Changing jobs when residency starts

[mommax3]

I was a stay at home mom from the time my oldest was born in 1995 (in April of MS 2) until the fall of 2006, when DH was five years post-residency. I went back to work so I could have something of my own to do, and so I could make friends. The $$$$ was not even a consideration....but my mental health was!

I worked at part-time things (gave private voice/piano lessons, did child care, worked part-time at a church) during residency, and money was tight, but we owned a home, drove two older cars, and didn't have many luxuries other than me staying home. We were in San Antonio then, too, and it was a cheap housing market, which helped. Still, there were definitely residents in my husband's program who were living large and needed two incomes to cover their lifestyles. It is all in the choices you make, including specialty choice and how you rank programs when it is time to match. Good luck to you!

[MarissaNicole]

actually, during residency you want to be as close as possible to the hospital because too many residents have crashed their cars or been pulled over for drunk driving when they're really driving while exhausted.

We lived 8 miles from each hospital in both DC and San Antonio. Yes, it cost more to live downtown but being able to get home in 10 minutes was key. (and he still got pulled over and the cop escorted him home to make sure he made it)

Jenn

I was just thinking about asking about this.... DH gets some sleep when he is on call now but at his last away rotation, when he often got off from call he sounded drunk when I would talk to him! I wasn't sure if it was just because he was new to the schedule or if people adjust over time? (I am sure a little of both). I must say it has made me realize how important it is for us to live as close as possible to the hospital. Thank goodness he is in a big city for the last and current away rotation so that he can take public transporation!

[SuzySunshine]

In DH's program they don't take call from home until they're taking Chief call so we never worried about him driving home during call. However now that he is taking Chief call if he leaves the house after 8pm he stays at the hospital regardless of whether he'll be done in 2 hours or 6. Its just not worth the risk and we're only about 10 minutes from the hospital.

[mommax3]

When people from DH's program were pulled over or crashed (one guy crashed two cars intern year) it was when they were post-call, either driving home around 6 p.m. after working ~36 hours, or when they had call at one hospital (they covered two) and had to be at morning rounds at the other hospital after working all night, so after working ~24 and getting ready to do another 12. I don't know how often either of those scenarios happens anymore due to work hour restrictions, but no matter what, it is good to live close to where you work if you possibly can!

I don't know how y'all stayed home during residency (financially - that is) DH is a PGY-3 in radiology so I guess you could say PGY-4. At $42K with 2 kids, car loan, starting to pay his school loans and a mortgage, couldn't swing it financially. I have worked since we married b/f his 3rd year of med school. I have not had the courage to switch jobs even though I'd love to because we are so dependent on my income. I'd love to get a job where quality of life was much better but then it wouldn't pay what was needed to support household. BUT more power to you if you can switch and it be smooth sailing! Good luck!

[ladymoreta]

I don't know how y'all stayed home during residency (financially - that is) DH is a PGY-3 in radiology so I guess you could say PGY-4. At $42K with 2 kids, car loan, starting to pay his school loans and a mortgage, couldn't swing it financially. I have worked since we married b/f his 3rd year of med school. I have not had the courage to switch jobs even though I'd love to because we are so dependent on my income. I'd love to get a job where quality of life was much better but then it wouldn't pay what was needed to support household. BUT more power to you if you can switch and it be smooth sailing! Good luck!

It's harder, but there are some great money-saving threads around here. Not sure how far back they are, but I think there's been one in Grand Rounds and one in Around The House. I think most residents defer their school loans until after residency. That would be a huge expense for us right now, but I'm sure you're saving tons on interest, so that will be nice.

[spotty_dog]

I don't know how y'all stayed home during residency (financially - that is) DH is a PGY-3 in radiology so I guess you could say PGY-4. At $42K with 2 kids, car loan, starting to pay his school loans and a mortgage, couldn't swing it financially. I have worked since we married b/f his 3rd year of med school. I have not had the courage to switch jobs even though I'd love to because we are so dependent on my income. I'd love to get a job where quality of life was much better but then it wouldn't pay what was needed to support household. BUT more power to you if you can switch and it be smooth sailing! Good luck!

