Doctor never in top 50 best careers?

[MrBird]

Every year this site (http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2010/12/06/the-50-best-careers-of-2011?PageNr=2) and many more like it never list physician as even close to breaking the top 50. Why do you think this is so?

Also, the annual top 10 health careers list (http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2010/12/06/best-careers-2011-healthcare-jobs), it is unbelievably absent again. What is going on?

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[sc4s2cg]

Stress

 

[Charles Darwin]

Required education level

 

[LawlasaurusRex]

You go to school for a trillion years, not your average joe can just decide to go to med school and get in, the debt load is insane, and the job is incredibly stressful.

 

[Mithril]

The article clearly implies they are staying away from jobs that require a medical degree.

 

[MrBird]

You go to school for a trillion years, not your average joe can just decide to go to med school and get in, the debt load is insane, and the job is incredibly stressful.

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

 

[Charles Darwin]

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

Your "average joe" doesn't have a 3.7/31.

 

[Mithril]

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

X number of people want to become a doctor. A fraction of that have the commitment. A fraction of that fraction write the MCAT. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction have decent grades and MCAT score. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction get interviews. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction get in. The ratio of the fractions of the last two sentences I just typed is (less than) 50%.

 

[NickNaylor]

X number of people want to become a doctor. A fraction of that have the commitment. A fraction of that fraction write the MCAT. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction have decent grades and MCAT score. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction get interviews. A fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction of that fraction get in. The ratio of the fractions of the last two sentences I just typed is (less than) 50%.

Very true. Even by the time you get to the application process the group that remains is already pretty self-selected. The "average Joes" that actually apply medical school are much higher achievers than the "average Joes" that SAY they're going to apply to medical school at the beginning of college.

 

[UnclePhil]

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

I'm pretty sure that the average Joe may or may not even hold a college degree.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Your "average joe" doesn't have a 3.7/31.

And to think that's just the average for acceptance.

 

[Epen]

Last time I heard it was because suicide/divorce rates were sky-high.

 

[Charles Darwin]

Last time I heard it was because suicide/divorce rates were sky-high.

Proof?

EDIT: Scratch that. Wow, I had no idea they were so high... http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...00908/the-occupation-the-highest-suicide-rate

 

[Epen]

Proof?

EDIT: Scratch that. Wow, I had no idea they were so high... http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...00908/the-occupation-the-highest-suicide-rate

It's not surprising. You work long, weird hours watching people die of horrible things that you may or may not have been able to fix, had you the time or the money or the knowledge. You are constantly worried about your patients, and possibly even more worried about the families who will sue you if you screw up. I can see how the pressure would get to you. There's only so many years of suffering you can witness before you crack.

 

[Charles Darwin]

It's not surprising. You work long, weird hours watching people die of horrible things that you may or may not have been able to fix, had you the time or the money or the knowledge. You are constantly worried about your patients, and possibly even more worried about the families who will sue you if you screw up. I can see how the pressure would get to you. There's only so many years of suffering you can witness before you crack.

Well you're quite the eternal optimist, huh?

 

[ShockDoctrine]

even if the average joe did have a 3.7/31, they still couldn't afford the cost of med school

overall, years in school+cost is not the best way to enter the industry for most people.

 

[Epen]

Well you're quite the eternal optimist, huh?

I'm only in this because I don't think I'll crack

And there's always the good days when a woman given two months lives for four years, or you help a previously-paralyzed child walk, or you feed an orphan in Africa or some stuff like that.

 

[Slack3r]

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

When I started undergrad, I knew like 10-15 people from high school that "wanted to be doctors". Of those, I'm one of two that even applied. One went vet, three went dental, and most of the other ones switched to business after intro biology.

 

[MilkmanAl]

The acceptance rate to an MD school is almost 50%, I can assure you there are plenty of average joes in that 50%.

Self-selection, dude. Last year, 96% of people applying to radiology matched. Do you really believe that 96% of med students - let alone people in general -are qualified to be radiologists?

 

[postbacpremed87]

I would say it isn't on the list because our profession is constantly under attack by those who think physicians are overpaid. These are the same people who say we can afford to take on debt because of the compensation we make (while at the same time decreasing physician reimbursements). Name another profession where one mistake can be magnified 1000x and cost you money (even if you weren't negligent you could be forced to settle). Name another profession that costs you in terms of family time, lost wages, debt, stress AND we still deal with unruly patients on a daily basis.

We are a special breed for doing this...

 

[Beta Cell]

Self-selection, dude. Last year, 96% of people applying to radiology matched. Do you really believe that 96% of med students - let alone people in general -are qualified to be radiologists?

No, but at a 96% match rate, there are certainly going to be people who were significantly less competitive than others. Sure there's self-selection, but I find 96% fairly encouraging. I'd rather not sit in a dark room all day, though. Self-selected.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yes, yes, but you know what I mean. The people may be "average" in comparison to their cohort, but they're typically way up at the top of the curve, overall.

 

[Eric01]

Think about it like this. When you graduate undergrad and go on to medical school you're essentially starting high school all over again. (4 years of school + 3 years of "graduate" training/school)

Versus going into wall street and making 6 figure income.

 

[Nucleophobe]

Proof?

EDIT: Scratch that. Wow, I had no idea they were so high... http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...00908/the-occupation-the-highest-suicide-rate

Keep in mind that only about 1-2% of the population dies by suicide, and perhaps (this is just an estimate) 2-4% of doctors. But doctors who don't fall into this minority tend to have very healthy habits: they exercise more, eat better, smoke less, earn more money, and receive better medical care than the average person. Thus, although there is definitely an elevated suicide risk for physicians, the vast majority of physicians are not suicidal and actually do things that lead to healthier and longer lives.

Their higher suicide levels make sense when you consider that, as in other professions that demand long hours and involve a great deal of responsibility, there are more potential rewards but a greater risk of burnout.

Hmmm... Guess that makes sense too.

 

[gettheleadout]

even if the average joe did have a 3.7/31, they still couldn't afford the cost of med school

overall, years in school+cost is not the best way to enter the industry for most people.

If the average joe got in, he could get loans like everyone else, so I don't see your point.