Downshifting on the road to retirement...

[emergentmd]

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I gotta say, watching some of you guys outsource all of your decision making to AI sounds really depressing.

Enjoy the fantasy draft yourself. It’s literally a hobby. Figure out if you like your career yourself, a computer can’t actually feel or empathize with you. Read your legal documents yourself. Be actually informed rather than spoon fed from a hallucinating machine.

As much as it was a bit over the top when he posted it, to quote @RustedFox , “be a man”.

We all develop and advance as people. Not to do so seems shortsighted.

Using a computer to make me more efficient in collecting FF data is no different than you using a computer to research a topic. It would be like someone telling you to open up a textbook rather than searching online.

Time is valuable and we have a finite amount of time. If I could buy time, then I would have no issues being less efficient. Every hour I save using a dishwasher, W&D, cleaners, Boat guy, car wash, lawn guy, etc is an hour I "buy" to do other projects/hobbies I enjoy. I enjoy Golf so I spend most of my spare time playing golf after making sure my kids/wife have enough of my attention. So I "Pay" to be more efficient in order to do my hobbies.

Seems pointless to "be a man" and do things I hate in order to sacrifice time towards what I enjoy.

To those who do not have dishwashers, W&D ,pool robot, lawn service, house cleaners, etc throw the first stone.

 

[skougess]

We all develop and advance as people. Not to do so seems shortsighted.

Using a computer to make me more efficient in collecting FF data is no different than you using a computer to research a topic. It would be like someone telling you to open up a textbook rather than searching online.

Time is valuable and we have a finite amount of time. If I could buy time, then I would have no issues being less efficient. Every hour I save using a dishwasher, W&D, cleaners, Boat guy, car wash, lawn guy, etc is an hour I "buy" to do other projects/hobbies I enjoy. I enjoy Golf so I spend most of my spare time playing golf after making sure my kids/wife have enough of my attention. So I "Pay" to be more efficient in order to do my hobbies.

Seems pointless to "be a man" and do things I hate in order to sacrifice time towards what I enjoy.

To those who do not have dishwashers, W&D ,pool robot, lawn service, house cleaners, etc throw the first stone.

The difference between AI and a dishwasher is AI is a false economy that overall makes your life worse. This thread is a great example where you are allowing it to enjoy your hobbies for you, or make career decisions based off of its “input” instead of your own brain and the support of real people who care about you. And that’s not even touching on the global environmental and social catastrophe it is.

I mean imagine signing an employment contract without reading it yourself but feeling good because “AI read it”.

Why not take it a step further and let AI set your FF roster each week? Then you can fully dissociate from your hobby and save a bit of time.

 

[Porfirio]

The difference between AI and a dishwasher is AI is a false economy that overall makes your life worse. This thread is a great example where you are allowing it to enjoy your hobbies for you, or make career decisions based off of its “input” instead of your own brain and the support of real people who care about you. And that’s not even touching on the global environmental and social catastrophe it is.

I mean imagine signing an employment contract without reading it yourself but feeling good because “AI read it”.

Why not take it a step further and let AI set your FF roster each week? Then you can fully dissociate from your hobby and save a bit of time.

Good news is, AI will get the job next time. No need to worry about employment contracts anymore.

 

[Birdstrike]

I gotta say, watching some of you guys outsource all of your decision making to AI sounds really depressing.

...“be a man”.

Why drive a car instead of a horse an buggy?
Why use a lightbulb instead of a candle?
Why use a lawnmower instead of a scythe or sickle?

 

[Birdstrike]

Why not take it a step further and let AI set your FF roster each week? Then you can fully dissociate from your hobby and save a bit of time.

Not understanding that we use time savers to reduce time spent on chores, to increase hobby time, makes me think you're AI.

 

[alpinism]

This post was on my facebook group what advice would you guys give?

"Need some life advice. I’m an ER attending. I hate my job. I’ve been at it 4 years. I’m a 32 yo guy.
I’ve tried changing hospitals, groups, but it’s the same thing. Get lied to about patients per hour, consistent pushback from hospitalists on admissions, insufferable patients, lazy colleagues. I’ve tried taking weeks off and I note an immediate change in my happiness. But as soon as I go back, I find myself constantly irritated, and it spills into my personal life. I have crash outs at work and legit don’t enjoy it. I live in a great city and would love to just maybe quit for an extended time and spend everyday out and about and travel more. Between my brokerage/retirement accounts, I have $1.2M. I have $370k left on my house that I bought for $1M a few years ago. Mortgage is $5500/month at 5.5%. Fiance is an RN.

