the falling down professions

[Jeff05]

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/f...em&ex=1199854800&en=753f3fc83f4f52bf&ei=5087

"Unquestionably, many doctors and lawyers still find the higher calling of their profession — helping people — as well as the prestige and money, worth the hard work. And the stars in either field are still that: commanding the handsome compensation and social cachet. But to others, the daily trudge serves as a constant reminder that the entrepreneur’s autonomy simply can’t be found in law or medicine."

...i hope some of that simmers down after residency.

 

[Hoya11]

I think sometimes the NY times is stuck in the past like the baby boomers who mainly read it. The days of the "swingin, money makin, business guy" have been over for ten years or so. Now its either crummy sales jobs or yes-man in an office doing pointless activity for 7/8 hours per day, looking up fantasy fb and waiting to go home and not piss off the boss, little to no room for promotion, no advancement of skills. Corporate life is mostly the alternative to professional school now and I think it is at an all-time low.

 

[happyabe]

This is exactly right. I disagree with the NY Times. Just ask people who are working in the business world after majoring in business or finance in college; or if they were smart, they have MBAs. Soon, you'll realize that they, too, are working 80+ hours a week in a very tough environment. Unlike my medicine colleagues, however, the business world is filled with people abusing drugs and committing immoral acts to "ease" their minds. These are the facts of some professions we neglect to ask about. And, the level of nobility and prestige in medicine is unparalleled.

My buddy works for a large, American automotive industry and recently he stated that the morale is low. He's looking to move anywhere he can find a job, while some of us are PICKING residency programs based on a number of factors, including location. I think all of these features, in addition to the recent decline in vertical movement opportunities in the corporate world, help convince me that this field is the most ideal (at least for me).

 

[nutmegs]

"One doctor responding to the American College of Physician Executives survey wrote: "I find it necessary about once every month or two to stay in bed for 24 to 48 hours. I do this on short notice when I get the feeling I might punch somebody.""

Priceless.