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Should You Pick Up That Extra Shift? It May Not Pay Off
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In Short: Healthcare providers might work more paid hours but end up with less take-home pay than expected when taking on extra shifts.
Doctors often take on extra shifts out of a sense of duty rather than financial need, according to a Medscape report.
Ohio-based Jessica Minesinger advises physicians to request the data their healthcare system uses to calculate base and extra pay.
Minesinger noted a shift in how healthcare providers are compensated for call duties.
Alex Mohseni, MD, an emergency medicine physician, worked extra shifts for the first four years of his career, sometimes covering for colleagues or filling in for unassigned shifts.
Mohseni found that taking on additional shifts could significantly reduce his free time, making it challenging to manage personal commitments.
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- “The majority of times, doctors would work these extra hours not because they wanted to or needed the money but out of a sense of brotherhood,” he said.
- “We’ve seen a shift in how people get paid for call,” said Minesinger.
- He might cover for a colleague whose child was sick or work a shift that didn’t have an assigned doctor at all.
- When taking on extra shifts, you might find yourself working more paid hours but earning less take-home pay than you expected.