Is a career in medicine really worth it?

Pre-Med & Medical School Careers in Medicine
41

<p>"A radiologist I know went to report to his for profit hospital job and found it locked up for good"</p>

<p>Well, between my dad, mom and uncle, we know at least about 7 engineers that got laid off...all of them senior (35 or more) whose job was taken over by an offshore company.</p>

<p>"There seems to be a trend towards group practices, HMOs, etc. MDs can report to MBAs, medical directors, etc."</p>

<p>....that's one of the few good points that anyone has mentioned. Even though doctors may report to MBAs, the MBAs usually make less than the doctors, and are usually doing the corporate paperwork and making sure the doctors see a sufficient number of patients.</p>

<p>*** "Ninety percent of the MDs I know are certainly not "in it for the money". That's so bizarre that I cannot say any more just now except shame on you for thinking such a thing!" ***</p>

<p>1)then why are the doctors so obsessed about money and million dollar homes? I've yet to see one that lives in a modest house.</p>

<p>2) why do all doctors hate HMO patients? They always give PPO patients the early time slots and push the HMO patients to next 3-4 weeks! ...could it be because PPO patients pay more money, -G a s p-! Shame on THEM for hating HMO patients.</p>

<p>3) Why do doctors take on debts of 100k in med school and study for 8 years? Could it be because they know they'll be rich enuf to pay it off in no time??</p>

<p>4)Also, why are doctors advertising for Lasik procedures, such as Gary Kawesh in the bay area? He's making money hand over fist from advertising.</p>

<p>5) Why are doctors forming "VIP clinics" that cater only to patients that can pay a $2000 retainer? They're also getting filthy rich off of this "boutique medicine" craze.</p>

<p>6) Most of all -If doctors were not "in it for the money", then how come they make so much money??!</p>

42

<p>I'll tackle this part of your post *** "Ninety percent of the MDs I know are certainly not "in it for the money". That's so bizarre that I cannot say any more just now except shame on you for thinking such a thing!" ***</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I've seen plenty of docs who live in very modest houses. I know lots of docs who are what you would call cheap and only shop at walmart to save a buck. I don't know what docs you are talking about. Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeons? Becausse they certainly aren't a good example of docs pay. I have yet to see a doc living in multimillion dollar house. Some around my area do live in million dollar houses but thats because its the avg. price of a new house in town and we have among the best school systems in state, and we are 5 min away from two major hospitals. </p></li>
<li><p>Could it be the extra paperwork. Or that fact that the doc usually doesnt make the appointment, the receptionist does. Or maybe the fact that it does cost money to see patients and the doc can't fill his days with HMO patients or he would go broke. Or maybe the HMO is the one who fights and says the patient doesnt need anything, and the doctor has to fight to see the patient so it takes this long.</p></li>
<li><p>A LOVE OF MEDICINE. By the time you have studied this much a spent this much time in medicine you could be practicing law and making much more. Docs don't choose to take out that many loans, they do it out of necessity in order to realize their dream of practicing medicine. </p></li>
<li><p>Because they want to attract business? If you spend a bunch of money for a machine you need to pay it off by having patients. </p></li>
<li><p>How about because its too expensive to rely on patients who never pay or whose insurance companies pay very little. Many docs don't want the hassle of dealing with paperwork, and its the perfect solution. Instead of filling their sched with people to pay the bills they can accept less patients a day and give really personal detailed attention to each patient and their problems. Malp. Insur. doesn't pay itself you know, and if they only relied on insurance money they sure wouldnt have enough to pay for their practice. And how do you know they get "filthy rich?" It pays the bills for them and gives them a modest income. Now if they where to see just as many patients as with an insurance company that would be different, then they would be making much more but not giving the super personalized attention, and they wouldn't be a boutique for very long.</p></li>
<li><p>Because thats how their pay is. But once again once you take away all the taxes and insurance etc they aren't making all too much money for the hours they put in. I'll do a little theory for you a doc works 45 weeks out of the year. Lets say he brings in 150,000 bucks after all expenses are taking out, a nice high range for a general doc. Thats $3333.33 bucks a week not bad. Now lets do this, 70 hours a week or so, the amount of time a normal doc might avg, could be more could be less. $47.62 cents an hour. Now if you where to really adjust times and figures a doc would avg maybe 40 bucks an hour. Sure it sounds great, but engineers make that, avg business people make that, lawyers make much more, Investment bankers make much more. Get my drift? It really isnt a lot for the time put in.</p></li>
</ol>

