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    Answers to the questions physicians actually ask

    The questions that come up again and again in physician communities, answered with the rule, the numbers, and the next step. Each one links to the tool that does the arithmetic.

    Prefer to start with your own situation? Open the decision briefs →

    Contracts

    Reading and negotiating the document before you sign.

    1. Do I need a lawyer to review my contract?Get a paid review when the contract carries a cliff clawback, a non-compete beyond your state's limit, tail coverage you pay for, or a compensation formula you cannot recompute. For a standard offer, the free checker plus your state's statute covers the first pass — and tells you which questions are worth paying to have answered.
    2. Is my signing bonus clawback normal?A clawback is standard: about 80% of groups require repayment if you leave early, and most prorate it over one to three years. A full cliff repayment is the outlier — ask for monthly proration and a waiver if the employer terminates you without cause.
    3. Is my call schedule normal?There is no national 'normal.' The number to compare is nights per year: a 1:3 rotation is about 122 nights, 1:4 about 91, 1:5 about 73, and 1:8 about 46. Whether those nights count as work depends on post-call clinic and call pay — both of which belong in the contract.
    4. Is my non-compete enforceable if I'm fired?Start with the statute, not the clause. In 30 of 51 jurisdictions, state law voids or limits physician non-competes: 15 generally ban them for physicians, 5 ban most worker covenants, and 10 allow them only within physician-specific limits. The other 21 have no physician-specific statute. Termination decides the answer inside the first group — Texas voids the covenant if you are fired without good cause, and Pennsylvania's Act 74 voids it on dismissal. A ban does not free you: non-solicitation, confidentiality and buyout terms can survive it.
    5. What should I ask for beyond salary?The terms that move most are not salary: a prorated clawback, employer-paid tail on a without-cause exit, a written call cap, and a mutual notice period. Ask for those before asking for another $5,000 of base, which is often constrained by the employer's pay band.
    6. Why is my wRVU production bonus lower in 2026?CMS cut work RVUs by 2.5% for non-time-based services starting in 2026, so the same patient volume credits fewer wRVUs. At benchmark volume that is about $6,380 a year for neurosurgery, $5,745 for orthopedic surgery, $4,543 for general surgery and $167 for psychiatry. If your contract sets a wRVU target and a rate per wRVU, the cut lands on you unless the contract restates to prior-year values or adjusts the rate.

    Loans

    Federal repayment, PSLF, and what the numbers actually say.

    1. Is PSLF worth it at my balance?At a high balance and a modest attending income, usually yes — but the answer is arithmetic, not a slogan. At $250,000 of federal loans, 8.07% interest, and a $300,000 attending AGI, the model puts ten qualifying years about $160,000 ahead of paying the loan off on the standard plan.

    Career

    Hours, autonomy, and changing how you work.

    1. What does going part-time actually cost?At 0.8 FTE, the model nets about $207,000 for 44 hours a week — roughly $45,600 less than full-time, for 528 fewer hours a year. The number that matters is not the salary cut; it is how benefits, bonus, call and the wRVU threshold prorate, and whether the loan payment changes.
    2. Do I need a training license before residency starts?In 42 of 51 jurisdictions, yes: you need a training license or permit from the state medical board before you see patients, and the application can take weeks to months. Four states issue no separate training license, and five decide case by case. The risk is timing, not eligibility — start the application after Match Day, not in June.

    Independence

    Locums and 1099 work, priced honestly.

    1. Is locums worth it compared with an employed job?Compare net income and hours, not gross. At $330,000 for 32 weeks, the model nets about $190,000 after tax and out-of-pocket benefits — roughly $63,000 less than a $320,000 employed year, for about 25 hours a week instead of 55. Whether that trade is worth it is yours to make; the arithmetic should be explicit.

    Protection

    Tail coverage, disability, and the terms that decide an exit.

    1. Who pays tail coverage when I leave?On a claims-made policy, someone must pay the tail when you leave, so the real question is who pays for each exit. A clause that says 'tail provided' without naming the exit and the payer is not a promise. Size it before you negotiate: roughly 2× the mature annual premium, which at benchmark premiums is $76,000–$170,000 for orthopedic surgery, $90,000–$220,000 for OB/GYN, $16,000–$40,000 for internal medicine and $10,000–$26,000 for psychiatry.
    2. Is disability insurance worth it for my specialty?Worth considering if your income supports others and your employer's group policy defines disability as 'any occupation' or lasts only a few years. The definition matters more than the premium: true own-occupation pays when you cannot do your specialty, even if you earn elsewhere.