CNN 50 Best Jobs...

[manleyb]

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So I am at work and cruising through the web and I started to read this report by CNN and thought it would make an interesting topic of discussion. It has Physician/Surgeon as the #30 best job, and Physician assistant as #5, and Medical scientist as #15. Looking at the list I have a few questions.

First the pay scale for Physician/Surgeon is pretty high. I know this is an average but if you click on the Physician/Surgeon link you can see that it still have over 75% of Physician/Surgeon are making over $181,001. This seems a little high for me?? 😕

Second the Physician assistant and Medical scientist pay seems a little low. I also wonder about their definition of a Medical scientist?

I know it might be hard to judge the validity of such a broad report for the medical field but there definitely quite a few health field related jobs for the top 50.

 

[Solideliquid]

So I am at work and cruising through the web and I started to read this report by CNN and thought it would make an interesting topic of discussion. It has Physician/Surgeon as the #30 best job, and Physician assistant as #5, and Medical scientist as #15. Looking at the list I have a few questions.

First the pay scale for Physician/Surgeon is pretty high. I know this is an average but if you click on the Physician/Surgeon link you can see that it still have over 75% of Physician/Surgeon are making over $181,001. This seems a little high for me?? 😕

Second the Physician assistant and Medical scientist pay seems a little low. I also wonder about their definition of a Medical scientist?

I know it might be hard to judge the validity of such a broad report for the medical field but there definitely quite a few health field related jobs for the top 50.

Doesn't seem like any logic has gone into making the list..#2 is college professor? wow. Why didn't I think of that?

 

[gdbaby]

Doesn't seem like any logic has gone into making the list..#2 is college professor? wow. Why didn't I think of that?

Sweeeet. I have the #2 job in the country? Right on. It is a great job: I teach two classes on M/W and one class on T, I don't have a "boss" per se and I am hopefully teaching people to think about the world in a different way.

Why did I switch to medicine again? 😀

 

[RunnerMD]

Check it out! Paralegals are # 27! Let's drop the whole med school thing and get a degree online so we can be bossed around by attorneys all day I think CNN should put this list in their humor section.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

what is humorous to me are the assumptions pre-meds make about what constitutes a "good" job. Not everybody has ambitions for jobs with a lot of responsibility (i.e., sue-ability), and a lot of people want time for family and recreation.

 

[PlasticMan]

I'm at the #1 job right now? 😱 Why am I quitting in 4 months to go to medical school then? 😀

**edit** for anyone looking, here's the link

 

[RxnMan]

By this, I've already got a more satisfying job than the surgeons I work with.

I think this is on the order of using "Harvard or Yale" -type thread, or the US News rankings, to choose a med school. Do what makes you happy! Make your own decisions! Don't do what others tell you just because they say so!

 

[manleyb]

By no way should anyone use this report to decide on going in to the medical field, hell it's CNN. 😳 I was just more concerned with the projection it cast on the medical field, especially the income level. It forgets to mention a lot of the other factors about being a physician. I wonder how people view our future profession because I now look at a Real estate appraiser as a pretty lofty job.

Wow looking at houses all day and telling people how it's structurally unsound and thier Feng Shui is out of whack , not bad, not bad at all!

 

[happydays]

You have to consider how they rated the jobs:

NEW YORK (MONEY) - To find the best jobs in America, MONEY Magazine and Salary.com, a leading provider of employee compensation data and software, began by assembling a list of positions that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will grow at an above-average rate over 10 years and that require at least a bachelor's degree.

Using Salary.com compensation data, we eliminated jobs with average pay below $50,000; total employment of less than 15,000; dangerous work environments; or fewer than 800 annual job openings, including both new and replacement positions.

Next we rated positions by stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field.

We then ranked the jobs, giving double weight to compensation and percentage growth. Data for the top 50 appear here. Any job that fell in the bottom third of two job-satisfaction categories, or in the pay or growth category, was removed from consideration for the top 10.

The bolded reasons explain why physicians are ranked low. (stressful, long hours, exposure to diseases, highly selective....)

