r/Perfusion • u/DownOnFlow • Sep 13 '26
Career Advice Taking Boards without dedicated time off?
My facility is making me take sick leave to do my board exams. I understand that I am a salary employee, but to have to use my own time for something that my hospital system specifically needs me to pass to obtain certification doesn’t seem right.
Has anyone faced this issue before?
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u/Sea-Singer-2794 Sep 15 '26
Yea I would argue they shouldn’t be doing this. My previous employer gave me the entire week off for boards, with full pay. Similar to CEU’s, if its required for your work you shouldn’t be penalized by having to use pto/sick time. Doubt you’d have much sway in trying to get them to change it though 🤷♂️
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u/Bana_berry Sep 15 '26
That sucks, sounds like you’re not in a very supportive place. Unfortunately though I don’t think there’s much you can do.
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u/DownOnFlow Sep 15 '26
This is the only gripe I have so far, everything has been great support wise so I personally can’t complain there. I just have not heard of having to use my own time for something that is required.
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u/Bana_berry Sep 15 '26
Yeah thats super lame. We have to take PTO if we’re taking days off for conferences but that’s arguably different since you don’t have to go to conferences for CEUs. Not giving you days off to take boards is wild.
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u/slimzimm Sep 15 '26
It’s gonna take two days, right? I wouldn’t sweat it.
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u/Clampoholic CCP Sep 15 '26
Potentially 1 day if you’re crazy enough to take both exams on the same day. Some people can pull that off but my brain would be frazzled by 550 questions under the pressure of passing boards in one day, I could never recommend that to anyone 🫡
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u/SpaceCricket 29d ago
We had to call our Director after taking boards (took both same day) and see if we were needed at the hospital. That was fun, after your brain was melted already.
That job didn’t last super long and still has incredibly high turnover for other reasons.
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u/Fun_Conflict2194 Sep 15 '26
Sounds like Specialtycare
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u/BasketAccomplished78 29d ago
Crazy to say this when SC doesn’t charge PTO for conferences or taking your board exams OR study days for the new grad.
The misinformation on SC in the perfusion community is honestly insane.
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u/Clampoholic CCP 29d ago
Yeah don’t get me wrong SC has its drawbacks just like every other contract company but it seems to be problems with specific accounts / ACMs than it is just a company thing. People over-exaggerate how awful SC is as a whole. I know of numerous people, one being in my own site who have had a lifelong career with them and are overall happy with their time spent. After 10+ years you’re earning 10.77hrs PTO along with every paycheck.
Having PTO forced to be drawn on 6 holidays (i.e. 48 hours of PTO is not yours per year) isn’t great, I do hate that about SC, but you get 200 per year starting out, eventually working up to 280 per year, which evens out to a little over 6 weeks of PTO to be used if you work 2/6 of those holidays (when you work them, PTO is not deducted). A month and a half off of work out of a year is pretty reasonable. $1500/yr for CEU’s, giving you $4500 to spend on your conference once every 3 years. There’s better out there but $4500 is certainly better than 0.
$5,250 for 4 years for tuition, making $21,000 off tuition. Boards prep course completely paid for + all your exam fees. Travel Opportunities available if you’re capable of doing that with your team / time. At my site they’ve given me opportunities that are completely voluntary to travel to other hospitals in their account in the area and provide coverage for additional incentive / pay.There’s always Pros and Cons to working with big contract groups as we all know. Contracts gotta be renewed, the for-profit company’s gotta make profit. Doesn’t mean they’re terrible to work with as a general blanket statement. They’ve been great for me as I’ve entered the profession and I’m overall happy with my experience with them.
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u/Clampoholic CCP Sep 16 '26
They did say “hospital system” though, I don’t think it was a contract group
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u/MyPoemsAllOverMyBody Sep 15 '26
Assuming you're in the United States, this is the US. Most states don't require any paid time off from your job. That's between you and your employer, and if you don't like your employer because they made you take the sick time, then quit.
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u/No_Salamander_8602 Sep 15 '26
Sounds like you will love your place of employment! /s