Is is this the future for Physicians?

[pencan]

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Or is this the new "work ethic" of a new generation? I would imagine this would be the norm under an Obama care type scenario.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/health/02resident.html?_r=1

 

[pgg]

Do I detect a rebuke?

 

[CrazyJake]

with ObamaCare that old fart better not get a sinus infection or cold b/c it will be the end for him...

good for the young doc...we're going to see a change in life, family, work..keeping a balance is going to be important for the new generation of doc's.

CJ

 

[Neon Goat]

Or is this the new "work ethic" of a new generation? I would imagine this would be the norm under an Obama care type scenario.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/health/02resident.html?_r=1

I'm not sure why you're asking if this is the future for Physicians. The article is about the present. It describes a woman with 2 kids who chose a specialty without call so she could spend more protected time with her kids and a specialty with a fast pace and many procedures because she was drawn to that.

How does the future for physicians and Obamacare connect to this article?

 

[xbulletin]

The subject of this article didn't do anything revolutionary here. She just decided to choose a specialty that fit the lifestyle she wanted, rather than continuing the family business.

This article introduces a concept to the lay crowd who don't know/don't care how a physician makes their choice

 

[pencan]

I'm not sure why you're asking if this is the future for Physicians. The article is about the present. It describes a woman with 2 kids who chose a specialty without call so she could spend more protected time with her kids and a specialty with a fast pace and many procedures because she was drawn to that.

How does the future for physicians and Obamacare connect to this article?

The article also stated that there is an increase in the last 8 years Merritt Hawkins has increased it's hospital positions by 14%. My concern with Obama care is a decreae int eh proverbial reimbursement pie. If payments to providers are slashed, is it worth it to be in private practice with more overhead than to just be a hospital employee and punch a clock each day.

 

[pgg]

The article also stated that there is an increase in the last 8 years Merritt Hawkins has increased it's hospital positions by 14%. My concern with Obama care is a decreae int eh proverbial reimbursement pie. If payments to providers are slashed, is it worth it to be in private practice with more overhead than to just be a hospital employee and punch a clock each day.

You're a nurse and a clock puncher by definition. I'm skeptical that you're really concerned about physician reimbursement and employment models.


As Neon Goat pointed out, this is an article that dwells on two previous-generation FP docs pitifully lamenting that their daughter/grand-daughter didn't pick their specialty. Oh noes. To tell the truth, those two old farts kind of annoyed me with their declaration of how unsatisfied she's going to be because she's going to be missing out on managing a patient's diabetes over many years.

This article is hardly a comment on her "work ethic" - she chose EM because the specialty appealed to her, and she abhorred what she called the "Groundhog Day" nature of primary care. Part of her attraction to EM was likely the fact that, like us, when EM docs are off they're really off, and that's more conducive to a normal family life.

What do you really want?

 

[hivoltage]

the author makes it sound like all physicians wanna be employed bycorporate americal Thats crap. MEdicine is becoming corporate so hence they physicians have to work for them. There is no "work for yourself" mode anymore. very few docs work for themselves now.. its all corporate. SO we dont choose it.. its the only option in many cases

 

[BeddingfieldMD]

Or is this the new "work ethic" of a new generation? I would imagine this would be the norm under an Obama care type scenario.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/health/02resident.html?_r=1

Wait a minute..aren't you an SRNA? Are you seriously calling into question the "work ethic" of the "new generation" of physicians?

 

[JaggerPlate]

Wait a minute..aren't you an SRNA? Are you seriously calling into question the "work ethic" of the "new generation" of physicians?

Wow ... ballsy


By the way, does anyone else think the first line of that article is sort of sexist?

 

[kcin]

Wow ... ballsy


By the way, does anyone else think the first line of that article is sort of sexist?

I'm pretty sure you're kidding, but in case not.. It just seemed like girl/woman age based distinction to me.

 

[Yo GabbaPentin]

This just in... The top graduating medical students MIGHT have picked derm and rad onc for lifestyle reasons and NOT the super fascinating aspect of mole removal. Groundbreaking stuff here.

 

[cfdavid]

A lot has changed in medicine from those days. Some good, and some bad. As a general rule, those old timers could expect to make a very decent living, probably (almost certainly) had more respect from their patients and the community at large, and perhaps didn't have the massive beauracracies that today's healthcare "system" projects onto many physicians.

So, the result is that many younger docs feel that those past rewards are no longer there for them, and thus they aren't willing to sacrifice AS much given that fact. It is what it is.

 

[fakin' the funk]

Wait a minute..aren't you an SRNA? Are you seriously calling into question the "work ethic" of the "new generation" of physicians?

You're surprised? That's all advanced practice nurses do...hate on physicians and try to undermine our rep.

