Re: Family life of an orthopod

The lifestyle is there for any subspecialty, although traumatologists tend to have the most disruption and unusual hours. It's just the ability to find a group that allows a reasonable clinic and case load and doesn't force you to work your butt off. Part of it will be driven by you. How much money do you really want to make? What's more important, a bigger pay check at the end of the week or being home for dinner at night with the family and watching your kids' games? So some docs out there choose to work their tail off while others enjoy their lives.

How difficult is it to find practices that allow more time off? Your practice situation seems like a rarity.

I don't think my practice is a rarity. I think most students see the lifestyle of an academic orthopod which is usually busier due to being at a trauma center, having research and teaching commitments, etc....

Now having a full day off every week may be a rarity, but most of my private orthopod friends have a least a half day off a week.

I don't think my practice is a rarity. I think most students see the lifestyle of an academic orthopod which is usually busier due to being at a trauma center, having research and teaching commitments, etc....

Now having a full day off every week may be a rarity, but most of my private orthopod friends have a least a half day off a week.

That gives me hope! What type of city (small, large, north, south) do you practice in? Could you please decribe the practice you are in (number of orthopods, specialties, etc)? Thank you for all your advice so far.

I practice in Iowa City which has around 100,000 in the local county. We have ten orthopods and two PAs in our practice. Most of my partners are generalists with subspecialty interests such as spine, total joints, and sports medicine. We have two hand surgeons included as well. We also have a physiatrist joining the group soon to handle non-operative back for us. In addition, a foot/ankle specialist will be joining us in January.

We work out of a single level II hospital with 200 beds. All major trauma goes directly to the University across town which makes our call lifestyle real nice.

I have two full clinic days a week which keep me busy starting at 8 and usually home by 5 or 5]

With two clinic days, two OR days and one day off what do you do on the other two days of the week?

Well, I have my never ending "honey do" list that I have to attend to. I also do alot of boating (skiing, wakeboarding, airchairing) and fishing. As well as haul the kids around to various events. We also like to catch a lot of athletic events like home football and basketball games.