43

<p>"70 hours a week or so, the amount of time a normal doc might avg"</p>

<p>from: <a href="http://66.218.71.225/search/cache?p=physician+work+hours+57.6&ei=UTF-8&fl=0&u=www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/print/3627.html&w=physician+work+hours+57.6&d=85D8386F59&icp=1&.intl=us%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://66.218.71.225/search/cache?p=physician+work+hours+57.6&ei=UTF-8&fl=0&u=www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/print/3627.html&w=physician+work+hours+57.6&d=85D8386F59&icp=1&.intl=us&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"Physicians spent an average of 57.6 hours per week in professional activities in 2001, according to the AMA's Physician Socioeconomic Statistics, 2003-2004 Edition."</p>

<p>I totally agree, no one should enter ANY job exclusively based on salary. But there is no denying it, DOCTORS HAVE AN EXCELLENT SALARY- anywhere from around $150K for pediatrians, GP's, IM's, and psychiatrists to $250K+ for anesthesiologists and radiologists, AS THEY DESERVE. </p>

<p>Even with taxes and FICA, which subtract between 30-40% of the paycheck, and medmal as well, there is still by far a very comfortable income for doctors to enjoy. </p>

<p>Bottom Line: Do not pursue a career in medicine if only the pay will motivate you. But anyone who refutes the fact that they live on very very comfortable money is basing their judgment on pure fallacy.</p>

44

<p>"$250K+....AS THEY DESERVE"</p>

<p>..That's right. That's what I plan on "deservering". The other people on this board seem to want to drive people out of medicine for selfish reasons.....I've seen the lives doctors live, and it's much, much better than any other profession that I've seen (including engineers, CEOs, dentists)</p>

45

<p>Since you plan on "deservering" this lifestyle, I was just curious as to where you are right now? High schooler? College student? Med school student?</p>

<p>If I had to guess, I'd say you weren't in medical school yet.</p>

<p>And if you aren't in med school yet, my advice would be to steer clear of salary issues during your med school interview. (You can keep it in your head as your main motivating factor for entering medicine. Perhaps it is true that many doctors share that same motivation. But mentioning it aloud is a surefire way for the admissions committee to perceive you as selfish, immature, and possibly unable to grind it through the long road to become a doctor.)</p>

46

<p>"... and possibly unable to grind it through the long road to become a doctor."</p>

<p>It's a long road to many other fields......at least the path to becoming a doctor is a clear one. Imagine the path to becoming a CEO, a Senator, a PhD grad from an Ivy...each of them are longer and less clear than becoming a doctor. </p>

<p>The medical field is based on numbers, first and foremost. A 3.6 GPA plus decent MCAT scores will land me into a med school......very do-able compared to the paths to other fields. </p>

<p>Hey, it's a job, just like any other job.....no need to make it seem more noble than it is in reality. Doctors don't sacrifice anything....they gain a lot more than the average person. It's the mechanics, and the burger king employees that are doing the "sacrificing"....who else would want their jobs?</p>

47

<p>A surgen will take home 200k guaranteed. (probably more)</p>

<p>A non-surgeon will take home 140k guaranteed (probably more)</p>

<p>An MBA can either take home 100k for the rest of his life (uncertain), 500k for a few years as a ceo (very, very uncertain), or he can make almost nothing while he's job hopping (quite certain). MBA is a very fickle field......if you can't command/lead at least 100 people, you're not CEO material (very few MbAs are).....thus, you may make 80k-120k doing odd jobs as an MBA, sometimes working overnight to prepare instant presentations, or standing up in several conferences all day long to give talks.</p>

48

<p>
[Quote]
Hey, it's a job, just like any other job.....no need to make it seem more noble than it is in reality. Doctors don't sacrifice anything....they gain a lot more than the average person. It's the mechanics, and the burger king employees that are doing the "sacrificing"....who else would want their jobs?