What would you do in this situation? Take a year off and start dipping into savings for everything? Cut down to part time? Quit altogether and pay off the house and live off savings?"

I told him he is working way to much he must be making 500 an hour or more to pay 700k if house and have 1.2 million saved in 4 years

I've had exactly the same experience and its shocking how many docs in admin roles will outright lie about their hospitals to recruit docs.

I'm being conservative but I'd estimate as many as 50% of new job postings have false info about volume, admissions, transfers, etc...

 

[anonperson]

This post was on my facebook group what advice would you guys give?

"Need some life advice. I’m an ER attending. I hate my job. I’ve been at it 4 years. I’m a 32 yo guy.
I’ve tried changing hospitals, groups, but it’s the same thing. Get lied to about patients per hour, consistent pushback from hospitalists on admissions, insufferable patients, lazy colleagues. I’ve tried taking weeks off and I note an immediate change in my happiness. But as soon as I go back, I find myself constantly irritated, and it spills into my personal life. I have crash outs at work and legit don’t enjoy it. I live in a great city and would love to just maybe quit for an extended time and spend everyday out and about and travel more. Between my brokerage/retirement accounts, I have $1.2M. I have $370k left on my house that I bought for $1M a few years ago. Mortgage is $5500/month at 5.5%. Fiance is an RN.

What would you do in this situation? Take a year off and start dipping into savings for everything? Cut down to part time? Quit altogether and pay off the house and live off savings?"

I told him he is working way to much he must be making 500 an hour or more to pay 700k if house and have 1.2 million saved in 4 years

The guy is earning a ton of cash and probably working a lot of hours.

He paid off 830,000 off a mortgage in a few years and has $1.2 million invested.

And he's been working for 4 years.

Of course you're going to be burned out working like a dog. I'd be persistently angry pulling those hours.

He needs to work less hours by a significant amount. Other options are work at a hospital that has a more favorable environment ( but that is difficult to predict).

I'm not sure why some physicians put their full force into working a ridiculous amount of hours to generate a high income at the risk of burning out. Just do a more reasonable pace.

I used to have a job where I operated, did clinic, and did 5 in house calls, covering a busy labor and delivery. Was very unpleasant and could feel myself getting worse.

I changed jobs and basically gave up call and I feel like a million bucks now.

 

[anonperson]

I gotta say, watching some of you guys outsource all of your decision making to AI sounds really depressing.

Enjoy the fantasy draft yourself. It’s literally a hobby. Figure out if you like your career yourself, a computer can’t actually feel or empathize with you. Read your legal documents yourself. Be actually informed rather than spoon fed from a hallucinating machine.

As much as it was a bit over the top when he posted it, to quote @RustedFox , “be a man”.

I think a fair amount of law firms are probably using AI to evaluate contracts etc. Seems like low hanging fruit for AI to completely demolish that part of law.

 

[skougess]

I think a fair amount of law firms are probably using AI to evaluate contracts etc. Seems like low hanging fruit for AI to completely demolish that part of law.

I’ll ask bluntly: Do you guys really have that much AI brainrot already that you aren’t reading your own employment contracts cover to cover? It takes 30 minutes tops.

You would all think it’s insane to let EKG machines be the final interpretation for a 2d squiggle on paper, but for some reason are happy to outsource your understanding of your employment contract, where single words matter, to a LLM. Insanity.

 

[Groove]

I’ll ask bluntly: Do you guys really have that much AI brainrot already that you aren’t reading your own employment contracts cover to cover? It takes 30 minutes tops.

You would all think it’s insane to let EKG machines be the final interpretation for a 2d squiggle on paper, but for some reason are happy to outsource your understanding of your employment contract, where single words matter, to a LLM. Insanity.

You grew up Amish...didn't you?

C'mon. Fess it.

 

[skougess]

You grew up Amish...didn't you?

C'mon. Fess it.

Hilarious gif aside, the longer I live on this earth, the more I think the Amish and Ted Kaczynski (minus the insane pipe bombs) had it right all along. Tech makes us miserable and ruins the world. I keep peeling back my tech usage as time goes on and notice I become happier and happier.

 

[AlmostAnMD]

Ted Kaczynski was onto something, but his method obviously didn't quite pan out. You don't get to be a professor of math at UCLA at the age of 25 for no reason!

