Survey of 24,216 US physicians across 25 specialty areas.

[Slowpoke]

http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/compensation/2012/public

The entire presentation is rather eye-opening but this one hit the hardest:

"Physician frustration is growing. The 2012 survey showed far more dissatisfaction among doctors across all specialties. In 2012, just over one half of all physicians (54%) would choose medicine again as a career, far less than in the prior year (69%)."

For the many of us who are just about to enter, I wonder how our own attitudes and opinions of medicine will evolve over the years.

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[DanGee777]

If my primary concerns were money and lifestyle then I would have just kept hooking.

 

[Myro]

http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/compensation/2012/public

The entire presentation is rather eye-opening but this one hit the hardest:

"Physician frustration is growing. The 2012 survey showed far more dissatisfaction among doctors across all specialties. In 2012, just over one half of all physicians (54%) would choose medicine again as a career, far less than in the prior year (69%)."

For the many of us who are just about to enter, I wonder how our own attitudes and opinions of medicine will evolve over the years.

No but seriously. Premeds aren't the people to be asking this to. You should be directing your question to woman who has the most insight about this...

 

[beethousand]

Another thing to consider is that we are in the middle of a recession as well as heathcare reform. I'll be curious to see how it will be 10 years from now

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Look at it this way. At least U.S. M.D.'s can go to other countries to practice when everything falls apart.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Well it's no wonder the survey results say that. The health care system is undergoing a significant change. While we don't know whether health care will be better or worse in ten years, that uncertainty causes people (especially physicians) to be pessimistic.

 

[pre med 2014]

Well it's no wonder the survey results say that. The health care system is undergoing a significant change. While we don't know whether health care will be better or worse in ten years, that uncertainty causes people (especially physicians) to be pessimistic.

for the worse, it is going to turn into a regulatory nightmare if obamacare passes.

 

[NotAsking4Much]

for the worse, it is going to turn into a regulatory nightmare if obamacare passes.

Without playing into any politics. That's true.

I do think it's much needed though...healthcare is a mess. Some people are charging whatever they want, so many unnecessary tests, etc. Am I happy for the change as a future practioner? Of course not. Pay is going to drop and autonomy is going to disappear. However, our country needs something.

I do want to say one thing. Before everyone cries the desmise of medicine, the same thing is happening in other professional fields as well. I don't know if you all keep up with the news, but many law school graduates can't find jobs; Dodd-Frank reform is making Wall St scared; engineering firms are slow to hire at many places.

World is a competitive place. We're not only facing increasing competition nationally, but also floods of talent from around the world who want the same opportunities.

Yes, medicine will be increasingly rough. It might not be fun, but what job really is? (that also pays decent and is well-respected).

 

[Mehd School]

Look at it this way. At least U.S. M.D.'s can go to other countries to practice when everything falls apart.

Not sure what you're getting at, but any U.S. physician regardless of degree can go international to practice without much of a hiccup.

 

[Narmerguy]

Another thing to consider is that we are in the middle of a recession as well as heathcare reform. I'll be curious to see how it will be 10 years from now

Agreed. Things are hard across the board in a lot of different fields. This shouldn't be a huge surprise.

 

[Praefectus]

for the worse, it is going to turn into a regulatory nightmare if obamacare passes.

Apparently bureaucrats know more about medicine than doctors.

 

[235788]

Apparently bureaucrats know more about medicine than doctors.

yeah they'll work endlessly to kill the physician class and turn us into technicians.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Those salary figures are most definitely low-balled. Physicians tend to not always tell the truth to salary surveys. I wouldn't if they polled me. <300k for urology? Not at even a decent job.

The figure for EM is about right for tight urban markets. If you are willing to go to even a smaller city you can easily add 100k to that.

Just sayin'.

 

[Thego2guy]

Really nice read, thank you OP!

Those salary figures are most definitely low-balled. Physicians tend to not always tell the truth to salary surveys. I wouldn't if they polled me. <300k for urology? Not at even a decent job.

The figure for EM is about right for tight urban markets. If you are willing to go to even a smaller city you can easily add 100k to that.

Just sayin'.

Why not disclose actual figures?

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Really nice read, thank you OP!



Why not disclose actual figures?

I'd tell any medical student who asked, just don't feel like the general public has any right to know.

 

[SoulinNeed]

Like I said in another thread, this doesn't make much sense. Compared to last year, the average salary in the Great lakes area went up $27,0000 in one year. This thing just isn't reliable, as it was done by a random 3rd party online survey. It wasn't some study that was done. It's not reliable.

 

[WellWornLad]

It's very hard to get a read on salaries in private practice. However, the ones that doctors have disclosed to be have been eye-popping ($550k for rad onc? $330k for family practice?). Hard to say if this is boasting as it's all word of mouth (excuse me Dr. Attending, I'll just need your tax returns, thanks!).

As for physician "satisfaction," a lot of it is just what you're used to. The physician workforce (like many others) is tilted older by the baby boom generation. Older docs have seen the golden days of medicine, before cost-cutting, productivity ratings, HIPAA, internet-"informed" patients, loss of prestige, rampant obesity/diabetes, and stagnant salaries. They also harbor this weird idea that everyone who goes into IT can be a successful entrepreneur/multi-millionaire (at least until their techie son/daughter drains their budding venture capital fund).

 

[ppfizenm]

Not sure what you're getting at, but any U.S. physician regardless of degree can go international to practice without much of a hiccup.

Not sure what you are getting at but MD's are recognized by pretty much every country in the world. DO's are not.

 

[SoulinNeed]

Not sure what you are getting at but MD's are recognized by pretty much every country in the world. DO's are not.

DO's are recognized in like ninety something countries I believe (the vast majority with full practice equal to MD's), they're fine.

 

[kami333]

I think a bigger issue than MD vs DO is the hurdle of residency (depending on the country you may have to redo it) and visa/work permits.