Is the VA the best job for people who arer jaded?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Sivastraba

Member
10+ Year Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
80
Reaction score
0
I am sick of Medical School and residency training, and have developed a very cynical view about Medicine in general. I am tired of having to put up w/ medical insurances, liability and pt insastisfaction despite busting your butt off. For people with this kind of view is the VA system the best option or are there other routes out there. Money is not the # 1 priority for me....

Members don't see this ad.
 
Happens in residency to all of us. Good news is, it gets better.

There are lots of options if you don't want to deal with insurance and that sort of thing. Academics, the VA, pure research, the military, all these are options.

However, when you find how sweet it is to be your own attending making your own decisions about patient care and raking in the $$$, you might change your mind.
 
The VA is not bad...

I have my continuity clinic at the VA and l.o.v.e. it. Love it. The EMR makes care much easier, patient population is gratifying, plenty of pathology. My VA attendings appear to have a pretty decent lifestyle, plenty of time to divide among research, clinical, then attend on the inpatient side once in a while...and I never see clinic attendings there past 5p.m.

FAR less CYA medicine seen in the private sector, no litigiousness. Performance indicators are followed religiously and electronic reminders pop up if I haven't checked by diabetic's feet, given a new hypertensive HCTZ, given immunizations, etc...makes outpatient medicine much easier.

I hate dealing with our fragmented health care system in the private sector...so much time finding out information from other hospitals, doctors, etc. I don't even know what is on those "Press Ganey" surveys, but am constantly reminded of them and am starting to feel like a waitress or flight attendant. Seriously, I overheard a nurse manager telling the floor nurses to round "every hour" to ensure that the patient was satisfied, to offer a beverage or snack, etc. Meanwhile, I won't be notified if a patient's vital signs are abnormal b/c the nurse was too busy charting her hourly rounds for her 7 patients. It's ridiculous. These aren't hotels -- they are hospitals!
 
I agree that being jaded is something that "happens" in medical training. During my internship, I attended a highschool reunion, and my friends from there were saying, "What happened to you?" I do believe I cried a bit after that.

Yes, unfortunately, sometimes patients don't seem to appreciate how hard we work to help them through the incredible circumstances they put themselves in. Or sometimes they think one doctor is so good because these doctors charm their pants off them...and these patients have no idea these same doctors are making money off them and cheating them of proper medical care (why would they care as long as dr. so and so holds their hand and smiles at them?). And they dislike you because you scold them when they don't take their antihypertensive medication.

But I do hope it gets better. What's nice about medicine is that it's expanding so much. (well, sometimes it can be a pain). If money is not an issue for you, them you can tailor your lifestyle to what you want. There are plenty of clinical and nonclinical options (which sometimes sound mightily inviting!).
 
Top