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<p>Please don't become a doctor.</p>

49

<p>audiophile: How dare you try to dictate what somebody's job should be. I Am going to be a doctor because I love to learn about biology and would love to help people enhance their lives. Doctor's do sacrifice something... their own lives. How dare you say that they don't. People who work at Burger King did not spend money to stay in school for 9+ years in order to help others.</p>

50

<p>i FEEL DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR SAYING MY VIEWS</p>

51

<p>africanprincess,</p>

<p>You misunderstood my post. It was directed at Golubb's response. YOU should become a doctor and I wish you the best. Based on golubb's motivations and outlook, I would not want to put my life & health in his/her hands. I would like to think my physician thinks of it as more of a calling than "just a job".</p>

52

<p>I agree with audiophile. I would also like to think that my physician's primary goal is to make me feel better.</p>

<p>It is not so reassuring when my physician looks at me and sees dollar signs.</p>

53

<p>ha ha ha .... as an aspiring plastic surgueon and or cardiologist, I suspect I will have to make the choice between deciding which career to pursue</p>

54

<p>Do you want to show us some links that say that they are guaranteed this salary. Most surgeons pull in low to mid 100s and non-surgeons depends on the specialty but they pull in a wide range. A general practioner pulls in about the same as a surgeon. Highly specialized surgeons with years upon years of practice, that are well established pull in the ranges you said.</p>

55

<p>"I agree with audiophile. I would also like to think that my physician's primary goal is to make me feel better."</p>

<p>Why OF COURSE IT IS....they'd just love to make you feel better. Why don't you walk up to a doctor and ask him to write you a prescription for free..... he'll laugh at you. Try to see a doctor without a cash copayment and they'll kick you out of the office....</p>

56

<p>golubb, </p>

<p>If you are going to start off with that level of cynicism, it would be better for society if you chose a different career path. How about i-banking? Many here are interested in that and they make lots of money.</p>

57

<p>yea but I read on another post that investment banking has the same horrible hours as some people say doctors do.<br>
But anyway I can't believe that aspiring doctors aren't allowed to be motivated by the salary, while IB's and lawyers are, as evident in audiophile's post. Strange.</p>

58

<p>
[Quote]
But anyway I can't believe that aspiring doctors aren't allowed to be motivated by the salary, while IB's and lawyers are, as evident in audiophile's post. Strange.

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<p>Of course, salary should be a factor and MDs deserve to be well paid, but it shouldn't be the MAIN motivation. It takes a lot longer to become a practicing MD than it does to go into business or law and more sacrifices need to be made along the way.</p>

59

<p>I guess it depends on how you look at it. Doctors have a very stable job. There's always going to be a need for doctors, so they will never be jobless (though they might have to switch specialties). MBAs are more unstable. Whether or not you have a job depends on how good you are at what you do, and to some extent, how good other people are. However, MBAs have the potential to be multi-millionaires; doctors for the most part, don't. Both should give you a comfortable living though.</p>

60

<p>DiGamma brings up a good point. It's considered a good thing to be ambitious and aim for a high salary with professions like law and especially business.</p>

<p>It is kind of weird that it is considered immoral to do the same in medicine!</p>

<p>I think it's certainly fine to have that kind of motivation (financial) to enter the medical field. It's just nice to a) keep that to yourself and then b) have another reason for being there. (Not all doctors strike it super super rich and then at that point, it would be nice to have another motivating factor to push a student through med school, through the long hours of residency, and through the everyday routine of being a doctor)</p>