 

[Bluntman]

Next we rated positions by stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field.

We then ranked the jobs, giving double weight to compensation and percentage growth. Data for the top 50 appear here. Any job that fell in the bottom third of two job-satisfaction categories, or in the pay or growth category, was removed from consideration for the top 10.

The bolded reasons explain why physicians are ranked low. (stressful, long hours, exposure to diseases, highly selective....)

👍 Good catch...I was wondering why a lot of things seemed exceptionally screwy, even for CNN. i.e. why lower level positions mostly appeared higher in the rankings than their higher level brethren within the same/similar fields.

 

[ChymeChancellor]

Is it just me or did the pay for every job on that list seem a little inflated? I don't think this list took regional differences in pay into account.

As far as I know the pay is less in the midwest, but the cost of living is much cheaper. Whereas, if you lived in say, New York City, the pay would be more but the cost of living would also be higher. But these are just generalizations. Anybody have any facts to back this up?

 

[humuhumu]

Sweeeet. I have the #2 job in the country? Right on. It is a great job: I teach two classes on M/W and one class on T, I don't have a "boss" per se and I am hopefully teaching people to think about the world in a different way.

Why did I switch to medicine again? 😀

Heh, heh, I've had the same thought. I guess the grass is always greener....



Actually I have many specific reasons for wanting to (a) go into medicine and (b) quit my current med school teaching position, but I'm feeling too lazy to elaborate right now...

 

[SuperTrooper]

I wonder how they come up with these average salaries. Dentist is ranked #43, and it says they average $142,000 a year, less than half what they say physicians make. That doesn't seem quite right to me. 😕

 

[MDdream]

optometrist is on there 😎

scores: A=stress,B,C,D=difficulty and $93,000

 

[LadyWolverine]

Check it out! Paralegals are # 27! Let's drop the whole med school thing and get a degree online so we can be bossed around by attorneys all day.

LMFAO!!!

 

[PharmD2MD]

I'm at # 9. Clearly they didn't ask any pharmacists about this. I'm surprised to see pharmacy ranked that high.

 

[OctoDoc]

Sweeeet. I have the #2 job in the country? Right on. It is a great job: I teach two classes on M/W and one class on T, I don't have a "boss" per se and I am hopefully teaching people to think about the world in a different way.

Why did I switch to medicine again? 😀

Like me, you want to go from figuratively getting $h1tted on by lazy, irresponsible students looking for someone to blame for their actions and lifestyles, to literally getting $h1tted on by lazy, irresponsible patients not willing to take responsibility for their actions and lifestyles.

 

[gdbaby]

Like me, you want to go from figuratively getting $h1tted on by lazy, irresponsible students looking for someone to blame for their actions and lifestyles, to literally getting $h1tted on by lazy, irresponsible patients not willing to take responsibility for their actions and lifestyles.

Ahhhh yes. It is all so clear now! So, it really is a latteral move.

 

[OctoDoc]

Check it out! Paralegals are # 27! Let's drop the whole med school thing and get a degree online so we can be bossed around by attorneys all day I think CNN should put this list in their humor section.

Doctors are already bossed around by attorneys. Friggin' attorneys (apologies to Law2Doc).

According to an article in the Parade magazine a month or so ago, there is a lawyer for every 274 people in the U.S. In Washington, D.C., it is one for every 14 people. How are they going to make a living? Sue, and the notions of "sh1t happens" and personal responsibility be damned.

Hey Law2Doc, after you get your MD, please, please, PLEASE fix the system!

(Sorry everybody, I was reading about malpractice lawsuits last night and got really worked up.)

 

[Gerrymandering]

I'm at # 9. Clearly they didn't ask any pharmacists about this. I'm surprised to see pharmacy ranked that high.