 

[digitlnoize]

"What about the wife and babies if you have them? Leave them," Dr. Osler wrote. "Heavy are the responsibilities to yourself, to the profession and to the public. Your wife will be glad to bear her share of the sacrifices you make."

Wow. Osler was a douche. Screw you buddy, I love my wife, and as much as I love medicine and my patients, you have to have priorities in your life. If I had to leave my wife to go to residency, I wouldn't have gone to medical school. Period.

I see no reason why there can't be a work-life balance for those of us who want one. Obviously, working less hours = lower pay, but if I'm ok with that sacrifice, then what's the problem?

I also don't see why residency can't be hours based, instead of year based. 3y of IM residency at 80h/wk shouldn't be any different than 6y at 40h/wk or 4.5y at 60h/wk etc. As long as you meet the total hours required, pass your boards, and meet all the other requirements, what's the big deal about working a zillion hours a week? Just because previous generations suffered is no reason why everyone else should have to. All it does is drive talented, smart people away from the field. Our training should be flexible and malleable, as we want our physicians to be.

 

[BeddingfieldMD]

Do you seriously want to spend 6-7 years in residency for anesthesia versus the current 4? That's additional years that you're not making an attending salary, that your interest (if you took loans) is continuing to accumulate, and that you're always basically someone's bitch. To some degree, I'd rather just take a few years and get it done with.

Also, I would still argue that in retrospect, for most specialties (IM, surgery, e.g.), medical school is still a bad route for one who values their social life, family life, etc.

I also don't see why residency can't be hours based, instead of year based. 3y of IM residency at 80h/wk shouldn't be any different than 6y at 40h/wk or 4.5y at 60h/wk etc. As long as you meet the total hours required, pass your boards, and meet all the other requirements, what's the big deal about working a zillion hours a week? Just because previous generations suffered is no reason why everyone else should have to. All it does is drive talented, smart people away from the field. Our training should be flexible and malleable, as we want our physicians to be.

 

[digitlnoize]

Do you seriously want to spend 6-7 years in residency for anesthesia versus the current 4? That's additional years that you're not making an attending salary, that your interest (if you took loans) is continuing to accumulate, and that you're always basically someone's bitch. To some degree, I'd rather just take a few years and get it done with.

Also, I would still argue that in retrospect, for most specialties (IM, surgery, e.g.), medical school is still a bad route for one who values their social life, family life, etc.

Do I? No. But the option shold be there for people who took no loans and have kids and would prefer a sane work life balance.

Medicine is a bad route for those that value having a life, but thats my point...it doesnt HAVE to be.

We need to train people smarter, more effciently, sooner, and with a greater emphasis on information management, than on rote memorization.

 

[BeddingfieldMD]

You make good points. I sometimes wonder if we in the U.S. will ever move to a system like most of the world in which one is accepted to medical school directly out of high school, such that it would only last 6 years with some general collegiate courses in the first two years. I know these integrated programs exist, but they're still far and few between.

Do I? No. But the option shold be there for people who took no loans and have kids and would prefer a sane work life balance.

Medicine is a bad route for those that value having a life, but thats my point...it doesnt HAVE to be.

We need to train people smarter, more effciently, sooner, and with a greater emphasis on information management, than on rote memorization.

 

[sevo85288]

Women in medicine work less than men. That is a fact. That is why there will be huge shortage of M.Ds in the future. 50% of workforce will be part-time.

Also, it is no longer worth it to work 90 hrs/wk. In the past that would bring financial reward. Today working 90 hrs/wk as a cardiac surgeon friend of mine did up to last year, brings $800/CABG post overhead and BEFORE taxes. So they are all cutting back, eliminating office days and not working on weekends. Not taking ED call, etc. We are going to be in a world of hurt in a few years, when there are very few surgeons around and your appendix is bursting.

 

[Ferrismonk]

This just in... The top graduating medical students MIGHT have picked derm and rad onc for lifestyle reasons and NOT the super fascinating aspect of mole removal. Groundbreaking stuff here.

👍

 

[badasshairday]

Women in medicine work less than men. That is a fact. That is why there will be huge shortage of M.Ds in the future. 50% of workforce will be part-time.

Also, it is no longer worth it to work 90 hrs/wk. In the past that would bring financial reward. Today working 90 hrs/wk as a cardiac surgeon friend of mine did up to last year, brings $800/CABG post overhead and BEFORE taxes. So they are all cutting back, eliminating office days and not working on weekends. Not taking ED call, etc. We are going to be in a world of hurt in a few years, when there are very few surgeons around and your appendix is bursting.

Is that a single vessel CABG for 800$, surely they must make more for multiple vessels..... I hope, or else that is just truely jacked. I mean it is already insulting enough to get paid 800$ even if that is a single vessel. 👎