Less, Not More
I grabbed this from the SDN forums and wanted to post it here just in case you guys haven’t seen it yet.
From the Journal of Medical Economics:
“I’m frustrated and disillusioned,I do not know one single M.D. who is happy right now, and many are actively looking for a way out. The system is all very broken. But the health plans, the insurance companies, are all more solvent than ever.”
-Dr. Patrick Lyden, UCSD Department of Neurology
“I love being a physician, but practicing medicine is extremely frustrating when I never know how much my charges will translate into actual dollars. Medicine used to be about helping people. Our system of fragmented care is broken. It’s time for the big overhaul.”
-Patricia M. Martin, MD
“I’m a practicing board-certified internist, and over the past 25 years I’ve seen catastrophic changes to the practice of medicine in the state of Pennsylvania. Even the busiest physicians have found it impossible to keep up with their monthly costs. Overhead continues to rise at exponential rates and our reimbursement continues to fall. This explains why so many physicians have fled the state. Nevertheless, at 50 years of age with an established practice, and a family devoted to remaining in this area, I struggle to enhance the finances of my practice, while finding it more and more difficult to succeed.”
-Ronald M. Block, MD
Medical Economics, Sept 2, 2005 v82 i17 p8(1)
Thanks joedoctor.
All About The Benjamins
Based on comments from my OB/GYN post, some people believe that I “wasted a spot” in medical school. Yeah, I’ve heard it before – even from some of my classmates. These are the gunners that I routinely piss off by surfing the Halo2 forums while they’re looking up the next article that they can bring in for the team.
Let’s break it down this way – it’s all about the money. I’m finishing school and getting my M.D. for the coin and perks. Plain and simple. As a matter of fact, I love the “so what are you going into” question that I get from residents and attendings whenever I start a new rotation. Most students cringe at this question, hoping that the overworked surgery resident that’s inquiring about your future isn’t going to get pissed and hold it against you if you tell them radiology. I used to tell them “business”, but they would get all smart-ass and probe deeper into my choice. “What kind of business?” “You went to medical school so you can work in business?” “Wow, I can’t believe you did this so you can work in business.” I now respond with something like: “well, I thought about [whatever rotation you're on at the time], but I’ve ultimately decided on utilizing my MBA along with my MD to see how much money I can make. In fact, I’ve already accepted a position with a very competitive salary.” That usually catches them off guard and they typically shut the fuck up about your insane choice to make the most money possible.