What will make you not choose medicine?

[sirus_virus]

So I pretty much know a lot of you guys will eat "poop hot dog" for a crack at medschool, and a lot of you are more than satisfied with the shamble nature of medicine presently(declining wages, lawsuits, and increased bureaucratic control). So my question to you guys is: What exactly is the breakpoint where medicine will officialy be a bad career choice for you guys? At what point will you call it quits? For example for me it would be:

-12% further decline in income.
-Complete government control.

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[gary5]

Definitely complete govt control. If that happens, I'm out. As for income, I expect that we are the last generation where medicine is an occupation that is worse pursuing. 30 more years of all the combined forces working against physicians and it won't be worth doing.

 

[coffeebythelake]

increasing malpractice due to scum sucking lawyers

 

[sirus_virus]

increasing malpractice due to scum sucking lawyers

Yeah I forgot this. I will quit if the malpractice thing gets more dramatic than it already is.

 

[notdeadyet]

-12% further decline in income.

sirus, if that's really your tipping point for not going in to medicine, you'd be a fool to start medicine now. There's a very strong chance that this will be the case by the time you finish med school/residency.

Unless you are going into a particularly low paying specialty like primary care. But I have a pretty good hunch that you wouldn't be.

 

[OncoCaP]

1. If we had a huge excess of excellent physicians (i.e., the health of our citizens is no longer an issue). (we can always dream )
2. If I couldn't support my family with the income (< $40K ?)
3. If it was pretty much impossible to help patients. For example, if my job became mostly an exercise in figuring out how to justify not treating someone to save an insurance company or the government money, I would find something else to do.

 

[sirus_virus]

Definitely complete govt control. If that happens, I'm out. As for income, I expect that we are the last generation where medicine is an occupation that is worse pursuing. 30 more years of all the combined forces working against physicians and it won't be worth doing.

I am really suspecting that this will be the case. There is no way medicine can make it out of this turmoil and remain a viable career. They are bringing the blitz from all sides and we barely have an offensive line.

 

[sirus_virus]

sirus, if that's really your tipping point for not going in to medicine, you'd be a fool to start medicine now. There's a very strong chance that this will be the case by the time you finish med school/residency.

Unless you are going into a particularly low paying specialty like primary care. But I have a pretty good hunch that you wouldn't be.

Yes I actually expect physician income to dip below 12% 10 years from now, but I am not planning to be on the recieving end of that dip. If I however find myself taking that much less money home, I will quit.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Definitely complete govt control. If that happens, I'm out. As for income, I expect that we are the last generation where medicine is an occupation that is worse pursuing. 30 more years of all the combined forces working against physicians and it won't be worth doing.

That would do it. Hitting the lottery or inventing something worth major cash would actually make me MORE likely to do medicine because then I could do it as a hobby and if I get fed up still have "**** you" money stashed away.

 

[KaraKiz]

yeah im not big on the govt control thang either. i really like medicine tho - if being an MD totally sucked, I would just do something else in the medical field.

 

[NickRiviera]

That would do it. Hitting the lottery or inventing something worth major cash would actually make me MORE likely to do medicine because then I could do it as a hobby and if I get fed up still have "**** you" money stashed away.

No doubt. "I'd do two chicks at the same time" ~ Lawrence

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Pay cuts aren't going to happen. Few if any would be wiling to go through the torture of Med school without a 6 figure income.

My only complaint against medicine is the ridiculous amount of work you have to put in.

 

[maestro1625]

Making the final 12 of American Idol...

 

[p9142]

No doubt. "I'd do two chicks at the same time" ~ Lawrence

Peter: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.
Peter: Well, not all chicks.
Lawrence: Well, the type of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.
Peter: Good point.

 

[Stolenspatulas]

side story:

after being bummed about my columbia waitlist, i was strolling through the PACU and I remembered why I really want to be a doctor. One of the study patients I was monitoring recently came out of the OR (prostatectomy).

In his loopy anesthesia state, he hollers at the nurse... "Hun, do you know if my junk will still work?" That my friends brings a smile to everyone.