We didn't have a car loan, a mortgage, or school loans so that helped. And there was just one kid until the last few months of residency. For the most part we lived within our means. We had a savings account that got tapped a bit for the little luxuries, and things got a lot easier once he was moonlighting regularly. But $45K or so is the median household income for the United States. A *lot* of people are making it on that amount of money. I didn't feel in danger of starving or losing our home or having our power shut off. We lived remarkably well on just a resident's salary, all told.

As others have mentioned, location cost of living is a factor, as is timing. If you are a 1-income family all along, your standard of living doesn't change appreciably if someone stays home when someone else starts receiving a salary, you know?

[houseelf]

Have you thought about clerking? It is *much* less pressure than private practice. My income was the only way we made it through seven years of Gen Surgery residency with kids. I will never have a job with those kind of hours again and the work was fairly interesting.

Kelly

[NYCHoosier]

Originally Posted by DCJenn
actually, during residency you want to be as close as possible to the hospital because too many residents have crashed their cars or been pulled over for drunk driving when they're really driving while exhausted.

We lived 8 miles from each hospital in both DC and San Antonio. Yes, it cost more to live downtown but being able to get home in 10 minutes was key. (and he still got pulled over and the cop escorted him home to make sure he made it)

Jenn

I was just thinking about asking about this.... DH gets some sleep when he is on call now but at his last away rotation, when he often got off from call he sounded drunk when I would talk to him! I wasn't sure if it was just because he was new to the schedule or if people adjust over time? (I am sure a little of both). I must say it has made me realize how important it is for us to live as close as possible to the hospital. Thank goodness he is in a big city for the last and current away rotation so that he can take public transporation!

Yet another reason I'm hoping for NY or Chicago! I want to be within walking distance from the hospital (in a city where DH can actually walk to/from work).

...plus I'm terrified of having to drive again.

[radwife]

I had to change jobs when we moved for residency. We actually had 2 different plans based on where he could potentially match. If he matched in a small town, I was going to stay home and we would start a family or if he matched in a city I was going to work and we'd wait on the family. He ended up matching in a large city. As soon as we found out where I started applying for jobs. I worked with a couple recruiters as well. Let me tell you, looking for work in this economy was not easy! Luckily I work in accounting/finance and have my CPA so I think I was more fortunate than most. The job I found actually wanted me to start as soon as possible, so I moved in May and DH stayed back to finish med school then moved over after graduation. Most likely we'll have to go through this all again for fellowship and when he finds a job! Makes it tough for me to have a solid growing career, which I find frustrating from time to time...but that's a whole other topic for another day.

As far as living close to the hospital, we do as well. DH only has a 10-15 minute commute and mine is more like 35-45 minutes.

Oh radwife - you and I think a like! "solid growing career" - that is a thing of the past! But I will be ok with that once he starts making this $$$ I have heard about for the past 6 years (Not sure if that will happen though under new plans being offered by Govt. ) As I tell DH all the time - right now is my time to support fam and it will be his time once he is out of residency. Interesting y'all said you deferred all loans through residency. DH said this federal loan we could not defer anymore and t/f will be paying our 1st payment this month. Woo Hoo!

[ladymoreta]

They changed the rules recently, but I forget the terminology. Residents still don't have to pay back their loans immediately, but they now accumulate interest during the deferrment period. They used to be interest-free until the resident was finished with training. That might be what he was referring to.

[Auspicious]

Yes, ours have gone from deferment to forbearance. We do not have to pay on them right now (except for one small Perkins) but they are accumulating interest.

[radwife]

We just started paying DH's school loans last month. He didn't want to defer or forebear. Bascially his resident salary only sits in our bank acct for a few days before it gets automatically withdrawn for student loans. We wouldn't be able to survive without me working right now. Same as while in med school, my salary goes towards our living costs, my school loans, car payments, etc. etc. It seems like we'll never be ahead enough to save for a house or a kid.

[quote=radwife;448321] I can't say we are able to "pay" for a child but some how /some way it works out. As you have probably heard NUMEROUS times - there is never a financial good time to have a child.