Flexible Careers for Pediatricians

Finding the job that’s right for you

Updated by the AAP Division of Graduate Medical Education and Pediatric Workforce in spring 2006

Introduction

This presentation is designed to provide

you with important insights for finding a

job as a pediatrician that works for you.

We see this as a starting point for thinking

about what types of work options will

offer you the most rewards while

accommodating your individual needs.

Topic covered include these key pieces for planning your career• Types of practice arrangements available

• Special considerations: your needs and

family needs

• Questions to consider

• Identifying what you can & cannot live

without

• The importance of organization

Creating the job that is right for you

Key Pieces:

Family needs

Practice

arrangements

what you can live

without

Questions to consider

what you can’t

live without

Organize your search

Your needs

Types of practice arrangements

Before addressing the key pieces that

shape a job selection process, let’s review

some of the basics including:

• Practice arrangements that are generally

available

• Considerations that may influence your decisions

• What you need to learn about the practice(s)

you are interested in pursuing

Full-time practice

FTE (40 hours +) offers multiple

options:

• Solo vs. group

• Rural vs. urban

• Private, HMO, academic

Pediatricians by primary employment setting (excluding residents)Primary Employment Setting Percentage

Solo 2-physician practice 15.4

Pediatric Group, 3-10 Peds 28

Pediatric Group, >10 Peds 4.6

Multi-specialty Group 10

HMO 3.2

Hospital/Clinic 14.1

Medical School 14.3

Other 10

Source: AAP Division of Health Services Research, Periodic Survey of Fellows #61 thru #64, 2005

Hours: Average Per Week in Patient Care Activity(office-based pediatricians only)

3331

.9.7

2.4

64 3 4 4 4

.3 .70

10

20

30

40

Ho

urs

OfficePatientCare

EmergencyRoom

Operating/Deliveryroom

HospitalRounds

ConsultingWith patients& others

RecordKeeping

Other

Male

Female

Source: American Academy of PediatricsDivision of Health Policy ResearchPeriodic Survey of Fellow #43, 2000

Full-Time Practice

Pediatricians will find that there are a

growing number of full-time practice

arrangements. Some of the common

full-time practice options include:

• Flextime

• Telecommuting

• Compressed workweek

Full-time Options--Flextime

Flextime provides a flexible starting and/or

ending time for the work day. Advantages

include:

• Preserves visibility on the job

• Access by “your” patients

• Can arrange hours around your family or

personal activities

• Practice can offer extended hours for others

Full-time Options--Telecommuting

Telecommuting is working at home during

part of your scheduled hours of work.

• Does not work for patient care

• Can be an option for administrative/support

services

• May work for some aspects of academic

medicine

Full-time Options—Compressed work weekCompressed work week involves shortening the

number of days worked.Advantages:• Full day off • May mean you can commute outside of rush hours• Time for other activities that take place during normal work hours

(running errands, scheduling repairs to home, take part in school activities)

Disadvantages:• Must have stamina for longer work days• Often day off cannot be a Monday or Friday• Can cause resentment if you do have Monday or Friday off because you

always have a 3-day weekend and those days are often the most busy in terms of patient care

Part-time Practice ArrangementsSurvey data from the AAP indicates that a growing

number of residents are interested in part-time

or reduced hour practice options. These options

include:

• Shortened work day

• Shortened work week

• Job sharing

• Locums

Employment Status: Pediatricians (self-designated)

94%

68%

6%

32%

0102030405060708090

100

Percentageof Pediatricians

Male

Female

Source: AAP Division of Health PolicyResearch, Periodic Survey of Fellows, #54, 2003

P<.001 for M v F

Full-time Part-time

Part-time Practice Arrangements

In 2003, 17% of pediatricians worked part-time, averaging 32 hours/week

• Shortened work day– 5-7 hours/day

• Shortened work week – usually 4 days/week

• Less than 4 days/week (can be problematic for patients)

Part-time: Job sharing

Job sharing arrangements usually involve 2 persons sharing one full-time position.