I read his manifesto once, morbid curiosity. His actions overshadowed much of his writings but he made a very chilling point that technology exists to serve man, but over time the the truth became the opposite, and now we exist to serve technology.

He wrote that decades ago, and if anything it's more true now than it was when he wrote it.

 

[Janders]

Isn’t there a comfortable medium where I read my employment contract and also ask AI to look at it? Or I ask AI to grab the most important NFL injuries and downgrades the hour before my NFL draft?

Hell it took me a while to use open evidence, but I probably use it once a shift now. It’s not replacing me as a EDMD, but it lets me rapidly refresh on rare topics, or grab knowledge that is on the periphery of my typical practice. It would be better if I did a month long rheum elective…

 

[JacobMcCandles]

I still think the average person will likely be against AI long term. Data centers seem to be wildly unpopular everywhere and once the people figure out that AI is absolutely going to be used against them (i.e. tracking purchases and site visits and then using dynamic pricing) then I think the uphill slog for AI continues. It’s still got utility as a powerful data aggregator.

 

[Splenda88]

I still think the average person will likely be against AI long term. Data centers seem to be wildly unpopular everywhere and once the people figure out that AI is absolutely going to be used against them (i.e. tracking purchases and site visits and then using dynamic pricing) then I think the uphill slog for AI continues. It’s still got utility as a powerful data aggregator.

FIFA was widely successful doing dynamic pricing during the last World Cup. Revenue was doubled.

 

[EctopicFetus]

I still think the average person will likely be against AI long term. Data centers seem to be wildly unpopular everywhere and once the people figure out that AI is absolutely going to be used against them (i.e. tracking purchases and site visits and then using dynamic pricing) then I think the uphill slog for AI continues. It’s still got utility as a powerful data aggregator.

Same was said about cell phone towers.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

FIFA was widely successful doing dynamic pricing during the last World Cup. Revenue was doubled.

That doesn’t sound successful from a fan position. The doubling of large corporations’ profits from AI seems like the exact thing that’ll make the average person hate it, especially when it’s at their expense.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

Same was said about cell phone towers.

A cell phone tower and data center seem to be rather different things from my perspective. I can’t say I know a ton about cell phone towers but I assume they don’t use as many resources as a data center.

 

[bravotwozero]

A cell phone tower and data center seem to be rather different things from my perspective. I can’t say I know a ton about cell phone towers but I assume they don’t use as many resources as a data center.

Agreed. I don’t rule out the possibility that someone figures out a way for data centers to be more energy efficient/independent. But for now, it’s a mess.

The city of London approved data centers while going through a heat wave and a drought, without any meetings or discussion from the public. They’re facing a massive backlash right now

 

[Splenda88]

That doesn’t sound successful from a fan position. The doubling of large corporations’ profits from AI seems like the exact thing that’ll make the average person hate it, especially when it’s at their expense.

I understand that. I am sorry for the 'average' person... The country is already bought by the big guys (0.1%).

 

[emergentmd]

We (docs down to janitors) all complain that we work too much, have little time for hobbies, have little time for kids, always tired/burned out etc.......

Why in the world would you want to do "stuff" that you do not enjoy if you can avoid it? That would free us to do what we enjoy and it doesn't mean we use the extra time for brain rot.

I picked up golf 3 yrs ago and prob spend 20 hrs a week doing something golf. I save about an hr using AI to chart during a shift and that hr goes to napping, or whatever I want. I have cleaners avoiding 8 hrs a week cleaning. I have a CPA so I do not have to spend 40+ hrs to figure out my tax situation. I have property managers so I do not have to spend 20+ hrs a week dealing with issues. The list goes on and on.

I am a much happier and healthier person spending 20 hrs/wk playing golf rather than spending those 20 hrs cleaning the house, cleaning my pool, doing my lawn.

Being more efficient with your time does not equate to becoming "brain rotted" or being less of a man. For myself, it frees me up to spend more time outside away from phones/computers. In fact, I spend less time on my phone/computer brain rotting since I am became "retired" and I would not be happier picking up all the chores I hate.

We have a lake house with a boat/jet skis. We visit maybe 3-5 times a year. Before, I would spend 2 hrs docking them on the lifts and then another 2 hrs dry docking them. It made vacations somewhat miserable feeling wasted in the Texas heat moving/fueling the Boat/Jet Skis. It surely did not make me feel more "manly" and actually made me more irritable/tired. Now I pay my boat guy to bring them on the lift before and dry docking after we leave which makes for a much better trip. Maybe by some standards, I am not a real "man" which to me is just laughable.

