Is it worth it???

[bandn]

I am just wondering if anesthesiology is worth it anymore? With malpractice, CRNA, no glory, and all of the risk, is becoming an anesthesiologist worth it? The pay is good, for now at least, but does it make up for the afore mentioned. Heck, everybody is trying to take a piece of physician's from physical therapists to CRNAs. Hell, is medicine even worth it anyore?

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[The_Sensei]

No.......I am currently and will continue to make money investing in real estate and hopefully get the hell out of medicine in the next 10 years.

 

[deleted9493]

If you're asking whether or not you will make (proportionally) as much money as physicians in this country have in the past, probably not. In fact, there's little doubt about it. If this is your standard by which you measure the worth of a life's pursuit, medicine is not worth it and you will not find happiness in its study.

Though there are a lot of decent physicians in the world, there is in my mind's eye an almost palpable difference between those doctors who have pursued medicine because of money and those who sincerely enjoy caring for the sick and have insatiable curiousity about disease. The latter are those who, in my opinion, practice at a higher level than most of their peers do. By "higher level" I mean that they tend to be more thorough, be more well-read in their field, and are generally more involved in their patient's issues. Granted, this should not be over-generalized but I think that most would probably agree the trend to be at least partially true.

Finances are important because it costs a lot to not have a job for 4 years and to pay such ungodly tuition. Even so, that as the focus of your career will make that career a very short, bitter and well, mediocre one.

 

[supahfresh]

agree with above. you do not want to go into medicine if you measure its worth by what money you can or wont gain. now, having said that, it is important for everyone to bear in mind what a huge debt one will accrue while in training and to be smart about your financial situation. although money isnt everything, you still need to be able to pay your bills and take care of your family.

 

[YupGypsy]

No.......I am currently and will continue to make money investing in real estate and hopefully get the hell out of medicine in the next 10 years.

that is depressing, sensei, please, do expand

 

[VolatileAgent]

medical malpractice rates for anesthesiologists are relatively low compared to other fields, especially in the surgical arena. in fact, they are one of the few fields where the rates have declined over time.

the rest, i agree with and is already covered well by hudsontc. don't worry about the crnas. they are going to screw themselves and, in the future, wish they hadn't pushed as hard as they are now doing. it's all going to settle out in the long run, and so long as you just remember that neither of us is going away you'll see it isn't as big of deal as it now seems. you'll always be able to make a comfortable living as an anesthesiologist. it's a good gig.

 

[Planktonmd]

The future of this specialty as we know it today is uncertain.
The ASA predicts that anesthesiology will change radically and we will do less hands on anesthesia and more perioperative medicine, which means competing with internists, hospitalists, intensivists, pulmonologists......

So the short answer is : NO, Don't do it , unless you feel this is the only thing you want to do.

 

[pgg]

No.......I am currently and will continue to make money investing in real estate and hopefully get the hell out of medicine in the next 10 years.

that is depressing, sensei, please, do expand

Just keep in mind that there's no guarantee of wild success in other fields. I remember meeting a depressed internist in 2000 when I was a third year med student. He was quitting medicine so he could work the stock market full time. My guess is that his career change went poorly.

 

[zippy2u]

Bandn, medicine is like this: Say you're a plumber and get a call from the homeowner to fix a burst pipe. You do everything right; wear the little booties so ya don't track mud in the HO's house, even bring Fido a bisquit treat so he doesn't nip at your heels. Takes a couple of hrs. to fix the pipe and HO's happy as hell. Ya give them a bill for $200 and the HO thinks the bill should be $30. The HO gives ya $30 and calls it "even steven". You smile, say goodby and carry your tools and jar of KY jelly back to the work van. This goes on day in and day out for years. Now, is it worth it? Regards, ---Zippy

 

[me454555]

Even with all the bs we deal with on a daily basis I don't know any other job where you can virtually guranatee 200k/year and live anywhere you want. Is it worth it? Well that depends on what you're looking for. It's not an easy job, and it definatly has its share of problems but what job doesn't.