LOL pharmacy is so boooooooring after shadowing some...I was contemplating it before i switched my focus to medicine!

oh and whoever posted asking what a medical scientist is...i think they mean medical technologist or lab scientist (excluding pathology?), but yeah it's really indirect!!

in my opinion, these rankings are so overrated (they mean nothing to me). i think they made this list just because there is a shortage of people within a specific career (making it attractive for youngsters these days). It's all games the media plays these days!! don't pay attention to any lists, even the US Today or US News rankings for medical schools...IT'S ALL A JOKE!!! everything is so overrated in society. Just follow your heart to where you want it to be and you're fine!

 

[Bluntman]

(Sorry everybody, I was reading about malpractice lawsuits last night and got really worked up.)

Octo, Law2Doc, anyone else - Do you guys have any suggested reading to check out on that subject? I've always wanted to know more than just the vague feeling I have of "we're getting screwed by malpractice suits, and it's only getting worse..."

 

[theresa83]

what's their definition of "best jobs"?

 

[Bluntman]

what's their definition of "best jobs"?

happydays posted it a bit farther down (or up i guess, depending on how your prefs are set) in this thread.

 

[OctoDoc]

Octo, Law2Doc, anyone else - Do you guys have any suggested reading to check out on that subject? I've always wanted to know more than just the vague feeling I have of "we're getting screwed by malpractice suits, and it's only getting worse..."

Go to MedLine and type in malpractice. You can be more specific by also typing in a specialty. Then look at the list and click on the articles that are free.

If you want to get really angry, just google a specialty malpractice, such as "orthopedic malpractice" and look at the volume of lawyers that sustain their practices by suing doctors. Surely, many such lawsuits are "legit," but...you know.

 

[BoogieGnome]

I'm at the #1 job right now? 😱 Why am I quitting in 4 months to go to medical school then? 😀

**edit** for anyone looking, here's the link

Same here! I wonder who they asked? Sure the pay/education is pretty good, but the satisfaction is grossly lacking (maybe that's just me), and growth prospects seem questionable if the outsourcing trend picks up.

 

[CTSballer11]

Go to MedLine and type in malpractice. You can be more specific by also typing in a specialty. Then look at the list and click on the articles that are free.

If you want to get really angry, just google a specialty malpractice, such as "orthopedic malpractice" and look at the volume of lawyers that sustain their practices by suing doctors. Surely, many such lawsuits are "legit," but...you know.

Yea it is important that you point out that not all lawsuits are baseless, because there are plenty of docs that deserve what they had coming to them. But there is something wrong when lawyers are making a living on malpractice lawsuits.

 

[Hercules022]

The rankings are just designed to be unique, since no one wants to buy a magazine to be told that being a doctor, lawyer, investment banker are good jobs. They already know that. So, the Money list is designed so that you look at it in the supermarket and are intrigued by the rankings (real estate appraiser in the top ten?) and buy the magazine.

They should put working at McDonald's in the top ten, minimal responsibility and good opportunities for advancement. Like Kanye says, this week you're mopping floors next week it's the fries!

 

[manleyb]

Doctors are already bossed around by attorneys. Friggin' attorneys (apologies to Law2Doc).

According to an article in the Parade magazine a month or so ago, there is a lawyer for every 274 people in the U.S. In Washington, D.C., it is one for every 14 people. How are they going to make a living? Sue, and the notions of "sh1t happens" and personal responsibility be damned.

Hey Law2Doc, after you get your MD, please, please, PLEASE fix the system!

(Sorry everybody, I was reading about malpractice lawsuits last night and got really worked up.)

Anyone know more information about how passing laws that limit certain damages awarded effect the insurance/malpractice problems in a state? I believe that either Michigan or Minnesota has a law but I am not really sure 😕 ???

Also how do you get in to the Real Estate Appraisal business?? Just a back Plan 😀

 

[luke77]

Does anyone with a hardcopy know if they list the methodology for the stats they list (salary, etc)? The salary figures do seem inflated to me - they say the average college professor salary is $81,000 and that includes grad students and adjuncts? I thought most professors start around $50,000 even at good schools and then move up when they get tenure...

