Hoping to moonlight?

[KDog]

I will be borrowing a lot of money and being Canadian it amounts to that much more. I am wondering during residency what is required in order to qualify for moonlighting if the hospital allows it. I am assuming just a training licence and part 3 USLME? Any info would help?

KDog

[Picard]

It depends largely on both your specific state's laws on resident moonlight and specific program policies on moonlight.

Many states do not allow residents to moonlight on "training licenses." Usually you need to have your full, permenent license before you can moonlight. Remember, when you are moonlighting, you are acting as an attending. So, in most states, you need to be fully licensed. Plus, no malpractice insurance company in their right mind is going to insure someone with a "training license" to practice medicine independently as you will do in moonlighting.

Many programs also have specific rules on resident moonlighting. Your moonlight hours count towards the 80-hr limit a resident is allowed to work per week. And your moonlight hours are also subject to the same rules as residency hours when it comes to "manditory time off between shifts" for residents. For instance, our program policy specifically states that residents cannot moonlight until PGY-3 year, and can only moonlight on non-ward/non-call months. Virtually no programs/states will allow interns to moonlight. Very few programs allow PGY-2's to moonlight.

Also, as a Canadian, you will also be subject to US labor/visa laws. Your visa may not allow you to be "employed," outside of your training program, which means you will not be allowed to moonlight by US labor laws.

P