doctor's salary

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Adison

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Hi,

I heard that doctors that do general medicine aren't paid that much and that only those who specialize in something are paid well. Is this true?
 
Adison said:
Hi,

I heard that doctors that do general medicine aren't paid that much and that only those who specialize in something are paid well. Is this true?
Click to expand...

LOL, I'm gonna enjoy this!
 
Seriously, get the **** out. :diebanana:
 
get the **** out
 
Adison, this is generally true. While general practitioners aren't paid as much as specialists, they are still paid a relatively high amount of money (compared to many other careers). Understand that there are notable advantages to going into general practice such as sometimes having to go to medical school for only three years and having a shorter residency (often, only 3 years). In other words, you could theoretically become a general practitioner within just 6 years of finishing your undergraduate.

What's really important is doing what you like, though. When you're in medical school rotating through different departments, you'll have a chance to see the different fields in medicine. Realize that when you're practicing and have a 60-80 hour work week (possibly for the rest of your life!), the pay isn't going to matter as much as whether or not you're happy.

Here are some articles to help you more with your research:
http://www.personalstatementmedical...-medical-specialization-and-general-practice/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialty_(medicine)

To the others that replied: I know this is a very common question. I know that the OP could have searched for the answer. But I also know that nobody needs to be *******s on here. You could have easily explained how to use the search feature, linked to threads with a same or similar question, or just answered the question. I fear for when some of you become doctors and have to deal with the repetitiveness of diagnosing patients (most of the time, the same problems) and then tire of telling them the same thing. I hope you don't turn out to be doctors who tell your patients to look up diseases and illnesses on WebMD because you're above answering the questions of somebody, regardless of how often the question may be asked.
 
Anonymous01 said:
Adison, this is generally true. While general practitioners aren't paid as much as specialists, they are still paid a relatively high amount of money (compared to many other careers). Understand that there are notable advantages to going into general practice such as sometimes having to go to medical school for only three years and having a shorter residency (often, only 3 years). In other words, you could theoretically become a general practitioner within just 6 years of finishing your undergraduate.

What's really important is doing what you like, though. When you're in medical school rotating through different departments, you'll have a chance to see the different fields in medicine. Realize that when you're practicing and have a 60-80 hour work week (possibly for the rest of your life!), the pay isn't going to matter as much as whether or not you're happy.

Here are some articles to help you more with your research:
http://www.personalstatementmedical...-medical-specialization-and-general-practice/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialty_(medicine)

To the others that replied: I know this is a very common question. I know that the OP could have searched for the answer. But I also know that nobody needs to be *******s on here. You could have easily explained how to use the search feature, linked to threads with a same or similar question, or just answered the question. I fear for when some of you become doctors and have to deal with the repetitiveness of diagnosing patients (most of the time, the same problems) and then tire of telling them the same thing. I hope you don't turn out to be doctors who tell your patients to look up diseases and illnesses on WebMD because you're above answering the questions of somebody, regardless of how often the question may be asked.
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This is refreshing to see on SDN, yet also very BORING 😴😴😴
 
Please never post on SDN again, until you have something to say that can't be answered in a 2 second google search! 😡 Do you think we have nothing better to do than answer your ever question? We are not your personal servants. So quit being selfish!


Besides define " a little" and "a lot" of money
 
Wow, for a network full of future doctors, I can see we're not very happy with helping people out.

To answer the topic, general doctors are paid a lot compared to other careers, but unlike most other careers, doctors are usually in debt once they come out of medical school. Therefore people specialize to make more money and pay off that debt faster and benefit from the higher pay as well.
 
JonnyL said:
Wow, for a network full of future doctors, I can see we're not very happy with helping people out.
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We help those, who first try to help themselves. The OP is a moocher. He obviously couldn't even bother googling it.


Actually, I'm beginning to think the OP is a troll, he only has 8 posts, and hasn't returned to this thread. 😉 Me thinks we all just fed the troll
 
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OP is a troll... After being on Greys Anatomy and Private Practice for years, Adison would know how much doctors make. 🙄
 
JonnyL said:
Wow, for a network full of future doctors, I can see we're not very happy with helping people out.

To answer the topic, general doctors are paid a lot compared to other careers, but unlike most other careers, doctors are usually in debt once they come out of medical school. Therefore people specialize to make more money and pay off that debt faster and benefit from the higher pay as well.
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Oh give me a break. First off, doctors aren't the only profession that "helps people". Secondly, it is a stupid question that could be explored in fewer steps on one's own by using any search engine of your choosing. It is just a waste of space to even create a thread like that.

