"Moonlighting: A Pilot Project to Assess Impact of Extracurricular Acti" by Charlotte O'Sullivan, David Lee et al.
 

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-3-2024

Abstract

Background: Moonlighting is the delivery of healthcare outside of training programs in exchange for compensation. The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education allows individual training programs to permit or restrict moonlighting, which leads to variation in prevalence and practice. Guidelines and regulations for moonlighting vary greatly across graduate medical education programs. Yet, limited research has been done to determine resident and fellow physician attitudes towards moonlighting and its impact on quality-of-life. Objective: This pilot study investigates how participating in moonlighting and extracurricular activities may impact resident and fellow physicians’ self-perceptions of quality-of-life and career satisfaction. Methods: 442 residents and fellow physicians were invited via email to participate in an anonymous REDCap survey during the spring of 2023. Only fully completed survey responses were included for final analysis which was performed using R Statistical Software. Responses were reviewed in aggregate and with stratification by particular participant characteristics. Results: A total of 93 responses were received (response rate 21%) and seventy-four completed responses (response rate 17%) were included for analysis. Trainees who moonlighted versus trainees who did not had no significant differences in age, gender, race, number of dependents, and marital status. 53 trainees indicated their program allowed moonlighting, of which 36 individuals moonlighted. Those who moonlighted were more likely to respond that moonlighting somewhat or very positively impacted their career satisfaction, quality-of-life, and ability to function effectively in their program (86%, 77%, 75%, respectively) compared to those who did not. No significant associations were noted between ratings of how participating in moonlighting specifically versus extracurricular activities in general impacted job satisfaction or quality-of-life. Conclusions: Participating in moonlighting may confer certain beneficial outcomes to resident and fellow physician participants. It seems, however, that the financial gain of moonlighting alone did not generate significant differences in self-perceptions of job satisfaction or quality-of-life compared to other forms of community involvement. Exploration into other potential contributing traits such as acquisition of translatable skills should be considered.

Comments

American College of Physicians Michigan Chapter and Society of Hospital Medicine Michigan Chapter 2024 Resident and Medical Student Day, May 3, 2024, Troy, MI

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