Today, we are going to address a controversial subject! The answer to the question "Is it possible to work and do medical residency?" can vary. It depends on whom you ask: the resident or the program director (PD). If you ask a resident who wants to work, they will probably say yes.
I, as a program director, would say: "It is possible, but not recommended." However, this decision is not only mine. Or rather, as PD, this decision is indeed mine. That is because, in the United States, you can only work during residency if your PD allows it. And, to obtain this permission, several rules need to be met. For example, the residency workload combined with the work cannot exceed 80 hours per week. In addition, it is essential to maintain professionalism and be in good standing with the program.
"Moonlighting" is the English term used for the famous "shift work." This privilege is only granted starting in the second year of residency, since you need to have a full license. However, as an International Medical Graduate, in most American states, you only obtain a full license in the third year, and in some states, only after completing residency. Moonlighting can be an opportunity to learn to work independently and, in some cases, can even help a lot during residency. But you need to be very careful so that moonlighting does not interfere with your dedication to residency, as this can harm your performance.
The decision to do moonlighting is very personal and depends on each person's need. The ideal is for you to dedicate yourself 100% to your residency to meet the necessary requirements. I do not prohibit my residents from doing moonlighting, but if they begin to perform poorly or become too tired, this privilege can be revoked.
It is important to think carefully about whether it is worth adding hours of work to a routine that is already so intense. The resident's salary is not very high, and you may need to supplement your income, but this should not negatively impact your residency. Unlike Brazil, in the USA it is indeed possible to live on a resident's salary. The most important thing is to focus on your residency, make the most of your program, and, after residency ends, that is when it will be time to reap the rewards with the salary you deserve. Residency goes by very quickly, so make the most of it.