A must read. MD, Med Student, and Pre-Med.

[gherelin]

[
If you are one of these people that are willing to alter your life based on a book, an opinion, an economic forecast, etc-- then I say you are probably to damn conformist to be brilliant enough to practice plumbing, not to mention medicine.[/QB][/QUOTE]

why put down people with real jobs over a stupid book?

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[wake up sir your surgery is over]

This guy is obviously a bitter geek. But he left out one very important specialty, anesthesia. After reading posts from people like gasman I reaffirm my love for this specialty. I have always dreamed of putting patients in reverse Trendelenburg and the ultimate experience in medicine, saying those 7 coveted words to your patient, "Wake up sir, your surgery is over". I can't believe I ever wanted to be a pediatrician. The author of this book seems like such a cool guy. I bet he was a pimp in college.

Let it be known to all future physicians that the only way to happiness is by never coming into contact with patients and the only physicians who are not destitute and panhandling for money are anesthesiologists and radiologists. I'm sure that at least half the people going into these fields are sincere, but the people on this website sound like fools. Excuse me, I have to go to the soup kitchen for my dinner, after all, my father is an invasive cardiologist.

2003 Pediatrics or Burst

 

[LoneSEAL]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by wake up sir, your surgery is over:
•This guy is obviously a bitter geek. But he left out one very important specialty, anesthesia. After reading posts from people like gasman I reaffirm my love for this specialty. I have always dreamed of putting patients in reverse Trendelenburg and the ultimate experience in medicine, saying those 7 coveted words to your patient, "Wake up sir, your surgery is over". I can't believe I ever wanted to be a pediatrician. The author of this book seems like such a cool guy. I bet he was a pimp in college.

2003 Pediatrics or Burst•••••Huh? I can't follow what you're writing. The author does talk abot anesthesiology in the book. And how does your desire to be a pediatrician fit into the theme of what you're talking about. Otherwise a very eloquent post

 

[wake up sir your surgery is over]

Thanks for reading my post.

The peds thing was just meant to be sarcastic, becaue according to gasman and voxel I am going to be miserable and on welfare by going into any other fields than the afore mentioned.

Good day

 

[gassman]

Nice personal attack, Wake up sir, really. You don't know me or my motivations, and you certainly haven't seen me interact with patients, yet you feel justified in posting that. Classy.

 

[wake up sir your surgery is over]

Gasman,
Also classy to insinuate that the other 14,500 senior medical students who have not declared Anes are missing the big picture. Not everyone's main motivation is the absolute dollar amount we make. Some of us will be satisfied with a 535 instead of a 735 if you get my picture. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. If you don't want your profession to be questioned than don't question others.

 

[gassman]

When did I ever mention money in any of my posts? I challenge you to find one single mention of money. Of course I have talked up my future specialty. But my main practical reason for choosing anesthesia was not money, it was not wanting to run a clinic and not wanting to have to see 15 patients before I had even cleared overhead (when you see 30 patients per day, you don't exactly have quality interactions with them, do you?) In addition, I loved the science behind anesthesia.

You are simply putting words in my mouth. To reiterate-- find one mention of money in ANY of my posts.

And another thing--I didn't question anybody's specialty. I just gave my opinion...just like you,oh self-righteous one and defender of downtrodden specialties. Get over yourself.

 

[Voxel]

All I said was that this the book should be read. That doesn't mean I endorse the opinions in this book. I think you shouldn't be so quick to make generalizations about me or others.

I have always said that picking your specialty in medicine should be a balance of different factors including intellectual interest, technologic advances, patient contact, procedures/using one's hands, lifestyle, income, etc. Give weights to each factor and then rate each specialty accordingly taking into account the rating and weight. Tally up the score. Then you can come up with a rational decision without regret and/or lost time.

 

[Goofy]

•••quote:•••All I said was that this the book should be read. That doesn't mean I endorse the opinions in this book. I think you shouldn't be so quick to make generalizations about me or others. ••••Vox,

I realize you are replying to another poster, but I'm glad you are making this clarification. I think you are genuinely trying to help others, and have often offered pristine advice. You are one of my favorite posters here.

Having finished that brief love-in, I have to disagree with your advice, that pre-meds/med students ought to read this book. I found the book to largely be filled with unmolested drivel. I believe this author is either exceptionally twisted or trying to create a work so controversial that students will flock to amazon.com to check it out.

The rants are hysterical, and the advice is even worse. I think this book might actually do more harm to the impressionable and less experienced. In many ways, it represents the absolute worst medicine has to offer.

I understand to some degree why you think exploring how someone became so disenfranchised with medicine might be a valuable endeavor, but I still must disagree. For me, the print on these pages were an absolute waste of eyesight. The book offers very poor guidance, and is often downright offensive, in more ways than one. Simply because someone went to the pains of binding and publishing a manifesto of stupidity doesn't mean I should read it.

I respectfully disagree. YMMV

•••quote:••• I have always said that picking your specialty in medicine should be a balance of different factors including intellectual interest, technologic advances, patient contact, procedures/using one's hands, lifestyle, income, etc. Give weights to each factor and then rate each specialty accordingly taking into account the rating and weight. Tally up the score. Then you can come up with a rational decision without regret and/or lost time. ••••This is an excellent algorithm for success.

K.P.

 

[wake up sir your surgery is over]

To Voxel and Gasman,

I apologize. I looked back at the post and you did not really talk down others, but you have to admit that there is an arrogant as hell tone on this message board about certain fields of medicine. I am no saint either. I am going into a specialty of Pediatrics because salries can double to triple that way, so I am not self rightous (sp.), but many pre med students who might be reading this stuff will think we are all a bunch of pompous asses, and I just don't want that to happen, although I myself am a bit of an ass.