 

[EctopicFetus]

That doesn’t sound successful from a fan position. The doubling of large corporations’ profits from AI seems like the exact thing that’ll make the average person hate it, especially when it’s at their expense.

A business is made to generate a profit. I think TV viewing all time high, tickets selling for a ton. Not sure it impacted "fans". Its frankly the beauty of the world cup from a business / FIFA perspective. Are you not going to root for your country? Of course you will. This isnt like "the jets made me mad" so now I will root for the giants.

Im more of an AI optimist. we have so much to gain its not without risk but i do believe it is progress if harnessed properly.

 

[EctopicFetus]

A cell phone tower and data center seem to be rather different things from my perspective. I can’t say I know a ton about cell phone towers but I assume they don’t use as many resources as a data center.

We say this today but it was cell phone towers are going to cause cancer etc. Perhaps you dont recall that but to me it is akin to this. The problem will solve itself imo. Whether it is Small nuclear reactors, space data centers, etc. I have no idea but the demand is insane and the issues will get figured out. I imagine they will become more efficient as well. There is already a company that can meter data center energy use when there is high demand on the grid, there was a recent breakthrough on solar which makes them about 40% more efficient for the same/similar cost. So you can also say they will get 40% cheaper per unit of energy created. I imagine that will also improve. Again, I know I am an optimist on this but there it is.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

A business is made to generate a profit. I think TV viewing all time high, tickets selling for a ton. Not sure it impacted "fans". Its frankly the beauty of the world cup from a business / FIFA perspective. Are you not going to root for your country? Of course you will. This isnt like "the jets made me mad" so now I will root for the giants.

Im more of an AI optimist. we have so much to gain its not without risk but i do believe it is progress if harnessed properly.

I don’t think dynamic pricing has much to do with TV viewers or rooting for your country. Harnessed properly is going to be the issue. Businesses are made to generate profits but not milk every last dollar out of somebody with a purchase which is where this is headed.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

We say this today but it was cell phone towers are going to cause cancer etc. Perhaps you dont recall that but to me it is akin to this. The problem will solve itself imo. Whether it is Small nuclear reactors, space data centers, etc. I have no idea but the demand is insane and the issues will get figured out. I imagine they will become more efficient as well. There is already a company that can meter data center energy use when there is high demand on the grid, there was a recent breakthrough on solar which makes them about 40% more efficient for the same/similar cost. So you can also say they will get 40% cheaper per unit of energy created. I imagine that will also improve. Again, I know I am an optimist on this but there it is.

I guess we’ll just disagree on the comparison between the reasons. I’m concerned this could increase my risk of cancer vs. this is going to use up scarce local resource and/or significantly drive up the cost of local utilities feels like different arguments to me.

 

[EctopicFetus]

I don’t think dynamic pricing has much to do with TV viewers or rooting for your country. Harnessed properly is going to be the issue. Businesses are made to generate profits but not milk every last dollar out of somebody with a purchase which is where this is headed.

Im not saying it is ideal but economics is exactly this. Milk every dollar from the consumer they are willing to pay. As an example, I am watching CNBC this morning. NVIDIA profit margin is over 70%. Are they not milking every dollar from their consumer. This is the largest market cap company (value) in the world. So they make a chip and if that chip costs $1,000 over $700 of that money spent by the purchaser is profit.

There is a reasonable argument that long term this is bad. I would point out the interest in the sport is shown by TV viewers and the fact I think every game sold out. The ideal price is where every ticket sold for the amount that everyone was willing to pay max for that ticket if you are the one supplying the product.

If you had a widget would it not be ideal for you to sell all the widgets you can make at some profit to you that maximizes what someone else would pay for it. Not price gouging during a disaster but in normal every day conditions.

I have a friend who used to work for 3M, he was on the business side and told me he negotiated a deal on an item to an industrial client. the 3M tech cost them about $10 to make this but it increased the efficiency of a very expensive product by 50%. They negotiated a deal for over $100 for each of these items a ~90% profit margin.

 

[EctopicFetus]

I guess we’ll just disagree on the comparison between the reasons. I’m concerned this could increase my risk of cancer vs. this is going to use up scarce local resource and/or significantly drive up the cost of local utilities feels like different arguments to me.

