r/Residency • u/FullyVaxed PGY1 • 1d ago

SIMPLE QUESTION Extended Travel

So, I’ve always wanted to take 6 months to a year off to eat-pray-love around the world. However, this career happened to me and all of the sudden I found myself stuck on the railroad track. Has anyone heard of someone doing this with a career in medicine? Obviously the debt and maintaining my clinical skills are a concern, but I’m sure it can be done. Help me break outside the mold. I’m sick on being a complacent career student.

17 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

38

u/farfromindigo 1d ago

Locums. Do a 6 mo contract in the middle of nowhere, make bank, and travel the rest of the year.

14

u/QuietRedditorATX 1d ago

When you go to apply for a job and your full license, you will have to account for all time.

It is ridiculous, they asked me what I was doing in June before starting residency - uhhhh waiting for training to start.

Every gap in work is asked about, needing a stupid reason. I don't think travel would ever stop you from getting a job, but just saying our new lives are stupid.

10

u/FullyVaxed PGY1 1d ago

“I was enjoying life. Next question”

3

u/7ensegrity PGY3 19h ago

“I’m under an NDA from contract work during that time.”

10

u/blizzah Attending 1d ago

Yes if you can afford it can always take a 6-12mo sabbatical / extended break

Your skills are very much in demand

6

u/No_Salamander5098 Attending 1d ago

I met someone doing locums who would take summers off and worked a ton during the rest of the year. I think it’s very much doable on a locums schedule. Might be hard financially to take 6 months off but you could get 2-3 months off at a time and still get a lot of travel in.

1

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1

u/cbobgo Attending 1d ago

I know there are locums companies that staff docs to Australia and new Zealand, you could prob find some in other countries as well. Work a little, travel a little, work some more . . .

1

u/Much-Department6255 9h ago

There is an med-influencer who works in an ER in Texas and goes to Colombia every month for a week or two, I can’t remember his name