Predictions for medical profession by 2009

[TripleDegree]

For those of us entering medical school in 2005, what types of big changes do you see happening by the time we graduate?

For example?

- Would we see a pay increase during residency?
- Would we see primary care residencies have a resurgence in enrollment?
- Would we see reduction in paperwork?
- Would there be a surplus/shortage of physicians?


Thoughts or predictions welcome

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[Fermata]

For those of us entering medical school in 2005, what types of big changes do you see happening by the time we graduate?

For example?

- Would we see a pay increase during residency?
- Would we see primary care residencies have a resurgence in enrollment?
- Would we see reduction in paperwork?
- Would there be a surplus/shortage of physicians?


Thoughts or predictions welcome

1.) Not much more than to match inflation.
2.) Not likely.
3.) Haha. No.
4.) Shortage. Physicians are purposely kept in short supply for a reason.

 

[Uegis]

There will definitely be a reduction in paperwork. At the hospital I'm working at right now, they are trying to eliminate charts and do everything electronically. It has increased access by physicians to information and expedited care, so I don't see why it wouldn't be more commonplace in four years.

 

[Law2Doc]

There will definitely be a reduction in paperwork. At the hospital I'm working at right now, they are trying to eliminate charts and do everything electronically. It has increased access by physicians to information and expedited care, so I don't see why it wouldn't be more commonplace in four years.

While I agree that in the long run (probably in a decade) everything will be computerized, I think with increased regulations in areas such as patient privacy and security filing requirements under HIPAA and the like, the paperwork will go up, not down, in the shorter term. (Darn lawyers ).
I also suspect we will see a continued push to have residents not working extremely long on call shifts, and this cut back of hours will result in an artificial shortage of physicians. (Meaning the same number of physicians will no longer be able to provide coverage for the same number of man hours).

 

[Uegis]

While I agree that in the long run (probably in a decade) everything will be computerized, I think with increased regulations in areas such as patient privacy and security filing requirements under HIPAA and the like, the paperwork will go up, not down, in the shorter term. (Darn lawyers ).
I also suspect we will see a continued push to have residents not working extremely long on call shifts, and this cut back of hours will result in an artificial shortage of physicians. (Meaning the same number of physicians will no longer be able to provide coverage for the same number of man hours).

I agree with your comments. For the privacy issues, all files are password protected and you need to have personal login to even access the password screen for the patients. But its true, due to legal issues, a lot might be hesitant to adapt such a system. For the shorter hours for residents, this also deals with legal issues as increasing amount of tired residents make more mistakes, leading to more legal woes, not to mention tighter regulations by the ACGME after they made an example out of JHU. Darn lawyers

 

[vhawk]

Picture jumpsuits and hover cars. Also, everyone will receive their sustenance in either a paste or some sort of suppository. Hopefully we'll get to chose.

 

[TripleDegree]

For those of us entering medical school in 2005, what types of big changes do you see happening by the time we graduate?

For example?

- Would we see a pay increase during residency?
- Would we see primary care residencies have a resurgence in enrollment?
- Would we see reduction in paperwork?
- Would there be a surplus/shortage of physicians?


Thoughts or predictions welcome

bump

 

[Law2Doc]

bump

We will see a lot more electrical engineers going into medicine to help take care of all the cyborgs...

 

[TripleDegree]

We will see a lot more electrical engineers going into medicine to help take care of all the cyborgs...

lol