Good day

 

[DuneHog]

•••quote:••• I myself am a bit of an ass.
••••I agree.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[wfu2005]

i don't think anyone should read something that someone else thinks is drivel. we should only read things that everyone agrees is great. you can't possibly gleen any information from someone who has a different opinion than you.

Geez, the original posts just suggested to read the book. some people obviously like it a lot, others do not. make up your own mind on your opinions for yourself on the book. if you like it, fine, if you don't, fine. but please, oh God please, don't try to save us naive med students from a life of pain or misguided thoughts through an internet message board.

by the way, pulp is good in orange juice. gives it some texture. some pulp, not lots of pulp. so my advice to you is AVOID ALL OTHER FORMS OF ORANGE JUICE, AND DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THEM.

 

[LECOM12]

bump

 

[Smoke This]

Why does the book have such an impact on those wanting to do rads? Does he do nothing more than fervently hype rads and knock everything else?

 

[GuitarMan]

Originally posted by Smoke This
Why does the book have such an impact on those wanting to do rads? Does he do nothing more than fervently hype rads and knock everything else?

Not exactly. He fervently hype's RAP's and knocks everything else.

Radiology
Anesthesiology
Pathology

 

[notstudying]

Originally posted by Spidey
•••quote:•••Originally posted by oldandtired:
• There are plenty of gold digging women out there.•••••it's true. Obviously most of the gurlies on this board won't be the gold digger type, since they are working to become doctors themselves. One of my biggest fears is marrying a woman and believing that I'm in love only to wake up one morning and find that for one reason or another I've lost my money and now that the chips are down my wife no longer wants anything to do with me. You know when I get married I will probably have the wife sign a pre-nup.

OK, I know quite a few male docs who are on wife and family number two and are married either to nurses or doctors they met while in residency or practice...while married to their first wives (who put up with them through med school, etc). Gold digging chicks aren't the only reason for the 50% of marriages that fail!

 

[Spidey]

I didn't mean to come off as blaming women for all marriage problems, for every gold digger out there there is at least one dog, so the evil between the sexes kinda balances out

 

[angelic02]

Fanconi,

If everything works out, I will be a music major with pre-med next year.

 

[Charlie]

Does anyone know where I could get a hold of a copy for less that $45. I was looking on amazon.com and they had maybe four used copies starting at the said price.

Thanks.

Charlie

 

[jr264]

I was wondering if people had read the 3rd and 4th edition and if there was considerable difference between the 2 edition. I own a 3rd edition but would like to read the 4th edition.

Thanks

 

[badassy]

I believe I'l buy this book and see how it is. It'll probably be a let down tho. Dah well, dont have anything else to do with my time

 

[::Seabass::]

holy crap. the only one I could find was $250 for a third edition. ridiculous!

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Sounds narrow-minded if he thinks people can only be happy in 5 specialties. I know a helluvalotta happy EM docs with a great lifestyle. At any rate, how does this book compare to House of God?

 

[DermRes]

I think this is a great book. The best reading I have done when I was in medical school. I read it three times!!!

I sincerely have to recommend this book. We are all intelligent individuals, and we should be able to decide for ourselves what advice to take and what to leave alone. His book is very insightful. He also went on describe various scenarios as to setting up future practice and the potential pitfull. He may sound cynicals, but would you appreciate if someone tell you where all the holes on the road are when you are walking so you won't fall into them? I think this book serves that purpose, if nothing else.

Different people will agree or disagree with his advice. I personally enjoyed the reading and find the book helpful in helping me think outside of the box. I recommend it. I think this book makes you think even if you don't agree with what he says.

Then again, it is only my recommendation.

 

[DermRes]

OMG!!

It is now $175-$250 a copy?!

There goes my dream of owning one myself...

(I read my med school library copy..)

 

[CJLaw]

Weil-Felix,

I have not completely read this thread nor have I read Dr. Polk's book. However, I tend to agree with spidey when he calls you naive. I used to work in Domestic Relations (the government office which handles child and spousal support claims) as a conference officer. My job was to act as a mediator between the parties and TRY to arrange an agreement for support. This entailed the parties testifying in my office, presenting educational and professional certifications, and proof of income. I would then, based upon Stat Support Guidelines, Statutes, and Case Law make a recommendation to the court for support.

In my two years in this job, I can remember over 30 cases in which a male doctor was sued for spousal support (I'm not even getting into child support claims) and the wives were purely gold diggers. In one case, the man was just out of residency and chose to acccept an attending position in a hospital instead of a private practice job that he was offfered (for substantially more money) She argued that I should give him an earning capacity of 175,000/year (the private practice job) instead of using his actual income (105,000/year)! I used the actual income. In another case, I had a woman who left her husband because he chose EM instead of surgery. She actually said " I didn't live in a dink apartment for the last three years to be the wife of Mark Greene--I wanna be Mrs. Romano (of Er fame)"! And in yet another case, I had a woman who wanted support because she "sacrificed her career, so that he could be a doctor". She even went into detail about how she waitressed/secretaried during his med school, instead of going to college herself. However, when I asked her about her current employment (they had been seperated for almost a year) she said "why should I have to work? He makes 600,000 a year." And when I asked her of her plans for the future, thinking she might re-invent her self and try to accomplish her goals she said "I'm dating a stock broker right now".

Take it from me, the gold digger woman is not a myth. They are real, hungry for money, and waiting for you at the local med-student hangout! So beware! Sorry to shatter your perfect image of the 2003 woman.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

What century does this guy live in? He makes all women sound like a bunch of gold-diggers and greedy bitches who only love a man for his money.

sounds like he has alot to teach you..anyone know where I can get a copy of this book?