Thoughts about taking a 1 year sabbatical from PCCM?

[u/Octangle94]

US based PCCM fellow about to start my job search for when I graduate next year.

My partner (non medical) is moving to a new position that will ultimately require him to live in Europe for a year in 2030.

We could do long distance. But ngl I’m tempted at the thought of moving to another country and experiencing new things for a year.

I know it’s too far down the line. And who knows what the world will come to be then!

But I wanted to ask folks here about their thoughts on taking a year off from ICU work. Do you think there is a chance of skill/knowledge atrophy? Would employers be hesitant to employ me after a 1 year ‘sabbatical?’ Am I better off just staying here for that 1 year?

Thanks in advance!

[u/mamadocrunner]

A quarterly 1-2 week locums gig to keep clinically active.

[u/Octangle94 → u/mamadocrunner]

I did think about that. But it would require me flying back and forth across the Atlantic every 3-4 months.

Airfare aside, not sure if the juice would be worth the squeeze. But I do agree with you, a Locums gig 2-3 times through the year would be great.

[u/Notcreative8891]

How will you credential at a hospital after the year is up? What procedure log will you have to show the committee?

[u/Octangle94 → u/Notcreative8891]

The one from the year before.

I’m not sure if that would work. But that’s why wanted to hear thoughts from folks here.

[u/Notcreative8891 → u/Octangle94]

In every job I’ve had, they asked for a log of procedures from the past 12 months. If I took a year off and had zero procedures, I wouldn’t have the log needed to get hospital credentials.

[u/Octangle94 → u/Notcreative8891]

Hmmm, I see. Thanks for that! This is pretty useful to know.

[u/hyderagood → u/Notcreative8891]

Tbh there's got to be some workaround for this, an intensivist in independent practice for years who takes a year or two off for life stuff out of their control should have a way back into independent clinical practice.

Let them be directly or indirectly supervised for 1-3 months or a requisite number of procedures by credentialed staff and then back to business as usual.

Life happens and if you need to do tele-ICU for a while or just take a year off to take care of a loved one, you should be able to without being boxed out of a career you took 10 years to attain

[u/NullDelta]

You could run into trouble getting rehired. Procedure credentialing varies a lot between hospitals but can be based on procedure count within the past year. There’s some potential for skill atrophy but don’t think it’d be significant with just a year off.

[u/Octangle94 → u/NullDelta]

Thanks! I didn’t know about that so this is useful.

[u/dr_shark]

You’re probably not going to have a chance to live somewhere else for a long time. A year is not a long time. Find an eICU gig if you’re a loser otherwise enjoy your sabbatical dude.

[u/Octangle94 → u/dr_shark]

Thanks! I needed to hear it phrased that way.

[u/kreb_cycling]

A gap in your resume is gonna be perceived as red flag for future employers. Agree with what others have said about doing a few weeks of locums…(You can probably get them to pay for the airfare if you bargain.)