May work best if:• Cooperative, give and take approach• Similar/complimentary skills• Similar work habits– on time, details, organized• Flexible to trade time around

How to find someone to job share:• Look at current workplace for someone with similar needs• Talk with placement offices and recruiters• Place an ad in a professional newsletter, magazine, journal• Network

Part-time: Locum Tenens

Locum Tenens comes from the Latin word meaning “to hold the place of.” Locum physicians fill temporary positions.

Advantages:• Can help you find out what the perfect job for you may

because you can work in a variety of settings for a short period of time

• Can decide to pick a region or group where you want to work

• Perfect for someone who is comfortable with not having their “own” patient groups.

Special Considerations:Things to think about when deciding what type of job will work for you

For women pediatricians the most common concerns include:

• Breastfeeding issues• Compensation (what to expect)• Negotiation skills• Time management (How will I manage

both my professional and personal roles?)

Special Considerations: BreastfeedingFor pediatricians who desire to work and breastfeed

consider the following:• Part-time work or job sharing may mean a shorter work day

and less need for breast pumping while at work• Talk with other women who have worked and breastfeed their

child(ren)• Compressed work week may be less desirable as more hours

worked may equal a minimum of two breast pumping times• Telecommuting for part of your work week may be ideal if parts

of your workload are suited for off-sight work• If no option is available other than a long work day consider

nighttime, prior to work feedings, breasts will adjust. Do this 1-2 weeks prior to your return to work. following work arrangements may be helpful

Special Considerations:CompensationWhat to consider:• Find out about average compensation in your area • Contract negotiations should be reviewed by an attorney• Review termination clauses• Insurance• Restrictive covenants• Expected services to perform• Review sample contracts (available on Web site such as

www.ama-assn.org/go/yps or conduct a Web site search for sample contracts)

Special Considerations:Time Management

It is important to schedule in time for

yourself. You need time to recharge too.

• Communicate with family members & significant

others regarding changes in your work schedule

• Make time to spend with family & friends

• Highly recommend vacation times

• Schedule time to do the things you love like

reading, hobbies and involvement in organized

medicine

Finding a Job that’s Right for YouThere is a host of basic and not so basic information

that can help you make an informed decision. Some things to consider:

• Weigh your options and identify what you can/cannot live without• How far are you willing to move?• Salary range• Benefits• Working weekends• Moving expenses• Signing bonus• Call schedule/triage call center• Office location• Buy into the practice

Determine what you want in a position:• Geographic location

•Family/partner

considerations:−Employment−Education opportunities−Cultural−Entertainment

•Opportunity for

research/teaching

•Time- call amount,

time off

•Compatibility with

partners/practice style

•Compensation

Where do you see yourself in the future?• What do you see yourself doing 1 year, 5 years, 10 years

from now?• What is your financial plan?

− Calculate the actual decrease in money if you are thinking about reducing your work hours

− Some items may actually be lower if working less hours– child care, meals out, commuting costs

• How supportive is your partner, family members and others impacted by your job choice?

• Think about possible extra stress and/or less stress on those important to you.

• How will this impact your work relationships?

Organizing Your Search

• Keep a record of each possible opportunity you come across

• Examine the pros and cons of working with a recruiter

• Network- most jobs are found through friends and colleagues

• Keep an up-to-date cover letter and CV• Research organizations, job possibilities and

locations on the Web• Find out what types of career related resources

your state and local medical society offers

Conclusion:Flexible Careers for Pediatricians

This presentation was adapted from a presentation originally given by Debra R. Sowell, MD, FAAP.

A handout listing additional questions and things to consider when searching for the job that is right for you is available on the AAP Women In Pediatrics Web site at http://www.aap.org/womenpeds/. This Web site also list books, articles and other electronic sources that may assist you.