I suppose you give all the money in your wallet to any person that asks. Have homeless people stay in your place on a routine basis to get out of the weather and have sold off all your posessions and donated the money to charity right before you went over to a third world country to save orphans.
 
JonnyL said:
Wow, for a network full of future doctors, I can see we're not very happy with helping people out.
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🙄

OP, they've already answered your question. Physician salary information varies a bit based on your source, but you should be able to find some of the public ones as links here on SDN.

I'd link them for you, but I don't have 'em handy.
 
the duck said:
Please never post on SDN again, until you have something to say that can't be answered in a 2 second google search! 😡 Do you think we have nothing better to do than answer your ever question? We are not your personal servants. So quit being selfish!


Besides define " a little" and "a lot" of money
Click to expand...

You answered no questions in your rant. If you don't want to answer, read the thread and move on. There are people on the forum who are willing to answer questions regardless of how obvious you may think the answer is.

JonnyL said:
Wow, for a network full of future doctors, I can see we're not very happy with helping people out.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. I wish there was an SDN equivalent of people who didn't feel so smug and superior.

the duck said:
We help those, who first try to help themselves. The OP is a moocher. He obviously couldn't even bother googling it.

Actually, I'm beginning to think the OP is a troll, he only has 8 posts, and hasn't returned to this thread. 😉 Me thinks we all just fed the troll
Click to expand...

OP asked a question on a forum full of future and current medical students and doctors. I believe that's a step in the direction of trying to help herself. If the OP is a troll, I don't understand why you bothered posting. I don't care about feeding "trolls" and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

MossPoh said:
It is just a waste of space to even create a thread like that.
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Well, it's turning into a waste of space. It could have just as easily turned into a thoughtfully opinionated discussion about the merits and demerits of GPs and specialists and their salaries.

Let me link you guys to the forum rules: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=44658

Lee said:
We do ask that you follow some simple guidelines while at SDN, and ask you respect the following:
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Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
I think the frustration is that everyone here has limited time to read and respond to threads. Some people consider it a show of disrespect to the other posters when someone posts a rather elementary question that is not only readily available outside of SDN but answered frequently here as well. That's time away that could have been spent paying attention to another poster who already attempted to find answers and who already tried to look it up.

It's like going to a professor's office asking for help without having even opened the book while there's a line outside of students who've not only read the chapter but attempted some of the homework problems.
 
Narmerguy said:
I think the frustration is that everyone here has limited time to read and respond to threads. Some people consider it a show of disrespect to the other posters when someone posts a rather elementary question that is not only readily available outside of SDN but answered frequently here as well. That's time away that could have been spent paying attention to another poster who already attempted to find answers and who already tried to look it up.
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That's fine and makes sense, but nobody is forced to reply here...ever. People have the option of not replying at all instead of replying condescendingly or with snide remarks. If people actually found their SDN time valuable and finite, they wouldn't even bother posting on the thread unless they were willing to help.
 
I heard 1 + 1 = 2, is this true?
 
seriously some people on these forums are narrow minded douchbags and will most likely fail as doctors. If you didn't like the question, then why the hell would you waste your time replying to it????? Just ignore and keep living your miserable life. I seriously feel sorry for your future patients (if you're gonna have any).

I'm new on this forum and I haven't even begun pre med, keep that in mind.

Thanks so much for everyone else who helped me out. I really appreciate it. Its good to know there are people like you amongst all these other fools.
 
butthurt.jpg
 
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The average primary care physician makes $168,550.
The United States median household income in 2008 was $52,029.

If you don't think primary care physicians make enough money, your views on reality are seriously flawed.
 
Adison said:
Hi,

I heard that doctors that do general medicine aren't paid that much and that only those who specialize in something are paid well. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Specializing in something will, usually, at least double your income over a GP. There are exceptions. A busy surgeon can easily make over $500k, some far more.
 
Adison said:
seriously some people on these forums are narrow minded douchbags and will most likely fail as doctors. If you didn't like the question, then why the hell would you waste your time replying to it????? Just ignore and keep living your miserable life. I seriously feel sorry for your future patients (if you're gonna have any).

I'm new on this forum and I haven't even begun pre med, keep that in mind.

Thanks so much for everyone else who helped me out. I really appreciate it. Its good to know there are people like you amongst all these other fools.
Click to expand...
Pot, meet kettle....


Generally speaking, competitive specialties make more than non-competitive specialties. Specialties with longer hours make more than those with easier hours. Specialties with longer residencies/fellowships make more than those with short residencies. Exceptions do exist.
 