I mean cancer is a big deal. We can and should be looking at adding more power to the grid which is very outdated. Again, I think we see some huge benefit with hopefully expansion of use of solar, Small nuclear reactors and who knows maybe data centers in space though that seems more Sci-fi than anything but Elon has that in his sites and a fully vertical integration to make that happen.

The scarce resource(s) you refer to above I assume is water? This would be used to cool the chips. If so we will adapt, we can cool with salt water, evap or it will become more important to make chips that dont release so much heat, or are more efficient etc. I dont think we are at the end game of the AI / chip revolution rather this is early stage. I would not want to invest in this beyond some chips as I think the models will converge at some point but this is the way to future abundance and frankly it is a tech race that is well on its way.

We will see massive improvements in our day to day life and my fear is that we become even more slovenly.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

Im not saying it is ideal but economics is exactly this. Milk every dollar from the consumer they are willing to pay. As an example, I am watching CNBC this morning. NVIDIA profit margin is over 70%. Are they not milking every dollar from their consumer. This is the largest market cap company (value) in the world. So they make a chip and if that chip costs $1,000 over $700 of that money spent by the purchaser is profit.

There is a reasonable argument that long term this is bad. I would point out the interest in the sport is shown by TV viewers and the fact I think every game sold out. The ideal price is where every ticket sold for the amount that everyone was willing to pay max for that ticket if you are the one supplying the product.

If you had a widget would it not be ideal for you to sell all the widgets you can make at some profit to you that maximizes what someone else would pay for it. Not price gouging during a disaster but in normal every day conditions.

I’ll still push back on this because I still don’t think we’re arguing on the same point. Supply and demand is a normal part of any business but that usually takes place at a population level and not at an individual consumer level. I don’t disagree on the general economic you’re talking about, however, I do disagree on the dynamic pricing part *using your information against you*. AI tracking websites you go to, what you’re searching, etc. to then calculate the highest amount that YOU’LL pay in real time is what I don’t agree with and I don’t think you’ll get the general public on board.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

I mean cancer is a big deal. We can and should be looking at adding more power to the grid which is very outdated. Again, I think we see some huge benefit with hopefully expansion of use of solar, Small nuclear reactors and who knows maybe data centers in space though that seems more Sci-fi than anything but Elon has that in his sites and a fully vertical integration to make that happen.

The scarce resource(s) you refer to above I assume is water? This would be used to cool the chips. If so we will adapt, we can cool with salt water, evap or it will become more important to make chips that dont release so much heat, or are more efficient etc. I dont think we are at the end game of the AI / chip revolution rather this is early stage. I would not want to invest in this beyond some chips as I think the models will converge at some point but this is the way to future abundance and frankly it is a tech race that is well on its way.

We will see massive improvements in our day to day life and my fear is that we become even more slovenly.

I’m old enough to remember the cancer debate on cell phone towers. That debate continues on with high voltage power lines and there’s probably some merit there. I wouldn’t want those high voltage lines in my backyard. Not just water but the strain on the local power grid as well as the increased utility costs for the local population (a not insignificant number of them on a fixed income already). I’m glad various localities are standing up and saying no. There’s also a number of places where you can say with good certainty that city council members and other decision makers are getting bribes and continually pushing these through despite the huge public outcry.

One thing I think we can agree on is that all these data centers need to be put in Silicon Valley…

 

[Groove]

Hilarious gif aside, the longer I live on this earth, the more I think the Amish and Ted Kaczynski (minus the insane pipe bombs) had it right all along. Tech makes us miserable and ruins the world. I keep peeling back my tech usage as time goes on and notice I become happier and happier.

Tech is also what lets you poop on the toilet while reading SDN on your phone and takes it FAR away from you. Don't knock tech.

You never microwave dinners? Oven? Do you kill and roast your food on a spit every night?

Most of the tech mongering I read online has me rolling my eyes. Tech mongering is so easy when you are an active consumer.

OpenAI just saved me about 12K/yr by helping me cancel services and subscriptions by working through 6+/- accounts. That would have taken me 100 hours on my own with a Ti calculator and 400 hours with an abacus.

 

[skougess]

Tech is also what lets you poop on the toilet while reading SDN on your phone and takes it FAR away from you. Don't knock tech.

You never microwave dinners? Oven? Do you kill and roast your food on a spit every night?

Most of the tech mongering I read online has me rolling my eyes. Tech mongering is so easy when you are an active consumer.

