how many hours does a primary physician work per week?

[Guest smooth operater]

I know the number may varies, but how many hours does a "primary" physician (i.e family physician) usually work each week? What is the ball park range. Is such statstics published somewhere? Thanks!

[Guest blinknoodle]

See www.cma.ca/index.cfm/inco...id/1.htm#3

 

From one of the charts, FP/GP is on average 51 hours/week, medical specialties are 54.4 hours/week and surggical specialties are 57.6 hours/week, which excludes time spent on call.

[Guest aneliz]

Keep in mind that if a family doc spends 51 hours 'at work' they spend a bunch more time doing things like billings, reading mail, CME, etc.

 

Most of the family docs that I have worked with that were doing 'full time' family medicine were starting with hospital rounds ~6:30 AM and then work straight through until ~5-5:30 PM with a half hour or so for lunch five days per week. Most would then do about an hour or so of reading/paper work at home in the evening. Those that were part of a FHG would also do a three hour 'evening' shift one night per week seeing patients.

 

Those that did deliveries, were often on call 24-7 for deliveries every other week (alternating with another family doc) or just 24-7 if they didn't have a call partner.

[Guest Jochi1543]

So I guess if a doctor works independently and has an assistant to deal with the logistics of running an office, he or she is likely to work less than 51 hours?8o

[Guest aneliz]

Most doctors do have somebody to help with the logistics of running the office... but there is still a lot of paper work that your 'assistant' just can't fill out (insurance forms, MoT medical forms, camp physical forms, letters to insurance companies/lawyers re: patients condition/treatment, etc). Unless they are only working 'part-time' (ie three days per week, etc) I can't see how the average 'full-time' family doc would work much less than 51 hours per week. Unless they scheduled 'paper work' into their day and didn't see patients during part of it.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Family Doctors work extremely varied hours. They are their own bosses and can set whatever hours they want - I've met mom 'GP's who only work 20 hrs/wk because they want to spend time with their kids. . . and older GPs who work 1-2 days a week because they still want to keep at it, but want to be "semi" retired.

 

Thing is, if you work less hours you get paid accordingly.

 

And Aneliz is correct. . . as a GP, there is a lot of time managing your practice (paperwork, etc) which you won't get paid for!!