Adison said:
seriously some people on these forums are narrow minded douchbags and will most likely fail as doctors. If you didn't like the question, then why the hell would you waste your time replying to it????? Just ignore and keep living your miserable life. I seriously feel sorry for your future patients (if you're gonna have any).

I'm new on this forum and I haven't even begun pre med, keep that in mind.

Thanks so much for everyone else who helped me out. I really appreciate it. Its good to know there are people like you amongst all these other fools.
Click to expand...
If you cannot be resourceful and find answers to simple questions yourself, as well as determine what questions are worth asking other people directly, you will fail at whatever you do. Do you really not think to Google something you want to know first? There are billions of pages of information on the internet that you can freely and easily search en masse, and you go first to the one that requires other people to spend their time in charity to you? Narmerguy is right, I do find that insulting.
Anonymous01 said:
OP asked a question on a forum full of future and current medical students and doctors. I believe that's a step in the direction of trying to help herself. If the OP is a troll, I don't understand why you bothered posting. I don't care about feeding "trolls" and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Well, it's turning into a waste of space. It could have just as easily turned into a thoughtfully opinionated discussion about the merits and demerits of GPs and specialists and their salaries.

Let me link you guys to the forum rules: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=44658
Click to expand...
Thanks, MOM.

But seriously, look at what I bolded in the OP's post, and you're criticizing us for our demeanor but defending him?
 
gettheleadout said:
But seriously, look at what I bolded in the OP's post, and you're criticizing us for our demeanor but defending him?
Click to expand...

I'm not defending anyone. I'm absolutely criticizing the smugness and superiority traits that so many SDN users evince. Look back to my original post where I acknowledge how easily the question can be answered.

Regardless, two wrongs don't make a right (I agree that calling people d-bags on here is equally counterproductive).
 
there definitely are exceptions. ive heard of this pediatrician who works 7 days a week like 12 hours a day in his clinic. he makes over 500k a year. my friend's uncle is a gastroenterologist with his clinic. he makes over 700k a year.

similarity? they all work very long hours and put a lot of effort into it. they never take vacations because it may hurt their business. most people dont decide to take those lifestyles...
 
Anonymous01 said:
I'm not defending anyone. I'm absolutely criticizing the smugness and superiority traits that so many SDN users evince. Look back to my original post where I acknowledge how easily the question can be answered.

Regardless, two wrongs don't make a right (I agree that calling people d-bags on here is equally counterproductive).
Click to expand...
It is not our job to provide the OP's answers because he is too lazy to look them up himself. The question is not complicated, and the difference between this situation and the one you described with a patient is very clear as far as I'm concerned. A doctor is in the position where it is his responsibility and duty to educate patients regularly about things that, for good reason, they go to a doctor to learn about. Spending time reading/posting on SDN is only a fulfilling (sometimes recreational) activity when everybody helps to make it so, and none of us are obligated to be here. So yeah, when someone abuses that, intentionally or not, they will get responses that will ultimately help them. OP posts useless question, receives 20 sarcastic answers and even LINKS to Google searches for the topic and in the end becomes more socially proficient and independently resourceful. Through repetition they learn to do their own homework, and researching topics for yourself has its own cognitive benefits with critical thinking (evaluating sources, making conclusions, etc...) and at the same time they eliminate a social mistake (that of not adhering to norms of etiquette) that might have further isolated them in the future.
 
anbuitachi said:
there definitely are exceptions. ive heard of this pediatrician who works 7 days a week like 12 hours a day in his clinic. he makes over 500k a year. my friend's uncle is a gastroenterologist with his clinic. he makes over 700k a year.

similarity? they all work very long hours and put a lot of effort into it. they never take vacations because it may hurt their business. most people dont decide to take those lifestyles...
Click to expand...
In the same vein as some of the preceding -

Believe whatever BS you want but don't spread it. 3rd or 4th hand information, or worse, is not useful. Alleged income information (likely false) concerning a pediatrician who is said to work 12 hour days on both Saturdays and Sundays (also likely false) is not of interest or of value to anyone.
 
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roflbot-fY54.jpg


This you OP?
 
gettheleadout said:
It is not our job to provide the OP's answers because he is too lazy to look them up himself. The question is not complicated, and the difference between this situation and the one you described with a patient is very clear as far as I'm concerned. A doctor is in the position where it is his responsibility and duty to educate patients regularly about things that, for good reason, they go to a doctor to learn about. Spending time reading/posting on SDN is only a fulfilling (sometimes recreational) activity when everybody helps to make it so, and none of us are obligated to be here. So yeah, when someone abuses that, intentionally or not, they will get responses that will ultimately help them. OP posts useless question, receives 20 sarcastic answers and even LINKS to Google searches for the topic and in the end becomes more socially proficient and independently resourceful. Through repetition they learn to do their own homework, and researching topics for yourself has its own cognitive benefits with critical thinking (evaluating sources, making conclusions, etc...) and at the same time they eliminate a social mistake (that of not adhering to norms of etiquette) that might have further isolated them in the future.
Click to expand...

