Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Hospitalists
Hospitalists provide inpatient care predominantly in settings such as medical wards, acute care units, intensive care units, rehabilitation centers, or emergency rooms. Manage and coordinate patient care throughout treatment.
Table of contents
What they do
Hospitalists provide inpatient care predominantly in settings such as medical wards, acute care units, intensive care units, rehabilitation centers, or emergency rooms. Manage and coordinate patient care throughout treatment.
- Diagnose, treat, or provide continuous care to hospital inpatients.
- Prescribe medications or treatment regimens to hospital inpatients.
- Admit patients for hospital stays.
- Order or interpret the results of tests such as laboratory tests and radiographs (x-rays).
Typical day
On a daily basis, Hospitalists diagnose, treat, or provide continuous care to hospital inpatients. They refer patients to medical specialists, social services, or other professionals as appropriate.
A typical day for a Hospitalist will also include:
- Admit patients for hospital stays.
- Prescribe medications or treatment regimens to hospital inpatients.
- Order or interpret the results of tests such as laboratory tests and radiographs (x-rays).
- Attend inpatient consultations in areas of specialty.
- Communicate with patients’ primary care physicians upon admission, when treatment plans change, or at discharge to maintain continuity and quality of care.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Hospitalists also attend inpatient consultations in areas of specialty. They may also participate in continuing education activities to maintain or enhance knowledge and skills.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Hospitalists train or supervise medical students, residents, or other health professionals. They might also communicate with patients’ primary care physicians upon admission when treatment plans change, or at discharge to maintain continuity and quality of care.
In addition, they direct the operations of short stays or specialty units.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them direct, coordinate, or supervise the patient care activities of nursing or support staff.
To some Hospitalists, it is also their responsibility to admit patients for hospital stays.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
74% said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they found their job meaningful.
What is it like being an Obgyn Hospitalist?
There are various types of shifts when working as an obgyn hospitalist. The most common shifts are 12-24 hours in duration. The number of shifts worked per month to be considered full time range from 5-8 hours a month (24 hour shifts) and up to 16 shifts per month (12 hours shifts). What I appreciated as a hospitalist is that once I handed over the pager, my patients continued to get physician-led care (by other hospitalist colleagues), but I was off work. It gave a solid work/life balance in the sense that you didn’t get called in and interrupted from your life. While off, I had the chance to catch up on sleep, spend time with family, travel, exercise, read leisurely, and develop hobbies.
The typical day involves rounding on patients on labor and delivery, post-partum, and any consults on other floors. My program was academic so I taught resident physicians, which I found enjoyable. My specific hospitalist program also covered gynecologic patients. So, I would manage any gynecological emergencies (ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.) that came through the emergency room. I would then deliver any babies via cesarean or vaginal delivery that need to be delivered on my shift. Triaging pregnant patients who came through the obstetric emergency room was also a large part of my day. The work is unpredictable and I found that exciting.
Pros
You perfect skills in obstetric and gynecologic emergency management, competitive pay, opportunity to teach residents (if working at an academic institution), solid work/life balance, can build solid relationships with hospital staff since you are present
Cons
Typically, you must stay in the hospital during your shift, so you’re unable to leave and move around while working, unable to follow up with patients to see how they do long-term, and you may lose skills in frequently performed gynecologic procedures due to the nature of hospitalist work (hysteroscopy, hysterectomy, colposcopy).
Also, hospitalist is a term to describe a physician whose primary focus is to manage hospitalized patients. Hospitalist also implies an internal medicine specialty.
Obgyn hospitalists specifically manage obstetric and gynecologic patients that are hospitalized.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
Suitable for people who value achievements and are results-oriented.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Demand for this career is growing very fast.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Hospitalists with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $61,380 to $126,470 per year or $30 to $61 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Median | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $126,470 | $61 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $61,380 | $30 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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