OpenAI just saved me about 12K/yr by helping me cancel services and subscriptions by working through 6+/- accounts. That would have taken me 100 hours on my own with a Ti calculator and 400 hours with an abacus.

Big difference between something that heats my food and the brainrot that comes with generalized internet/AI use. SDN is the only social media I engage with these days. I don’t watch TV. I play about 2 hours of offline video games per month.

Old school message boards were the peak of internet usefulness. Reddit/isnta/tik tok/etc is a scourge on society and makes us miserable.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

OpenAI just saved me about 12K/yr by helping me cancel services and subscriptions by working through 6+/- accounts. That would have taken me 100 hours on my own with a Ti calculator and 400 hours with an abacus.

We've beat this to death but below average students in high school would be able to find any subscriptions they don't need and cancel them with their credit card statements in under an hour easy. Seriously, how many different credit card charges do you have in a month? We have 126 for August so far. It took me 2-3 minutes to scan through them and make sure everything looks kosher. How much are you spending per month? $1,000 per month is not an insignificant amount (I admit that some may just be a one-time yearly payment).

 

[Groove]

We've beat this to death but below average students in high school would be able to find any subscriptions they don't need and cancel them with their credit card statements in under an hour easy. Seriously, how many different credit card charges do you have in a month? We have 126 for August so far. It took me 2-3 minutes to scan through them and make sure everything looks kosher. How much are you spending per month? $1,000 per month is not an insignificant amount (I admit that some may just be a one-time yearly payment).

We've definitely beaten it to death on here.

 

[EctopicFetus]

I’ll still push back on this because I still don’t think we’re arguing on the same point. Supply and demand is a normal part of any business but that usually takes place at a population level and not at an individual consumer level. I don’t disagree on the general economic you’re talking about, however, I do disagree on the dynamic pricing part *using your information against you*. AI tracking websites you go to, what you’re searching, etc. to then calculate the highest amount that YOU’LL pay in real time is what I don’t agree with and I don’t think you’ll get the general public on board.

I mean i guess what is rthe argument.. if the argument is do i like it? Then no. Dynamic pricing is basically getting the max amount per ticket and selling every ticket or at least getting the max $ possible for the tickets they are selling. It’s not directed at me. Some events I would not pay 1 cent others i would pay a decent amount.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

I mean i guess what is rthe argument.. if the argument is do i like it? Then no. Dynamic pricing is basically getting the max amount per ticket and selling every ticket or at least getting the max $ possible for the tickets they are selling. It’s not directed at me. Some events I would not pay 1 cent others i would pay a decent amount.

Dynamic pricing is the argument but I think you’re talking about it on a population level which is kind of the traditional supply and demand we think about. I’m more talking about it on an individual level where they’re tracking you and determine what YOU will pay at that exact moment and adjusting the price on real time based on that. It’s not necessarily for something with a limited supply such as concert tickets or event tickets where it’s taking place on a specific date but moreso like things you’d buy in the grocery store or online. For instance, say you’re looking at a shirt online and somebody else is, too. We’ll assume there’s not a limited supply so it’s not two people basically bidding against each other to determine the price of that one shirt. Instead, AI is using all the information they have on you to determine the highest price you’ll pay. I’m not doing the best at explaining it but hopefully that makes more sense. I think people will absolutely hate being milked like that at an individual level.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Dynamic pricing is the argument but I think you’re talking about it on a population level which is kind of the traditional supply and demand we think about. I’m more talking about it on an individual level where they’re tracking you and determine what YOU will pay at that exact moment and adjusting the price on real time based on that. It’s not necessarily for something with a limited supply such as concert tickets or event tickets where it’s taking place on a specific date but moreso like things you’d buy in the grocery store or online. For instance, say you’re looking at a shirt online and somebody else is, too. We’ll assume there’s not a limited supply so it’s not two people basically bidding against each other to determine the price of that one shirt. Instead, AI is using all the information they have on you to determine the highest price you’ll pay. I’m not doing the best at explaining it but hopefully that makes more sense. I think people will absolutely hate being milked like that at an individual level.

I agree. i dont see that happening but who knows. Most people will be super pissed to know someone else got the same item for a lower price. Perhaps that is where it is going. I dont see that happening.

