Published on the Sept. 15, 2016, DiagnosticImaging.com website
By Whitney L. Jackson
It’s an iconic image for a young child who wants to be a doctor someday – that sign on a building that announces he or she is available to see patients. For many, being that solo physician is a dream they chase for years.
After finishing residency, not every new radiologist wants to stay close to academia. Many opt to strike out on their own, either launching a solo practice or joining an existing practice of any size. Instead of devoting time and energy to research and teaching the next radiological generation, you’re focused on using your skills to provide the best patient care possible within your community.
According to Stefano Bartoletti, MD, clinical director of radiology at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, private practice offers practitioners a great amount of leeway, but its safety net is small.
“Private practice allows significant involvement on the part of radiologists managing their own practice and being involved in the decision-making that will shape a group in the future,” he said. “However, this involves some degree of risk taking.”
Given that a private practice option offers less shelter than the umbrella of an academic institution, there are characteristics anyone considering this route should consider.
Benefits
The ideal of being a doctor in private practice wouldn’t be popular if the career option didn’t offer upsides.
1. Choice of focus: Many private practices do offer some flexibility in how radiologists can choose to focus their time. Even though a significant portion of a provider’s time will be spent reading a myriad of studies from various specialties, it is possible to carve out a niche and grow your business in your chosen subspecialty area within the practice.
2. Face-to-face relationships: Working in the same environment on a daily basis with the same people offers you the opportunity to create strong partnerships within your group.
3. Personal service: Simultaneously, working in a practice opens the door for you to interact frequently and directly with the referring physicians who send you their patients. Building these relationships helps secure your future financial stability.
4. Greater latitude: New radiologists are frequently attracted to private practice because the path offers greater autonomy and greater schedule flexibility. In addition, compensation is often higher than in academia. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges Careers in Medicine Survey, starting salaries are approximately $285,000.
Having such close working relationships with both in-office colleagues and referring physicians will make your day-to-day work flow easier, said Brandon Selle, practice administrator for Northeast Missouri Imaging Associates. It can build your reputation as a highly-respected provider in a private practice upon which they can depend.
To read the remainder of the article at its original location: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/practice-management/radiologists-private-practice
