Academic vs community positions

[polarbear89]

Wonder if there are any senior residents or staff who’ve made the decision between an academic or community position.

What factors did you take into account when making that choice? 

[ellorie]

By community, do you mean community hospital or community like outpatient clinic outside of the hospital setting?

[polarbear89]

1 hour ago, ellorie said:

By community, do you mean community hospital or community like outpatient clinic outside of the hospital setting?

Either or! 

[bearded frog]

21 hours ago, polarbear89 said:

Wonder if there are any senior residents or staff who’ve made the decision between an academic or community position.

What factors did you take into account when making that choice? 

There are many, many factors that affect this decision.

Off the top of my head:

Where do you want to live? Generally academic will be urban, whereas community can be urban or rural. Income will vary heavily between types of academic position, but some rural community positions can pay much better especially with a lower cost of living. The type of practice will be different, depending on your specialty - family might not be that different other than more medical education and perhaps some research in academic settings, but interventional cardiology, neurosurgery, etc. generally requires an academic position. Your career goals and desired lifestyle may direct you more to academic or community. Do you like working alone and being your own boss? Generally more possible in a community position. Billing/salary contracts may be different. Do you have/want a family and where do they want to live? Obviously research/medical education/cutting edge treatments will be more available in academic positions. Do you like zebras vs horses? More likely to be seen in academic settings. Call requirements? Type of call. Community settings can have more "call" depending on your specialty but it may be home call with only the occasional phone call, vs more busy academic call. What is the job availability? Will you have to do 2 fellowships and work in Regina for 5 years before there is an acadmic job opening in the place you actually want to live?

The answers to these questions are generally personal, and are highly affected by your speicality - the answers will be very different for family medicine vs say ENT.