Interesting article with very interesting doctor comments

[Wowwywowwow]

Interesting article...although it is not discussing anything new:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2008-02-26-doctor-shortage_N.htm


What is more interesting about this article are the comments made by doctors in the user comments section.

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[pride4jc727]

All I can say is that the forecast made two-three decades ago is a real mistake. I wonder what statistics they used to make such a determination. Anyways, I always knew that something was mentioned about the shortage of physicians in the United States. After reading that article, I get more of an idea where there are shortages and in what fields of medicine need to be addressed. In regards to physician salaries, do they make more money in private practice or in an academic setting (hospitals, etc.)? As a pre-med, this seems a very interesting topic to me.

 

[Law2Doc]

In regards to physician salaries, do they make more money in private practice or in an academic setting (hospitals, etc.)?

You always make more money in private practice. However the new model of practice is private "groups" that service hospitals, so the dudes you see working in hospital settings are often private.

But FWIW I'm not sure shortage translates to salary advantage. Everyone pays through insurance and insurance dictates what you can bill. So regardless of what kind of patient backlog you have the only way you can earn more money is to see more patients, and there are finite numbers of hours in the day.

 

[MsJLewis]

Geeze, after reading all those comments I'm seriously considering going into business or getting an MBA or something! Starting med school this fall is looking less appealing.

Law2doc, I'm curious why you left law? It looks like that is where all the money is..