 

[Bittersteel]

Ok, I was really busy the last few weeks getting all this stuff sorted out. Few points:

1) Working fewer nights has dramatically changed my feelings of burnout. I mean, dramatically. I'm lucky enough to have a current environment with a verbal arrangement with the director that keeps my overnights minimal. Maybe 1, max 2 every 3 months or so. I'm starting to suspect the circadian disruption had more to do with everything than I had suspected. I can surprisingly deal with all the extra BS just fine when I'm on days and make a point to leave on time. That has also led to me starting to realize just how valuable my current employment situation is to me going forward. I have offered to work extra weekends/holidays to keep minimizing overnights. That combined with the PRN has allowed me to maintain status quo.

2) I'm still committed to the telemedicine trial. I'll try it at least 3-6 months. My plan going forward is to work 6-8 bedside EM shifts/mo. (Preferably 8) Then to work about 15h/wk telemedicine. That's 2 bedside EM shifts and 2 days of telemedicine. I have credentialed with 2 major platforms. One of which doesn't require any weekly commitment, so that seemed an optimal arrangement.

3) Credentialing with another hospital system with a better history of bonus pay for emergency shifts and might could squeeze another 2 shifts/mo if the pay was right but I'm not counting on that being a regular monthly requirement.

4) I have also carved out a few hours/mo for addiction medicine. Primarily buprenorphine. Yes, I know people are rolling their eyes but I just keep reading about these encounters being gratifying and a good friend of mine does this full time and has given me some additional insight. I just want the experience and insight. It will either be a VERY short term endeavor or will change my mind about the field. Either way, the more I have researched it...the less worried I am from a medial legal standpoint or even an adverse event stand point. I have already been administering it and even prescribing it on a very short term basis in my clinical work after the x-waiver requirements went away. I think it's very applicable to our specialty. Interestingly, I find this patient population to be extremely more pleasant compared to the traditional opioid "drug seeker" crowd.

I've had to back step and really look at everything again, re-analyze and I think in hindsight...I'm just not ready for retirement yet. I've probably got 4-5 more years of bedside EM left in me at 6-8 shifts/mo, maybe even more. The telemedicine will be an extremely valuable learning experience insofar as optionality and future earning potential. For instance, it's one thing to retire. That's a massive decision and, within EM, stands to be permanent if you are out of the field for more than 2-3 years. How many docs retire and wish they could make a little extra cash from time to time on the side? It would be extremely valuable to know whether telemedicine could solve that problem because that's a source of income for many years after formal bedside clinical retirement.

Anyway, 6-8 shifts/mo with little to no overnights is actually NOT so bad!

This reeks of GenX work addiction.

 

[Groove]

Ok, I was really busy the last few weeks getting all this stuff sorted out. Few points:

1) Working fewer nights has dramatically changed my feelings of burnout. I mean, dramatically. I'm lucky enough to have a current environment with a verbal arrangement with the director that keeps my overnights minimal. Maybe 1, max 2 every 3 months or so. I'm starting to suspect the circadian disruption had more to do with everything than I had suspected. I can surprisingly deal with all the extra BS just fine when I'm on days and make a point to leave on time. That has also led to me starting to realize just how valuable my current employment situation is to me going forward. I have offered to work extra weekends/holidays to keep minimizing overnights. That combined with the PRN has allowed me to maintain status quo.

2) I'm still committed to the telemedicine trial. I'll try it at least 3-6 months. My plan going forward is to work 6-8 bedside EM shifts/mo. (Preferably 8) Then to work about 15h/wk telemedicine. That's 2 bedside EM shifts and 2 days of telemedicine. I have credentialed with 2 major platforms. One of which doesn't require any weekly commitment, so that seemed an optimal arrangement.

3) Credentialing with another hospital system with a better history of bonus pay for emergency shifts and might could squeeze another 2 shifts/mo if the pay was right but I'm not counting on that being a regular monthly requirement.

4) I have also carved out a few hours/mo for addiction medicine. Primarily buprenorphine. Yes, I know people are rolling their eyes but I just keep reading about these encounters being gratifying and a good friend of mine does this full time and has given me some additional insight. I just want the experience and insight. It will either be a VERY short term endeavor or will change my mind about the field. Either way, the more I have researched it...the less worried I am from a medial legal standpoint or even an adverse event stand point. I have already been administering it and even prescribing it on a very short term basis in my clinical work after the x-waiver requirements went away. I think it's very applicable to our specialty. Interestingly, I find this patient population to be extremely more pleasant compared to the traditional opioid "drug seeker" crowd.

