Job search - The fun begins

[cwbullet]

I am not asking for help but I figure I would share my experience. I have started searching. I am one year out of my retirement date.

I am actually shocked by how many jobs are available for a family physician. I did a quick search for GOV jobs for CIV physicians. A lot of folks must have left the workforce. I found no fewer than 2 dozen jobs within a 2 hour drive time.

 

[rfjustin]

I am not asking for help but I figure I would share my experience. I have started searching. I am one year out of my retirement date.

I am actually shocked by how many jobs are available for a family physician. I did a quick search for GOV jobs for CIV physicians. A lot of folks must have left the workforce. I found no fewer than 2 dozen jobs within a 2 hour drive time.

Yeah its incredible how much opportunity to advance and sheer number of open jobs there are in the market right now.

Limit that search to 45 minutes from home max, 2 hours drive time is crazy talk. Sounds like you are just doing a "what-if" search, but I would be curious to see if that limits your options a lot, or just a little.

 

[cwbullet]

I will keep it to 45 minutes. I am a family physician that wants to just do medicine - Pay - $108,645.00 to $280,340.00 per year. Just wow!

 

[seth_cooper]

My sister in law is a travel nurse. The most recent offer she had was just under $5000 per week!

It's in the butt crack of America but still

 

[Peartree]

Currently, anything medical (and many other things) are constantly understaffed and overworked.

 

[rfjustin]

My sister in law is a travel nurse. The most recent offer she had was just under $5000 per week!

It's in the butt crack of America but still

I would work the crack for 5K a week, good lord!

 

[heada]

RNs with 10+ years exp are getting $150+/hr here. They're offering extra $50/hr if you sign a 6 mo contract and flex shifts. The local hospitals have been near 100% census for months tho, so you'll be busy for sure.

It's not just medical field either. Lots of people took early retirement when places started shutting down due to covid. Companies are trying to replace those positions now.

 

[Sandy H.]

My day job is a bit different (machine supplier for mainly aerospace) and the 737Max/COVID issues have really cut down on the workers needed in that industry. I'm ok, but our company got rid of a lot of people and aren't likely to attempt to re-staff much for 2-4 years and that assumes COVID calms down and they start building more planes again, which is fr from a certainty. It has drastically changed the day-to-day life at the company for sure.

Sandy.

 

[cwbullet]

I would work the crack for 5K a week, good lord!

I just found a listing for a Locums job $12K a week. I hate to travel, but that is tempting.

 

[jqavins]

I am not asking for help but I figure I would share my experience. I have started searching. I am one year out of my retirement date.

I am actually shocked by how many jobs are available for a family physician. I did a quick search for GOV jobs for CIV physicians. A lot of folks must have left the workforce. I found no fewer than 2 dozen jobs within a 2 hour drive time.

Holy cow! When I see a thread title like this one I read expecting to offer emotional support. This was a very pleasant surprise.

 

[fyrwrxz]

C'mon, buddy! Surely you're worth more than $12.00 a week! Heck, I pay my personal physician $15.00 a week. Of course there is a little matter of him forgetting to attend med school, but he's really good with over the counter stuff. He makes sure my shoes are tied also, so there is that..,

 

[cwbullet]

C'mon, buddy! Surely you're worth more than $12.00 a week! Heck, I pay my personal physician $15.00 a week. Of course there is a little matter of him forgetting to attend med school, but he's really good with over the counter stuff. He makes sure my shoes are tied also, so there is that..,

Yup. Typo. 12K a week.

 

[cwbullet]

What amazes me is the number of virtual medicine jobs. I might have to consider one of these. They do not pay well, but I can live and work at home.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I just found a listing for a Locums job $12K a week. I hate to travel, but that is tempting.

I'd be starting on Monday morning, WOW, I never imagined they made that much money. You can be shooting off M motors at every launch, you're my new HERO

 

[cwbullet]

I'd be starting on Monday morning, WOW, I never imagined they made that much money. You can be shooting off M motors at every launch, you're my new HERO

I will tell you that I am shocked. Does anyone on here have experience with virtual medical care?

 

[NateB]

I just found a listing for a Locums job $12K a week. I hate to travel, but that is tempting.

We have a lot of travelers and a fair amount of locum physicians at the moment. I'm sure it is just as frustrating for them, but the lack of any working relationship as people come and go is a major downside. It's better than being short staffed though.

 

[heada]

Telemedicine is a huge thing over the last 18 months. Rather than go in for a annual checkup, you do a zoom. Rather than go in for something like punkeye, you attend a zoom and get a script called in. For the regular stuff, most of that has transitioned into telemedicine.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I will tell you that I am shocked. Does anyone on here have experience with virtual medical care?

Yes, it's close to sitting across from someone and using Facetime ,you could ask all the questions, but just not physically lay your hands on them. Anything physically could be referred to a specialist for further examination and physical X-rays to find what's going on inside them. Would that pay 6K/week?

 

[manixFan]

I will tell you that I am shocked. Does anyone on here have experience with virtual medical care?

As a patient, yes. I was pretty happy with the process. Mine was done through an app on my phone (like Zoom). Basically a question and answer session. I really liked not having to drive to the clinic and sit in a waiting room. I still had a wait once I connected, but I was in my office at home so I didn’t really mind. As more remote medical devices (blood pressure, weight, even blood tests) become available, I suspect telemedicine will become the norm.


Tony

 

[NateB]

As more remote medical devices (blood pressure, weight, even blood tests) become available, I suspect telemedicine will become the norm.

Our hospital offers a remote system for vital monitoring and wanted us to trial it as patients. They charged for the devices though and I had no reason to pay for it to do them a favor.

