emergency med doc trying to become a pilot... help!
- Thread starter protonate
- Start date
I'm not trolling, was busy with work. I posted the other one in residency (which is 3-5 years in emergency medicine depending on if you do a fellowship) simply to test the waters. I have other things to do than to troll people that give great advice in the field that I want to do. I want to clarify that I still am planning to practice 36 hours a week, i was hoping on adding 2 days of flying (50-60 hours a month) at the regionals. Are regional airlines flexible in letting you go home at the end of the day? I would assume so given it would save them on hotel expenses
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
Please PM me where you did med school and residency so I can vouch for you. My wife is also an EM physician, and I am an EMT so I know how the system works a lot better than many of the pilots here.
Part time at an airline is not an option, but there are a LOT of better paying, better schedule, flying jobs out there. You need to approach this like you did your research on becoming a doctor. If all you knew about being an emergency medicine came from watching "ER" you would have been in for a big surprise. A career in aviation is the same thing, it's nothing like you saw on "Catch me if you can".
Start slow and do your research. Find you closest airport that has a small flying school and take a few lessons. Get your Private Pilot Certificate and see if you like it anywhere near as much as you thought.
Find some other physicians that you know that fly their own plane. I'm sure if you ask around you can find some.
flyinguitar
Well-Known Member
Can I ask what your business is? Thanks!
comfortablynumb
Well-Known Member
hook_dupin
Well-Known Member
A couple things:
-I buy then lease aircraft out to flight schools. It seemed like there were a lack of fun & simple tail wheel airplanes in my area, so I introduced a few and distributed them around various flight schools.
-I'm building out an online private pilot ground school that is simple and mobile-enabled. Its not done, but check it out here: https://www.udemy.com/private-pilot-ground-school/#/ In the Air Force, we used dry-erase marker boards for everything... I tried to mirror that in my little production. For any JCer CFI, I'll PM you a coupon access code if you want. I hated charging my students for ground for me to repeat much of the same info over and over again, so this is more effective and cheaper for them. Please recommend it to your students if you like it. I think the cost to learning value is pretty good so far....
flyinguitar
Well-Known Member
Very cool, thanks for sharing! I was actually throwing around a very similar idea to your ground school, but it will be years before I get a chance to actually do it. Kudos for making it happen. And I wish you lots of success with trying to make more interesting planes available to rent. If there was an affordable taildragger in my area, I'd be all over it.
Regarding the OPs question (or should we call him the OT?), it bears a strange familiarity to my life and career aspirations... I left the aviation industry in 2009 with about 1200 hours after life took me in a different direction, and in 2011 started medical school. I'm actually planning on going into emergency medicine, and often think of how I might incorporate aviation into my career. I read some article once about an EM doc who was licensed in several surrounding states and flew himself to EDs that needed staffing last minute. (Does anyone know what article I'm talking about? I can't seem to find it anywhere...) I believe the business model is that the higher pay for last-minute availability over a wide geographic area covered the extra expense of a operating a reliable, weather-capable airplane. I'm also interested in fixed-wing air ambulance, of course. We'll see what other opportunities come up once I'm finished with residency (in 2018).
Regarding to try to get on with airlines or any other larger operation, I don't think it's really feasible... or desirable. Maybe I could get on part-time with a 135 outfit and could eventually fly PIC in some larger equipment, but I would be very picky about my schedule and I'm not sure an employer would put up with me. Having worked at an FBO with a flight school and a 135 charter operation before, the idea of some MD strutting around to fly for fun doesn't sound like the best alignment of mutual interests... they're certainly not there for the money, and might have a hard time following directions. Med school trains us to be in charge, tell others what to do, and assume everyone thinks we are important. (I am NOT saying this as praise - I'm not proud of it and am trying to avoid internalizing the negative aspects of doctor culture.) This doesn't describe everyone, of course, and for the right person such an arrangement might work. But I'm thinking more along the lines of exploring self-directed business opportunities as a way to work flying back into my life.
And for all those who say "buy a plane and fly it for fun," I wish that would do it. The part of me that craves flying wants to be a professional pilot with a mission.
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I thought so too. I got over it.
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
What you want to do is ultimately only available to high seniority people if they are lucky. The airline industry is not the type of place where you can always get what you want. Flexibility does not exist.
Beep
Well-Known Member
" Hello, this is Jim at crew scheduling, we have a trip for you.... Dammit Jim, I'm a Doctor!! "
I saw the shot, and I took it
Kingairer
'Tiger Team' Member
This is not feasible. In this scenario you could potential be a contract pilot that flies for some corporate operations from time to time.
flyinguitar
Well-Known Member
Aren't you an airline pilot?
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
My status as an airline pilot is purely technical.
I'm on a trip right now, and it's the first time I've flown since last year.
fly22
Well-Known Member
My status as an airline pilot is purely technical.
Sounds safe.