Influence of Resident Physician "Moonlighting" Activities on Educational Experience and Practice Choice

Moonlighting by resident physicians, though a long-standing practice in the U.S., is a controversial topic. Conflicting claims of both detriment and benefit to resident education have been made. In this study, we sought to evaluate practicing family physicians' perceptions of the influence of moonlighting during their residency on their educational experience and selection of future practice site.

Graduates of two Midwestern family medicine residency programs in the U.S., one located in a metropolitan area of a populous state, one from a small city in a rural state, were surveyed via an internet survey tool as to their motivation for moonlighting, perceived educational effects--positive or negative--and its role in practice selection.

Seventy-eight percent of respondents reported that they participated in moonlighting. Supplementation of income was the most commonly reported motivation (identified by 95.4 percent of respondents), followed closely by acquisition of additional clinical experience (87 percent). The majority perceived moonlighting as overall beneficial to residency program education (91.1 percent), beneficial in preparation for clinical practice (98.5 percent), and having a role in selection of future practice (89 percent).

Practicing Midwestern family physicians perceive an important role for moonlighting in residents' clinical educational experiences and practice selection.