 

[Gerrymandering]

The rankings are just designed to be unique, since no one wants to buy a magazine to be told that being a doctor, lawyer, investment banker are good jobs. They already know that. So, the Money list is designed so that you look at it in the supermarket and are intrigued by the rankings (real estate appraiser in the top ten?) and buy the magazine.

They should put working at McDonald's in the top ten, minimal responsibility and good opportunities for advancement. Like Kanye says, this week you're mopping floors next week it's the fries!

You and I see it the same way buddy! Kanye's words of wisdom i can assure you. Hercules have you ever heard of Nas or Immortal Technique? They say a lot of nice things about the ecomonical media.

 

[NonTradMed]

I've seen a similar list compiled a while back. These lists are based on things like stress level, flexibility in addition to things such as income so it stands to reason that the top of the list would not be 'doctor, lawyer, IB'...it's not a list based on salary alone, it's the lifestyle they are trying to sell you. I don't know why people here on so worked up about the list. My former is the #1 job in the list and I say it certainly had its perks, moreso than medicine, even if much of it is being outsourced, so I think there's some truth to the list.

 

[Dave_D]

Same here! I wonder who they asked? Sure the pay/education is pretty good, but the satisfaction is grossly lacking (maybe that's just me), and growth prospects seem questionable if the outsourcing trend picks up.

Yet another ex-SE chiming in here. Maybe they were doing shots while making the list or something. I mean besides the fact in SE your company can go belly up far to frequently(or just a small lay off) you're right about satisfaction being a myth. I mean I've done projects where at the end the whole thing was thrown away and never used by anyone. I know, the SE's here are biased because they're trying to get out but even my friends at those places wouldn't called SE the best thing going.

 

[Hercules022]

I've seen a similar list compiled a while back. These lists are based on things like stress level, flexibility in addition to things such as income so it stands to reason that the top of the list would not be 'doctor, lawyer, IB'...it's not a list based on salary alone, it's the lifestyle they are trying to sell you. I don't know why people here on so worked up about the list. My former is the #1 job in the list and I say it certainly had its perks, moreso than medicine, even if much of it is being outsourced, so I think there's some truth to the list.

I'm aware that salary isn't the only factor they consider, but my claim is that they devised the rankings to intentionally place the traditionally best jobs at surprisingly low levels and thus catch peoples' attention. Moreover, it makes no sense to include factors such as stress and ease of field entry in the rankings. Some people want stressful jobs, and others don't, so to just assume stress is a negative factor is illogical. And ease of entry, if anything, often has an inverse relationship with job quality. If the rankings were going to have any meaning, they'd have to only include qualities of a job that are universally desirable: salary, avg. job satisfaction, etc.

I don't personally care about these rankings in the slightest, just surprised that people on here are taking them seriously at all.

 

[NonTradMed]

I'm aware that salary isn't the only factor they consider, but my claim is that they devised the rankings to intentionally place the traditionally best jobs at surprisingly low levels and thus catch peoples' attention. Moreover, it makes no sense to include factors such as stress and ease of field entry in the rankings. Some people want stressful jobs, and others don't, so to just assume stress is a negative factor is illogical. And ease of entry, if anything, often has an inverse relationship with job quality. If the rankings were going to have any meaning, they'd have to only include qualities of a job that are universally desirable: salary, avg. job satisfaction, etc.

I don't personally care about these rankings in the slightest, just surprised that people on here are taking them seriously at all.

People like to see things ranked, it makes for easier comparison. I agree that their tally is subjective, but it's as good as any. I guess I just don't like to see my former job ballyhooed, especially by people who may never have done it. Anyway, i'm not sure if software engineer is the BEST job, but it certainly one of the better ones. 😀

 

[Gerrymandering]

ranking things is so POP CULTURE! if you think you're interested in something, try it out yourself...simplest piece of advice for anybody on here!

 

[shorrin]

and why isn't radiology on that list? hmm, maybe it's not the 'radiholiday' everyone thinks it is. 🙄

 

[2Sexy4MedSchool]

Yea it is important that you point out that not all lawsuits are baseless, because there are plenty of docs that deserve what they had coming to them. But there is something wrong when lawyers are making a living on malpractice lawsuits.

