How realistic is it to practice 6 months on 6 months off?

[Crayola227]

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This is the meat of what I'm thinking here. But I disagree with your second sentence-- giving someone a multivitamin who is vitamin deficient is improving their life.

This statement right here tells me how little you understand about treating what is likely chronic malnutrition. Even adequately addressing acute issues like iron-deficiency anemia from simple uncomplicated childbirth often requires treatment and follow up for months. It's not just addressed with a simple bottle of Flintstones. This is true of things like pellagra, etc. A lot of things you need to monitor for any complications arising from treatment, which you won't be able to do under your model.

 

[bGMx]

You presented your idea as a career plan, not as a humorous day at the beach (not that I routinely give unsolicited vitamins and sunscreen to my friends at the beach? Do people do this?) I mean you asked if it was OK to take 6 months off a year to do this... Forgive us for taking you seriously and answering honestly.

I don't know man, sometimes I do. My boy was drinking a corona the other day and I knew he needed some B12 so I hit him with IM Centrum and then slathered on the Spf 3. To each his own...

 

[Trismegistus4]

I'm sailing away
To practice remote telepsychiatry
'Cause I've got vitamin D
Folate, wellness advice, here's a shot of B
Oh no, here come pirates
Don't climb aboard
They'll search for my valuables
Steal my vitamin hoard
Let's apply, oh Lord, apply
Some suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnscreen on!

 

[Trismegistus4]

6) Why would someone who has lived their entire life in a culture with millennia-old traditions not involving sunscreen or vitamins suddenly decide they are instrumental to their well-being?

Because he will be there to help the Vietnamese, because inside every third-world peasant there is a SWPL trying to get out.

 

[Psychresy]

This is the meat of what I'm thinking here. But I disagree with your second sentence-- giving someone a multivitamin who is vitamin deficient is improving their life.

Our of curiosity, what happens when you move on? I imagine the supply of vitamins just stops?

 

[Crayola227]

Our of curiosity, what happens when you move on? I imagine the supply of vitamins just stops?

Well, the actual good to the poor may only last months, but the feel-good for the bloke with the Messianic boat complex, that's forever.

 

[WisNeuro]

I think everyone here is missing the most important question. Before embarking on a life/career/whatever, sailing the Seven Seas; can you tie a Trucker's Hitch?

 

[clausewitz2]

I think everyone here is missing the most important question. Before embarking on a life/career/whatever, sailing the Severn Seas; can you tie a Trucker's Hitch?

Please. Everyone knows the greatest and most important yachting controversy is the immortal question:

Ascot or no ascot?

 

[WisNeuro]

Please. Everyone knows the greatest and most important yachting controversy is the immortal question:

Ascot or no ascot?

If it's >27', yes to the ascot.

 

[90sportsfan]

Not sure if this is a completely serious post or if the OP just wanted to have some fun by generating reactions, but just to play along, I think the issue (as some have already mentioned) would be lack of continuity of care. What will you do if there is an emergency or for follow-up appointments during the 6 month hiatus?

If he were to really try to do something like this, I think he would be opening himself up to a lot of malpractice risk and putting his license in jeopardy.

 

[PsyDr]

Please. Everyone knows the greatest and most important yachting controversy is the immortal question:

Ascot or no ascot?

Judge Fit to Be Tied Over Ascot-Wearing Lawyer

The ABA Journal is read by half of the nation's 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

www.abajournal.com

Although not covered by Debretts, no ascot.

 

[Trismegistus4]

The OP kind of reminds me of this thread from 2015, whose OP said "I am keen on travel, and believe an ideal society ought to allow citizens to take extended breaks in their careers in order to rejuvenate and experience life, so long as they spend a decent portion of their life as servants to others." However, to be fair, that OP only wanted to take a month off at a time, which is eminently feasible with locums, not spend 6 months of every year sailing around the world.

 

[Psychresy]

I mean, I do agree with the premise that our lives should not be dedicated to work and the ability to take extended breaks should be encouraged. The standard two weeks a year is just awful. I also don't think it's wrong to want to only work 6 months a year as a psychiatrist. None of us are obligated to work more, serve more, etc. The ridiculous part of this thread is sailing around the world dropping off multi vitamins and slathering the locals in sunscreen. This is just incredibly naive.

 

[Dave1980]

@bGMx you have gotten your answer. Literally not a single person thought your idea was a decent one.

 

[Trismegistus4]

I mean, I do agree with the premise that our lives should not be dedicated to work and the ability to take extended breaks should be encouraged. The standard two weeks a year is just awful. I also don't think it's wrong to want to only work 6 months a year as a psychiatrist. None of us are obligated to work more, serve more, etc. The ridiculous part of this thread is sailing around the world dropping off multi vitamins and slathering the locals in sunscreen. This is just incredibly naive.

I agree that two weeks isn't enough, but the ideal is going to be closer to that end of the spectrum than six months. There is regular discussion in this very forum of NPs taking over, and one of the justifications given for this is that there just aren't enough psychiatrists. If 1 psychiatrist = half the psychiatrist man-hours it used to, they have a point.

 

[OneWord]

Why not just do telepsych from your boat? Once Starlink is up you will be able to have a high speed internet connection anywhere on the planet via satellite dish. But ya the vitamin & sunscreen plan is kinda bizarre and not well thought out. My interpretation is you're trying to make your desire to live on a sailboat feel more altruistic, not that you're passionate about public health in developing nations, otherwise you probably would be doing family medicine instead of psychiatry and working for Doctors without borders or something. Do my starlink enabled-boat-telepsych plan and you can live on a sailboat and still be of service! We do great things for our patients too and there is massive shortage of psychiatric care most places. I'd discourage the vitamins/sunscreen plan as you will most likely end up getting arrested for violating local laws governing medical pracctice or have your sailboat captured by pirates or something if you go through with it and I suspect most of the people you'd be pushing your vitamins and sunscreen on would be confused more than anything any not really benefit from your efforts anyways.

Imagine how confused the pirates will be.