If you truely wanna be rich learn how to throw a baseball 90+. It also helps to be left handed. Some stupid team will give you a 5 year 55million dollar deal even if your just league average. Then you can go on the D/L w/various ailments and still collect your $$.

 

[jeesapeesa]

what was up with A-rods salary? 252 million over 10 years? that wasn't worth it.

 

[The_Sensei]

Just keep in mind that there's no guarantee of wild success in other fields. I remember meeting a depressed internist in 2000 when I was a third year med student. He was quitting medicine so he could work the stock market full time. My guess is that his career change went poorly.

I am neither depressed nor am I doing poorly. I continue to work because I currently enjoy doing do. However, with the money coming in from my rental properties and real estate transactions, I'll have no need to work within the next 5-10 years, depending.

 

[The_Sensei]

that is depressing, sensei, please, do expand

Medicine is so highly regulated and poorly compensated that it is no longer becoming fun. The CRNA issue, the lack of autonomy, the future trends in anesthesiology all lend themselves to a not so rosy future. I'll continue with my real estate investing, rentals and flipping and be out of medicine if things get any worse. Fortunately, I have the luxury to do so in the very near future.

Peace

 

[joker]

Medicine is so highly regulated and poorly compensated that it is no longer becoming fun. The CRNA issue, the lack of autonomy, the future trends in anesthesiology all lend themselves to a not so rosy future. I'll continue with my real estate investing, rentals and flipping and be out of medicine if things get any worse. Fortunately, I have the luxury to do so in the very near future.

Peace

would you mind explaining what you mean by a "not so rosy future" for anesthesiologists?

 

[Planktonmd]

would you mind explaining what you mean by a "not so rosy future" for anesthesiologists?

This is a specialty that is undergoing major change and has an uncertain future.
The leaders of Anesthesiology are predicting that this specialty is going to become a perioperative specialty, which means competing with many others.
So, if you are looking for a "rosy future" you might want to do Plastic surgery, or maybe dermatology.

 

[BLADEMDA]

I am just wondering if anesthesiology is worth it anymore? With malpractice, CRNA, no glory, and all of the risk, is becoming an anesthesiologist worth it? The pay is good, for now at least, but does it make up for the afore mentioned. Heck, everybody is trying to take a piece of physician's from physical therapists to CRNAs. Hell, is medicine even worth it anyore?

Once the AANA is defeated and delegated to its true role as a MidLevel Provider Anesthesiology remains as a great choice.

The specialty has been great to me and can be good to you as well. The war with the AANA must be won. The AANA's political machine must be defeated and together we can do it.


The ASA and senior Anesthesiologists (many of whom have retired) allowed this mess to fester to this point. The AANA is planning its DNAP degree with glee and dreams of true Independence. There are those among us willing to fight to preserve the MEDICAL SPECIALTY of ANESTHESIOLOGY.

By choosing this specialty you will in one way or the other become part of this war. Dr. Lema recognizes the war and chooses to look for another path around the Midlevels called Perioperative Physician. I say don't retreat until the war is lost. The public doesn't want NURSES acting like Physicians and will reject the AANA's message of Independence. Join the battle against the AANA and align yourself with the next generation of Anesthesiologists willing to fight for the specialty.

There is much more posted in the private forum. PM toughlife and join the battle.


BLADEMDA- fighting against the AANA

 

[burntcrispy]

If the CRNAs get complete independance how do you predict it will effect anesthesiologists? Understandably we will take a significant pay cut. Do you see us working side by side with the CRNAs?

 

[BLADEMDA]

If the CRNAs get complete independance how do you predict it will effect anesthesiologists? Understandably we will take a significant pay cut. Do you see us working side by side with the CRNAs?

This has been discussed in detail. Why don't you read EtherMD's posts for more comments on the subject. But, working side by side is not OUR agenda but the AANA's.

Blade