Physician career change guide

NAME: MARC ATZENHOEFER, M.D., CARDIOLOGIST 

TRAINING 

RESIDENCY: MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN 

FELLOWSHIP: AURORA ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER, MILWAUKEE

Marc Atzenhoefer, M.D., moved from San Diego to Duluth, Minnesota, during high school. He jokes that he went from surfing to snowboarding. It didn’t take him long to embrace the outdoor winter weather. During his medical training, he decided to call Wisconsin home. Atzenhoefer has won many scholarships and awards for his clinical, academic and extracurricular accomplishments. In addition, he has a passion for the underserved and vulnerable populations. Atzenhoefer and his wife worked in Greece alongside the German Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders to care for refugees across the world. 

What do you like about moonlighting? 

The compare/contrast opportunity that you get. You can go to the same state, region—or someplace different— and see how your colleagues are leveraging the same knowledge. We all learn the same things in medical school, and you can see what strategies they’re using to deliver care in their region. 

Is there anything you don’t like about moonlighting? 

Of course! Being away from friends, family and your home, that’s never fun. Moonlighting Solutions and other companies like them do a fantastic job streamlining all of the bits and bobs that you would normally have to think about and assist with your priorities. I also work with a company that works in a similar way when I do locum tenens. My priority is that I want to maximize the amount of time I have at home. So, how can my travel be organized so I’m not spending an extra day in this airport or this city without actually working? Sometimes it works out that your family is able to travel with you. When that is not the case, technology, such as FaceTime, helps while you are away. 

What has surprised you about moonlighting? 

All of it! The only thing that I got right is that I would be doing cardiology. When it came to what kind of expectations there would be, how much stress would be involved and what would be involved in meeting those expectations, it was a lot different. I feared the worst and I prepared for that. However, if you prepare for the worst, you may scare yourself out of doing it in the first place.

How can a physician begin to moonlight? 

It’s always best to seek advice from an experienced person. Reach out to someone who has moonlighted in the past or who is currently moonlighting. That will give you a better picture of what you should expect. Had I done that, I wouldn’t have been so wrong about my anticipation. 

What’s the difference between moonlighting and locum tenens? 

I really think it’s the duration. For moonlighting, you’re spending a weekend or a short period of time. For example, a physician may be sick and another physician is needed to cover their calls. So, you may go there for a week or 30 days. Locum tenens is a little bit longer. There are many opportunities for physicians, and locum tenens is like longer-term moonlighting. 

What advice would you have for physician who would like to moonlight? 

Jump in and just do it. The beauty of moonlighting is not like we expect any other job to be like. For new physicians, if they start a new job and find out they don’t like it, it’s a big red flag if they decide to leave. They have no idea what they want their practice to look like because they haven’t practiced. When they sign an agreement, they’re expected to tie themselves down. 

Moonlighting and locum tenens gives them an opportunity to figure out what they like. You can see the culture of a practice at a location. How does the team mesh? Where are the sticky parts? Is it really a good fit for you? There can also be a huge variability in the type of team you end up working with, or you could work solo and do everything on your own. Moonlighting and locum tenens are really good ways to find out. I used moonlighting as a stopgap measure between switching practices. I’m starting my new permanent practice, but I’m not leaving moonlighting as I find it enjoyable. •