Again, all I'm saying is that if you don't want to provide a constructive answer, then please refrain from making snide remarks. Perhaps I didn't have the best analogy, but I know that I wouldn't want a doctor who treats others (who may very well be lazy) with such disdain in their spare time to be my doctor. Furthermore, as a member of SDN, it's your duty (just as you described the duty of a doctor) to follow the forum rules.

OP probably is more proficient as to how to figure out answers to these types of questions now. But, OP could have been made aware of how to research these types of questions without having people jump down her throat.

In regards to "norms of etiquette," those are pretty much nonexistent here (I don't know about you, but the flaming at the OP is more enraging for me than the OP's original question).
 
gettheleadout said:
hi i know doctor and he makes 1,000,000 year that why i want be doctor
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Me too, that's funny.

And people treat him like he's all badass. I like that too, and he got a new wife last year. She's really pretty and her breasts got waaay bigger since they got married.

He told me he works on people's backs. That's what I wanna do too. A back surgeon.
 
Anonymous01 said:
Again, all I'm saying is that if you don't want to provide a constructive answer, then please refrain from making snide remarks. Perhaps I didn't have the best analogy, but I know that I wouldn't want a doctor who treats others (who may very well be lazy) with such disdain in their spare time to be my doctor. Furthermore, as a member of SDN, it's your duty (just as you described the duty of a doctor) to follow the forum rules.

OP probably is more proficient as to how to figure out answers to these types of questions now. But, OP could have been made aware of how to research these types of questions without having people jump down her throat.

In regards to "norms of etiquette," those are pretty much nonexistent here (I don't know about you, but the flaming at the OP is more enraging for me than the OP's original question).
Click to expand...


Wut? The OP couldn't figure out how to google "doctors salaries"? http://lmgtfy.com/?q=doctor+salaries
If we answer questions like this, its rewarding the bad behavior of the OP. Sure we can come off as being harsh, but if we just answer questions like this without getting pissy, people won't learn to do some research before they post.
 
the duck said:
Wut? The OP couldn't figure out how to google "doctors salaries"? http://lmgtfy.com/?q=doctor+salaries
If we answer questions like this, its rewarding the bad behavior of the OP. Sure we can come off as being harsh, but if we just answer questions like this without getting pissy, people won't learn to do some research before they post.
Click to expand...

Correct. This is an educational forum. Our job is to educate you about proper use of the forum. So pay attention.
 
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Narmerguy said:
Dude asked a question he shouldn't have, man! This is serious business... The Internetz.
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I think we need to create a points system... +internetz if they make a good post/thread, -internetz if they make a bad post/thread.

I'll start.... OP: -200 internetz. You're in the red man. I'm just sayin'.
 
Anonymous01 said:
Again, all I'm saying is that if you don't want to provide a constructive answer, then please refrain from making snide remarks. Perhaps I didn't have the best analogy, but I know that I wouldn't want a doctor who treats others (who may very well be lazy) with such disdain in their spare time to be my doctor. Furthermore, as a member of SDN, it's your duty (just as you described the duty of a doctor) to follow the forum rules.

OP probably is more proficient as to how to figure out answers to these types of questions now. But, OP could have been made aware of how to research these types of questions without having people jump down her throat.

In regards to "norms of etiquette," those are pretty much nonexistent here (I don't know about you, but the flaming at the OP is more enraging for me than the OP's original question).
Click to expand...
Well in any case I neither made a snide remark nor insulted the OP. So whatever...
 
Adison said:
Hi,

I heard that doctors that do general medicine aren't paid that much and that only those who specialize in something are paid well. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Adison, this is generally true; however, family docs still make a strong 6 figures. If considering this route, you might also consider a loan forgiveness program. Best of luck in your endeavors.
 
gbwillner said:
After reading many of the posts on this thread, I am conforted by the fact that a large majority of you on it will not matriculate into medical school and poison the atmosphere there with you sh*tty attitudes.

Have a nice life.
Click to expand...

A couple of posts on an internet forum and you are ready to make a judgment about someone's entire personality and fitness for their future career?

3671_5ef1_876.gif
 
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