thinking of ob/gyn?

[allmightylong]

damn, just found out ob/gyn is paying~29000/yr for malpractice premium in washington state.



http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001863231_malpractice23m.html


however, i find some of the premiums staggering in the following report....I think i may be misunderstanding some of the numbers..

http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/daltcp/reports/mlupd1.htm

ie. for 2002 in florida, ob/gyn pay over 200K for insurance premiums?????????WTF!!

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0717/p01s02-ussc.html

Damn Washington's malpractice premiums seems like a bargain after reading thru some other state's premium.

What you all think?

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[secretmiss]

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[docmemi]

i am thinking about ob/gyn. everyone says its disgusting and the lifestyle is hard.

many ob/gyns i know go to the operating room. but i dont know what some common operations they participate in are. i know there are a lot of cervical, uterine, and other genital area operations, esp to remove tumors and cysts. i go to the grand rounds sometimes and they show slides. but i never understand. are the ob/gyns doing surgery or are gyn suregeons doing it? if the surgeons do it, how come the obgyns tell me they are going to the OR.

hmmm. any help out there?

 

[Spitting Camel]

OB/GYNs do cesarean sections, tubal ligations, and some other things as well. They don't go major surgeries like hysterectomies and the such. Those are done by gynecological oncologists (who are ob/gyn, but then do fellowships or whatnot) They do a lot of surgeries, but they are mostly repetitive.

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by secretmiss
i find it really upsetting but i keep hoping things will improve before i actually start my own practice in 8+ years. Something has to give or there won't be any ob/gyns left.

I'm with you on that. It's too bad, as those who suffer most are the women of this country. We've had to deal with enough **** to have to face potentially not even having doctors to go to.

 

[jlee9531]

florida has it real bad tho...

they need some type regulation there or something. the take home after a 200k cut from the gross income....there be like only enough for something on the 99cent value items at wendys....

 

[exgatr]

I've known some people whose parents are OB/GYN in Florida. In the last few years, malpractice costs have risen to the point that doctors are essentially paying to see patients.

Nobody's bank account can sustain this for more than a few months.

In the end, the docs quit entirely or do only GYN.

 

[yalie_grad]

I shadow an OB/GYN weekly at school, and we perform surgeries and complicated ones a lot. That is the major reason I am interested in going into OB/GYN, because it is primary care, lots and a variety of patient contact and care, and surgery. Just last week, I was in the OR watching a D&C to remove a cyst in the uterus, but I have also seen lots of laparoscopic hysterectomies (which are relatively complicated, like gallbladder surgery). And of course C-sections are major surgery.

So there is a lot of surgical varierty in OB/GYN, but I think the amount of surgery an OB/GYN elects to perform is based on their comfortable level with their surgical skills. My clinical mentor loves performing surgery and does it well, and he is just a regular OB/GYN.

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
OB/GYNs do cesarean sections, tubal ligations, and some other things as well. They don't go major surgeries like hysterectomies and the such. Those are done by gynecological oncologists (who are ob/gyn, but then do fellowships or whatnot) They do a lot of surgeries, but they are mostly repetitive.

OB/GYNs do lots of hysterectomies.

 

[Bones2008]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
OB/GYNs do cesarean sections, tubal ligations, and some other things as well. They don't go major surgeries like hysterectomies and the such. Those are done by gynecological oncologists (who are ob/gyn, but then do fellowships or whatnot) They do a lot of surgeries, but they are mostly repetitive.

I've actually assisted a lot of ob/gynes on hysterectomies (vaginal, lap-assisted, and abdominal). They're qualified to do all these things, including oophorectomies.

 

[BioMedResearch]

Ob/Gyn training has a medical and surgical component.

They do surgery REGULARLY, they deliver babies REGULARLY, they do minor/minimally invassive procedures REGULARLY, and they deal with patients' general medical needs REGULARLY.

GynOnc is a fellowship that affords the physician the extra training to diagnose and treat metastatic disease in the ambdominal and reproductive cavities.

The line between the surgery a GynOnc does and that of a general surgeon, with respect to abdominal resections, is quite blurred. GynOnc's in my hospital are revered as excellent surgeons with a demanding job, both emotionally and physically (4-8 hours surgeries are not uncommon.)

 

[g3pro]

the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

 

[Rendar5]

Originally posted by g3pro
the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

And all the patients with poor hygiene...? Actually, you touched on the reason I don't want to do ob/gyn, even with all the cool stuff they get to do. I don't want to look at vaginas all day. What's gonna happen when I get home? I'm afraid I'll be sick of looking at them and won't feel like pleasing my SO.

 

[allmightylong]

Originally posted by g3pro
the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

you're probably in for a rude awakening.

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by g3pro
the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

I still laughed when I read this, even if it's inaccurate and disturbing.

So what's gonna happen if ob/gyn's cannot afford to practice?

 

[Downhill Racer]

As stated, students are attracted to OB/GYN and Urology due to the ability to manage disease processes with both medical and surgical intervention. Ofcourse these professions also require the physician to be comfortable with genitalia. I think the one of the biggest changes due to malpractice has been the refusal of physicians to perform high-risk pregnancy (for fear of lawsuits), reduction of obstetrics practices and the increased number of C-sections. Since the potential for complications/errors exist in child delivery, a lot of "CYA" medicine is being practiced to avoid/minimize potential lawsuits. Its an interesting and necessary field but I'm afraid until legislation is passed to make it a profitable field some of our best and brightest may opt to match into other fields

 

[Chrisobean]

Originally posted by g3pro
the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

they arent pretty when there is a baby's head popping out.... it will make you guys feel quite inadequate.

 

[Sweet Tea]

Originally posted by Chrisobean
they arent pretty when there is a baby's head popping out.... it will make you guys feel quite inadequate.

I'm still really interested in ob/gyn, but I don't think I'd ever be able to have my own practice and would always have to be attached to a major hospital (that would cover my insurance).

 

[JohnHolmes]

How in the world does Florida hope to recruit physicians?

It is the most onerous state to practice medicine in the US!

 

[Doctor Wyldstyle]

Yeah right g3pro. I just finished the 6 week rotation and I can tell you that at the end of the day, I didn't even want to STAND next to a WOMAN in the elevator. Working with female attendings, staff where I was at times the only male has made me the most asexual I have ever felt my entire life.

I hope it passes...

Originally posted by g3pro
the heavy costs of liability insurance is offset by the benefits of looking at vaginas all day.

 

[idq1i]

In NYS, there is a 19 year window (from birth) in which an ob doc can get sued.

Something to consider.

 

[Sweet Tea]

Originally posted by idq1i
In NYS, there is a 19 year window (from birth) in which an ob doc can get sued.

Something to consider.

I think that's pretty common in all 50 states.

Which sucks.

 

[exgatr]

Originally posted by Cooper_Wriston
How in the world does Florida hope to recruit physicians?

It is the most onerous state to practice medicine in the US!

The only advantage FL has over other states is that there's no state income tax. That can make a huge difference in take home pay.