I've had to back step and really look at everything again, re-analyze and I think in hindsight...I'm just not ready for retirement yet. I've probably got 4-5 more years of bedside EM left in me at 6-8 shifts/mo, maybe even more. The telemedicine will be an extremely valuable learning experience insofar as optionality and future earning potential. For instance, it's one thing to retire. That's a massive decision and, within EM, stands to be permanent if you are out of the field for more than 2-3 years. How many docs retire and wish they could make a little extra cash from time to time on the side? It would be extremely valuable to know whether telemedicine could solve that problem because that's a source of income for many years after formal bedside clinical retirement.

Anyway, 6-8 shifts/mo with little to no overnights is actually NOT so bad!

 

[Groove]

This reeks of GenX work addiction.

Guilty as a GenX but I've never heard of that? How is agreeing to work part time in your early 50s..."work addiction"? What the hell else am I going to do?

 

[Bittersteel]

Guilty as a GenX but I've never heard of that? How is agreeing to work part time in your early 50s..."work addiction"? What the hell else am I going to do?

Literally anything else.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

Literally anything else.

Working part time in the ED is a great gig if it’s a good balance for you. Solid income, minimal time commitment, rarely will interfere will travel plans, and leaves time for the literally anything else you mention.

 

[skougess]

Working part time in the ED is a great gig if it’s a good balance for you. Solid income, minimal time commitment, rarely will interfere will travel plans, and leaves time for the literally anything else you mention.

I’m hoping for 10-15 years of full time/0.8 time EM, and then another 5-10 of part time to call it a career.

 

[Bittersteel]

I’m hoping for 10-15 years of full time/0.8 time EM, and then another 5-10 of part time to call it a career.

Im at about 10 and im legit running out of steam.

Im like the little engine that could chugging uphill to FIRE.

 

[Splenda88]

Im at about 10 and im legit running out of steam.

Im like the little engine that could chugging uphill to FIRE.

Every physician should do their best to have at LEAST 2.5M net worth (with < 1M tied into your primary home) by the time they reach 10 yrs into attending-hood.

I know it's not FU money but that amount gives you some peace of mind.

 

[Bittersteel]

Every physician should do their best to have at LEAST 2.5M net worth (with < 1M tied into your primary home) by the time they reach 10 yrs into attending-hood.

I know it's not FU money but that amount gives you some peace of mind.

You got some sample bias bud. This forum probably represents the top 2% of savers / investors. Likely the overwhelming minority of physicians even have 1.5M of NW by 10 years out.

 

[Bittersteel]

You got some sample bias bud. This forum probably represents the top 2% of savers / investors. Likely the overwhelming minority of physicians even have 1.5M of NW by 10 years out.

I would be surprised if 50% had 1 NW by 10 years out.

 

[Splenda88]

You got some sample bias bud. This forum probably represents the top 2% of savers / investors. Likely the overwhelming minority of physicians even have 1.5M of NW by 10 years out.

I wonder what do they do with their money. The people I work with seem to be doing well. In fact, I have a colleague that lives in the same gated community with a famous quarterback in the NFL. The only thing is that his house is worth 3.5M while that quarterback home is 10M+. Lol... He has been a hospitalist for only 21 yrs but an IMG that had no student debt. The S&P500 average return is 13%+ for the past 15 yrs.

 

[Splenda88]

I would be surprised if 50% had 1 NW by 10 years out.

If you invest 50k/yr (max out 401k, rothIRA, HSA and $1500/month) in the S&P500 in the past 10 yrs, you would have more than $1M without other assets.

 

[skougess]

I wonder what do they do with their money. The people I work with seem to be doing well. In fact, I have a colleague that lives in the same gated community with a famous quarterback in the NFL. The only thing is that his house is worth 3.5M while that quarterback home is 10M+. Lol... He has been a hospitalist for only 21 yrs but an IMG that had no student debt. The S&P500 average return is 13%+ for the past 15 yrs.

To be fair, starting at negative $300k, a net worth of $2.5m 10 years out is almost mathematically impossible for an EM doc barring exceptional market conditions (like the ones we’ve had for the past 5 years).

 

[Bittersteel]

If you invest 50k/yr (max out 401k, rothIRA, HSA and $1500/month) in the S&P500 in the past 10 yrs, you would have more than $1M without other assets.

Ya you're right. I revise my initial statement. 1M by 10 seems to be normal as per the WCI data. Still think 2 to 2.5 is a stretch tho.