Federal Physician Jobs

[Bill McNeal]

I'm a bit unclear on physician jobs with the federal government. The job listing would say something like salary is $130,000-240,000. Even at the maximum, it seems below market for this specialty.

Is it possible for physicians to get higher salaries than the listed maximum, or is that a hard limit? I would have thought pay would be higher to compensate for the lack of equity or bonuses that one can receive in the private sector.

[RJC]

I've seen physicians make in the upper 200s here at FDA.

[Swansea]

The Feds are not competitive on physician pay. For example, the NIH Clinical Center relies heavily upon contract physicians.
GS pay schedules will simply not cut it. HHS, at least when I left, had Title 42 authority which could boost pay well beyond the GS schedule, but often short of what one can earn outside the federal government. I once offered a doc a senior executive service position. He turned it down saying he made twice that much at the university. I always wondered why he did not take the trouble to read the salary range is is posted prominently on the vacancy announcement.

[hightower]

I'm a bit unclear on physician jobs with the federal government. The job listing would say something like salary is $130,000-240,000. Even at the maximum, it seems below market for this specialty.

Is it possible for physicians to get higher salaries than the listed maximum, or is that a hard limit? I would have thought pay would be higher to compensate for the lack of equity or bonuses that one can receive in the private sector.

From what I've heard (a friend of mine just started a primary care job at the VA), these jobs pay less but come with perks you're unlikely to find elsewhere...a pension and health insurance for life. Those are actually quite valuable IMO. Additionally, he told me that his day is not stressful at all because they limit the number of patient visits to a very reasonable level (I think he said 12 daily). So, it's a pretty sweet deal. That's just primary care. I don't know about the other specialties.

[livesoft]

The VA will hire physicians with former drug problems. I think Federal prisons also do.

[RJC]

I'm a bit unclear on physician jobs with the federal government. The job listing would say something like salary is $130,000-240,000. Even at the maximum, it seems below market for this specialty.

Is it possible for physicians to get higher salaries than the listed maximum, or is that a hard limit? I would have thought pay would be higher to compensate for the lack of equity or bonuses that one can receive in the private sector.

From what I've heard (a friend of mine just started a primary care job at the VA), these jobs pay less but come with perks you're unlikely to find elsewhere...a pension and health insurance for life. Those are actually quite valuable IMO. Additionally, he told me that his day is not stressful at all because they limit the number of patient visits to a very reasonable level (I think he said 12 daily). So, it's a pretty sweet deal. That's just primary care. I don't know about the other specialties.

+1 If you want to work in the regulatory space (e.g. FDA), you can make that kind of money not seeing patients and working 40-hours a week.

[Katietsu]

I'm a bit unclear on physician jobs with the federal government. The job listing would say something like salary is $130,000-240,000. Even at the maximum, it seems below market for this specialty.

Is it possible for physicians to get higher salaries than the listed maximum, or is that a hard limit? I would have thought pay would be higher to compensate for the lack of equity or bonuses that one can receive in the private sector.

From what I've heard (a friend of mine just started a primary care job at the VA), these jobs pay less but come with perks you're unlikely to find elsewhere...a pension and health insurance for life. Those are actually quite valuable IMO. Additionally, he told me that his day is not stressful at all because they limit the number of patient visits to a very reasonable level (I think he said 12 daily). So, it's a pretty sweet deal. That's just primary care. I don't know about the other specialties.

And excellent protection from personal liability in malpractice lawsuits.

[jayk238]

Liability is the primary benefit.

[jayk238]

I'm a bit unclear on physician jobs with the federal government. The job listing would say something like salary is $130,000-240,000. Even at the maximum, it seems below market for this specialty.

Is it possible for physicians to get higher salaries than the listed maximum, or is that a hard limit? I would have thought pay would be higher to compensate for the lack of equity or bonuses that one can receive in the private sector.

The range exists because its a boilerplate based on generic geographic location and based on years experience.

When I was looking at working at the va the main benefit was malpractice protection and secondarily the slower pace. That has changed and depending on where you work some places i rotated at saw 30 pt a day.

The patients are all in need of care but I chose elsewhere when one of them, likely w some mental condition said heil hitler and gave me the finger.

I would say that today the perks of the va are less appealing as many private places that are hospital based are offering the same including time off, 401k match and high enough salary that if you were to save the difference between what you are paid private vs va would more than make up for the pension.

I estimated that with 20 years of work at a va Id get a 40k pension.

To be eligible you have to be over 58 and have worked 20 years to collect va pension.