Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

A call for equity: fair compensation and overtime pay for resident physicians

Ali Duffens, MD
Physician
January 9, 2024
Share
Tweet
Share

Amidst significant rises in resident unionization, a policy shift is warranted to guarantee equitable compensation and overtime pay for resident physicians contending with demanding 80-hour workweeks. On October 13, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom made history by signing California Senate Bill No. 525 (SB 525) into law. This monumental legislation will increase the minimum wage for California health care employees to $25 per hour. While SB 525 addresses the minimum wage concerns for a wide array of health care workers, it also offers a critical opportunity to consider the unique challenges faced by resident physicians. While the bill will apply to resident physicians resulting in increased wages, it operates under the assumption of a 40-hour workweek. Resident physicians, who may legally work up to 80 hours weekly, dedicate long hours to serving patients, yet their extraordinary efforts remain unacknowledged by the absence of overtime pay. A new bill should be introduced into California legislation specifically addressing this gap by mandating that health care organizations employing resident physicians provide overtime pay for hours worked beyond the standard 40-hour workweek.

Residents are dedicated trainees who are the unsung heroes of our health care system. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave, epitomizing unwavering commitment to patient care and continuous learning. Yet resident salaries have remained historically low, averaging around $60,000 annually, even in high-cost-of-living areas. In contrast, physician assistants, who possess comparable skill sets to residents as mid-level providers, typically earn an average salary of $120,000. Additionally, residents grapple with significant student loan burdens, with national average medical student debts of $200,000.

It is worth noting that many health care professionals, including nurses and physician assistants, have the protection of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which mandates overtime pay for work extending beyond the conventional 40-hour workweek. However, resident physicians are specifically excluded from this provision. Residents are legally allowed to work up to 80 hours weekly but do not receive overtime pay for additional hours worked beyond the standard 40-hour workweek.

This disparity is glaring, exacerbated by the grueling schedules and heavy responsibilities that resident physicians endure. The recent surge of resident unionization across the nation underscores the pressing need for fair labor practices in supporting resident physicians. These unions champion improved working conditions and just compensation, placing the spotlight on the crucial issue of resident physician well-being. The time has come to rectify this imbalance by proposing a new bill in California’s legislature to ensure resident physicians receive overtime pay for the extra hours devoted to patient care. Legislation of this kind not only fosters equity but also addresses the issue of resident overwork and burnout, all the while recognizing the significant sacrifices made by residents.

While we commend Governor Gavin Newsom for enacting SB 525 and acknowledging its positive impact on various health care professionals, it is crucial for us, as physicians, to harness this momentum for advocating improved employment conditions specifically for resident physicians. Unionization, although a significant step, should not be the sole solution for ensuring fair employment compensation; it must be legally mandated. Now is the moment to prioritize the well-being and compensation of residents, establishing a legal precedent for fair working conditions that can serve as a model for the entire nation.

Ali Duffens is an internal medicine-preventive medicine resident.

Prev

Navigating medical uncertainty: a patient's perspective [PODCAST]

January 8, 2024 Kevin 0
…
Next

Thriving, not just surviving: Cracking the formula for physician well-being

January 9, 2024 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Residency

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Navigating medical uncertainty: a patient's perspective [PODCAST]
Next Post >
Thriving, not just surviving: Cracking the formula for physician well-being

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • It is time to make the unvaccinated pay their fair share

    Hayward Zwerling, MD
  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • When physicians are cyberbullied: an interview with ZDoggMD

    Monique Tello, MD
  • Physicians who don’t play the social media game may be left behind

    Xrayvsn, MD
  • Join the KevinMD Facebook group for physicians

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • If we don’t pay now to vaccinate our children, they will pay later

    Peter Ubel, MD

More in Physician

  • Why starting with why can transform your medical practice

    Neil Baum, MD
  • Life’s detours may be blessings in disguise

    Osmund Agbo, MD
  • Inside the heart of internal medicine: Why we stay

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • The quiet grief behind hospital walls

    Aaron Grubner, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    How to advance workforce development through research mentorship and evidence-based management

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • The truth about perfection and identity in health care

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
    • FDA delays could end vital treatment for rare disease patients

      GJ van Londen, MD | Meds
    • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why starting with why can transform your medical practice

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Why your most heroic act might be in a department meeting [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Life’s detours may be blessings in disguise

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Physician
    • Inside the heart of internal medicine: Why we stay

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • The quiet grief behind hospital walls

      Aaron Grubner, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
    • FDA delays could end vital treatment for rare disease patients

      GJ van Londen, MD | Meds
    • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why starting with why can transform your medical practice

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Why your most heroic act might be in a department meeting [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Life’s detours may be blessings in disguise

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Physician
    • Inside the heart of internal medicine: Why we stay

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • The quiet grief behind hospital walls

      Aaron Grubner, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

A call for equity: fair compensation and overtime pay for resident physicians
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...