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- Feb 25, 2006
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I am really interested in EM and some aspects of surgery (not associated with EM as a profession, but something I am sure EM people have an opinion on) I guess I am just sick of second guessing myself for making a career change. I am 27, run a credit card processing company in NYC. I make good money about 150k a year to work 40 hrs a week, sometimes 60 when training new reps. I am my own boss, and work my own schedule. When our office takes off (I am assuming it will) I would make 300-500k by the time I would be done residency. Even if the office is not a huge success I am probably going to earn atleast 250k in my current business. The thing is I am really interested in EM, and being a doc, but am so discouraged about the salary issues I see facing docs... Before I began researching being a doc I did not have the understanding about HMO / Medicare / Insurance co's etc..Now I know docs seem to be getting the shaft, and the worse part is, it does not look like physicians are fighting the right battle to be paid accordingly. It is not wrong to be paid as the main provider of care. The insurance companies should not be making the most money. Doctors deserve to earn a healthy income for the work and stress they deal with on a daily basis. Anyways, I am not all consumed with money, but if I cannot atleast know that I am going to earn a good living (i.e atleast 250k) after 10 yrs of school / residency, maybe all these negative posts on SDN are correct... maybe my interest in medicine is not worth the loss of income..
When are doctors going to stand up and push for public knowledge of the insurance company's profits and the squeezing of doctors?
The fact is people can say all they want that money should not be a reason to practice medicine, but this thinking also allows other institutions like the lawyers and the insurance companies who treat medicine like a business increase their bottom line by decreasing doctors. It is obvious that doctors are bad business people, and need to realize that this is a business and the best people in business fight for their needs and do what they need to, to be successful and make profit.
Money should not be the reason, but if you do not make what you deserve many will be unhappy, and many will decide to give up their desire to help others and practice medicine because the opportunity cost is too high. I am discouraged becasue I keep trying to convince my business oriented mind that giving up my current job, to go into debt, make no money for 5 or 6 years, make little money during residency will all be worth it in the end... I guess the people at SDN have made me start to question this, and I guess I am just wondering if doctors are ever going to stand up for their rights so that people like me can leave lucrative jobs because they want to pursue a career that is far more rewarding. I don't mind taking a pay cut to be a doc, but I can't see myself earning less than I do at 28 when I am done my residency at 38.....
Thoughts / opinions....
When are doctors going to stand up and push for public knowledge of the insurance company's profits and the squeezing of doctors?
The fact is people can say all they want that money should not be a reason to practice medicine, but this thinking also allows other institutions like the lawyers and the insurance companies who treat medicine like a business increase their bottom line by decreasing doctors. It is obvious that doctors are bad business people, and need to realize that this is a business and the best people in business fight for their needs and do what they need to, to be successful and make profit.
Money should not be the reason, but if you do not make what you deserve many will be unhappy, and many will decide to give up their desire to help others and practice medicine because the opportunity cost is too high. I am discouraged becasue I keep trying to convince my business oriented mind that giving up my current job, to go into debt, make no money for 5 or 6 years, make little money during residency will all be worth it in the end... I guess the people at SDN have made me start to question this, and I guess I am just wondering if doctors are ever going to stand up for their rights so that people like me can leave lucrative jobs because they want to pursue a career that is far more rewarding. I don't mind taking a pay cut to be a doc, but I can't see myself earning less than I do at 28 when I am done my residency at 38.....
Thoughts / opinions....
