Of 237 anesthesiology residents surveyed, most owed at least $120,000 following medical school, and more than 40 percent had debt of $150,000 or higher. Those with higher debt were more likely to say they were interested in “moonlighting,” or working a second to job to earn money, during their residency.
Anesthesiologists with high debt are also less likely to pursue an academic career. Such academic positions, including teaching and working in a university setting, typically pay less than working in private practice. For each $30,000 increase in debt, the residents’ odds of choosing an academic career decreased by 13 percent.
“The medical school experience may be shaping our future anesthesiologists in ways that may be difficult to undo,” wrote researcher Jeffrey W. Steiner, MD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
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