You're right. The only thing worse than those lawyers who make their living off of malpractice suits are the incompetent doctors who make a living commiting malpractice on their patients.

 

[shorrin]

You're right. The only thing worse than those lawyers who make their living off of malpractice suits are the incompetent doctors who make a living commiting malpractice on their patients.

you think an incompetent doc can make a living commiting malpractice 😕 where do I sign up for that residency?

 

[happydays]

and why isn't radiology on that list? hmm, maybe it's not the 'radiholiday' everyone thinks it is. 🙄

"physician" includes radiologists and any other type of doctor. (high schoolers....)

 

[NY Musicologist]

Hi all. In the description that comes along with the ranking for college professor, they cite "Dean of Medicine" as the "top job" in the field. Just FYI.

Coming from a family of professors, and currently in a humanities PhD program myself, I have to say I'm pretty astounded at the statistics they're citing for both salary and job growth. The news isn't nearly so good from my vantage point... 😕

 

[BKN]

Hi all. In the description that comes along with the ranking for college professor, they cite "Dean of Medicine" as the "top job" in the field. Just FYI.

Coming from a family of professors, and currently in a humanities PhD program myself, I have to say I'm pretty astounded at the statistics they're citing for both salary and job growth. The news isn't nearly so good from my vantage point... 😕

Well, more than one dean of medicine has described the job as "being a fire hydrant in a pack of dogs."

Having been one of those dogs (dept chair), I must agree.

p.s. I suspect they used professorial rank (not assoc or lower). If so the money is probably right.

 

[shorrin]

"physician" includes radiologists and any other type of doctor. (high schoolers....)

sorry, I thought it said surgeon.

There's a lot of difference between job happiness, pay and lifestyle amongst the specialties so it seemed odd to lump them all into one "physician" category.

ps. highshool was 16 years ago for me

 

[cfdavid]

Doctors are already bossed around by attorneys. Friggin' attorneys (apologies to Law2Doc).

According to an article in the Parade magazine a month or so ago, there is a lawyer for every 274 people in the U.S. In Washington, D.C., it is one for every 14 people. How are they going to make a living? Sue, and the notions of "sh1t happens" and personal responsibility be damned.

Hey Law2Doc, after you get your MD, please, please, PLEASE fix the system!

(Sorry everybody, I was reading about malpractice lawsuits last night and got really worked up.)

There's an attorney in Michigan (not Fieger) that is ALWAYS advertising "have you been injured by your doctor?" and "are you the victim of medical malpractice". It makes me sick to my stomach to know that these guys are floating around out there just LOOKING for doctors to sue. And yes, they are looking.

 

[KAI1927]

There's an attorney in Michigan (not Fieger) that is ALWAYS advertising "have you been injured by your doctor?" and "are you the victim of medical malpractice". It makes me sick to my stomach to know that these guys are floating around out there just LOOKING for doctors to sue. And yes, they are looking.

"First thing we do, lets kill all the lawyers"

-William Shakespeare

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

There's an attorney in Michigan (not Fieger) that is ALWAYS advertising "have you been injured by your doctor?" and "are you the victim of medical malpractice". It makes me sick to my stomach to know that these guys are floating around out there just LOOKING for doctors to sue. And yes, they are looking.

They will get theirs. Already, here in TX (not the most progressive state by any means) there has been hardcore tort reform passed that caps most (all?) pain-and-suffering awards (the bread and butter of a malpractice attorney's compensation, since those were usually the largest part of the award in malpractice cases) to 250,000. I believe CA is also pretty progressive in tort reform. As long as the medical community is able to make its case that the high costs associated with malpractice insurance, etc inflate the costs of medical care for everyone (a half-truth) I think we will see more-and-more tort reform.

Anyways, thanks CNN/Money Magazine. Now, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I will (hopefully) be moving from the #17 field to the #30 field! Woohoo!