Is moonlighting right for you?

Taking a second job can help a family physician accomplish a number of goals, from paying off debt to refining procedural skills to developing contacts for future employment opportunities. Several rules, regulations, and personal issues might determine whether moonlighting is right for you. Consider these before you decide:

• Consult with your current employer. You may need approval from your primary employer to moonlight.

• Review your current employment contract and relevant policies and procedures. Look for contractual conditions or procedural requirements that could affect outside work activity. For example, make sure that a restrictive covenant does not apply, that you retain the right to any intellectual property you develop, and that you keep all compensation from your moonlighting.

• Consider your hours. Residents must keep in mind the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's 80-hour workweek policy. All hours that residents work are considered part of the 80-hour workweek, including internal or external moonlighting.

Read the full FPM article: “Is Moonlighting Right for You?”