Five Ways to Leave Clinical Medicine

Most jobs pay much less than practicing medicine in any specialty, and most jobs that pay an income similar to that of a practicing physician are at least as hard, risky, and time-consuming.

Almost all jobs pay less than that of a physician practicing clinical medicine. So if you want a job that pays just as well as that of a physician, your choices are very limited.

The good news is that physicians are generally paid enough that if they can live a middle-class lifestyle during their career and in retirement, they can retire completely a decade out of residency.

Retire Early

That might mean dropping call, dropping a portion of their clinical practice (like obstetrics for an OB/GYN), cutting back on shifts or hours, or changing jobs to one with a slower pace, a less litigious population, and/or a more supportive administration.

Fix Your Job

Perhaps the best pathway out of medicine is becoming an entrepreneur. Most small businesses fail, and most small businessmen make less than a physician, anyway.

Entrepreneurial Pursuits

Some physicians wish to leave medicine and do something else that pays much less than medical work. These are the classic “encore careers” where you become a chef, a teacher, or a tour guide.

Non-Medical Jobs

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