that I foresee will last quite a while. I'm just looking ahead to the future for possible sources of income.
If one were to sacrifice free time, what are the possibilities that exist? And is it something that one can
realistically count on looking ahead ?
crazy joe davola
Registered User
Posts: 37
(6/25/01 7:19:36 pm)
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MOONLIGHTING
OK. I posted earlier, but it was vaporized somewhere.
Hourly wages I've heard range from $45/hour to an estimated $600 per 8 hour shift worked. I've heard
of guys working in local ERs, ERs on their home program's campus, doc-in-the-box places, Ven-cor
units, and ortho guys can often do physicals for high school athletics or disability evals for the VA. I'm
sure the pay varies widely.
I talked to a resident recently who moonlights. First, his program frowns on it and so does the university
residency terms of employment policy. It isn't explicitly outlawed, but the residents keep it on the
down-low. Inasmuch as schedules will be different virtually every month, you need to arrange to work
somewhere that will allow a good deal of flexibility.
In certain states, you can't get your license (I've never heard of moonlighting without one) until you take
step III and often you can't do that until after you've completed the intern year. Someone fed me that
line, but I'm not sure there's much truth to it or how different the state laws are.
OrthoDoc
ezOP
Posts: 50
(6/25/01 9:10:52 pm)
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Community Supporter
Re: MOONLIGHTING
A few of my friends moonlighted during residency. Most needed to b/c they had a wife and kids at home
and its very difficult to survive without the extra income.
They did a variety of things including staffing remote ERs, urgent care clinics, flying on the helicopter,
and harvesting bones for the red cross. Most of these required maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of
emergency care medicine which most of us soon forget after the intern year (minus the trauma stuff). At
other programs, there exists opportunities to work just as an orthopedic resident at a private hospital
where the local orthopods don't want to be in-house.
So there is opportunity if you need it, but it is frowned upon heavily at most programs and banned at a
number as well. Once again, I stress that you'll have very little free time to enjoy with your family.
Sometimes a little more debt and better relationship at home is worth more than an extra $40,000 per
year.
OrthoStud
Registered User
Posts: 25
(6/26/01 6:26:50 pm)
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Re: Moonlighting
Thanks for the input...very much appreciated.
