how do you reconcile the two?

[HUSU]

I came across this article today and for nontraditional applicants, how do you reconcile the personal sacrifices you must make to pursue a career in medicine versus what seems to be the failure of the health care system in America? Perhaps many of us will not become primary care physicians but the overall dissatisfaction that this doctor expresses is enough to put a bad taste in anyone's mouth (or at least in mine).

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/25/harris.primary.care.doctor/index.html

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[Nasrudin]

I'm pretty sure I'm goin into primary care. If. My number gets called that is. I'm interested in Pediatrics as of now.

I dig your question.

Thing is. This is the downhill slide of the American dream. For the upper middle class it's been a rough ride down. And these doc's are frustrated for good reason. The other thing is though. Most everybody else is already sweatin out the American nightmare. And so it ain't no big surprise that things are F'd up.

If the doc in the story really thought about some of his patients' real lives he'd realize the whole woeful dissertation is no big news.

So I don't need any reconciliation from two seeming separate strands. It's F'd. I know it. You know it. But I'm going anyways. If I get the chance.

 

[EdLongshanks]

I know that there is a problem with the differential rates between what a Primary care physician gets and what a specialist receives, but the bitterness that this occasions is over the top.

So a PCP might only make 110 k/yr in a residential area while a radiologist in New York pulls down 600k. This difference should be addressed by reformers, true. But you're going to have a hard time getting the public to cry tears over the poor doctor "only" making 6 figures.

 

[J ROD]

Simply I dont do it for the money. The only reason money is a concern for me is I have to pay back loans. I would be a doc for alot less money....except for that reason.