As a patient, I enjoy telehealth visits with the NP I see. It keeps me current as a patient and I never have much to discuss with her except general well being. I can check my vitals on my monitor at work before the visit and let them know what they are.

 

[manixFan]

Our hospital offers a remote system for vital monitoring and wanted us to trial it as patients. They charged for the devices though and I had no reason to pay for it to do them a favor.

As a patient, I enjoy telehealth visits with the NP I see. It keeps me current as a patient and I never have much to discuss with her except general well being. I can check my vitals on my monitor at work before the visit and let them know what they are.

Through my insurance plan I enrolled in a program to help with back pain. They provided a tablet and body position sensors at no charge to me, and it is basically a form of telemedicine now that I think about it. I have a 'coach', who checks in on me and the program collects feedback that is available to whoever is on the other end. So far it's been pretty good and helping me work on my back pain. The insurance company is motivated to help me avoid back surgery, which is something I also want to avoid. So it's a decent program from that standpoint. They have similar programs for other areas as well.


Tony

 

[rfjustin]

I will tell you that I am shocked. Does anyone on here have experience with virtual medical care?

I took (1) virtual visit, was less than thrilled by PCP "showed up" 10 minutes late even though it was virtual. Then they ended up billing insurance company same rate as if it were on site. I guess the billings code is different, but nominally the same rate. If the medical group is going to bill my insurance 400+ bucks for the visit, I may as well drive my happy ass to the office next time and get seen face to face. Just my .02 on a very limited one time exposure to it. If I were snowed in or could not make the trip. maybe, but I'm not a fan...

 

[teepot]

I have two Doctors that do telemed. One sends me a text to log in 15 minutes prior to my appointment. It's face to face and she is on time. The other Doctor it's just a phone call. Do I need refills, he askes how I'm doing and it goes from there. If I have a concern we go over it. If I need a referral then I have to go in. I prefer it this way. It saves me from driving an hour one way into Vegas.

 

[hball55]

I will tell you that I am shocked. Does anyone on here have experience with virtual medical care?

Since Covid, all my Dr. Appointments have been Facetime, lol. I doubt that’s what you meant.

 

[Hobie1dog]

My Telemed conference/Facetime call was on Wednesday of last week. The Urgent Care my doctor owns has 50% of his staff out on Covid now, so we knew with my poor lung condition, he didn't want me near the place. I'll go to a lab that's close and give a blood sample next week. In these conditions it's the way it's going to be for a very long time.

 

[cwbullet]

Thanks. That is similar to what I mean. Do you each like or prefer the telemed or virtual?

 

[StreuB1]

I see a therapist weekly more or less. I have been doing sessions over zoom with her since the spring of 2020 just after things hit. My first visit was in person. I prefer in person but the zoom visits give me flexibility to do them from work. Initially I was not a fan of them but now they have become the norm. Not leaving work and now being salary is nice. Would still like to see her face to face time to time though.

All my other doctors I see in person, which I prefer. PCP, Back specialist, Psych. All in person and I believe that I could not get the level of care that I need in any fashion other than in person. There is some nuance that comes from being in person, that you cannot get any other way I feel other than actually in person.

 

[hball55]

Thanks. That is similar to what I mean. Do you each like or prefer the telemed or virtual?

I much prefer the Facetime appointments. The nurse calls me to make the connection, then wheels the camera apparatus into the exam room, then I wait five to ten minutes for the doctor to enter the room. In just 10 minutes it’s all over.

 

[Rob Campbell]

I am not asking for help but I figure I would share my experience. I have started searching. I am one year out of my retirement date.

I am actually shocked by how many jobs are available for a family physician. I did a quick search for GOV jobs for CIV physicians. A lot of folks must have left the workforce. I found no fewer than 2 dozen jobs within a 2 hour drive time.

You are in a great position. I hope you find a job you'll be happy in.

 

[prfesser]

Chuck, it's great to hear that you have such tremendous job opportunities. A few random thoughts., worth almost as much as you're paying for them.

• Telemedicine been increasing in importance and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I suspect that there will be advances in remote med that we can barely imagine; staying current may be important.
• Even if your commute is only 30 minutes, that's an hour per day of your life that you'll never get back. I enjoy driving but the necessity for doing it an hour or more every day would likely kill it for me. Guess I've gotten used to living in a town where most of the important stuff is seven minutes away. A hybrid position, say two days a week in the office and telemed the other three might be a good compromise, if such was available.
• Telemed is something you might be able to do, after a fashion, while attending a far-off LDRS/NARAM/Thunder Down Under. Less restrictive on travel, perhaps? Gives a good excuse for cutting down face-time when visiting relatives you don't like.
  
• Talk to your financial advisor, re-assess your needs/wants in retirement. Balance them against the job description. A position that pays less but is a near-perfect fit may be preferable to one that pays twice as much but wears you down. Retirement is supposed to be fun!
• I've had several telemed visits and have found them very satisfactory for routine stuff. It helps that my primary care MD knows me well (30 years) and relies on me to take charge of my health care. For something nonroutine I'll go to the office.
• For many patients the absence of an hour's wait** for an in-person visit, and the attending irritation, is not to be overlooked. Especially for us oldguys who go to an MD more often than they like...
• Telemedicine means no N95 masks, gloves, etc. I'm sure you're used to them by now but skipping all that has to be a plus.

Best -- Terry
**There's a sign in my doctor's waiting room: "If you have been waiting more than 20 minutes past your scheduled appointment, please see the receptionist." He'll still take as much time with me as is needed, but I rarely need much time; typically one hour from entry to exit. Even the urgent-care place here isn't nearly as efficient.