Who needs doctors?

[albertwhatjob]

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Did anyone read the Jan 31 issue of US News and World Report? Basically, it talks about how doctors are increasingly becoming jaded with the bureaucracy and the rising costs of actually being a doctor (malpractice lawsuits, etc) and how in the future, people are tending towards nurses because they seem to provide better patient care because they have more time, etc...

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Are pre-medical students worried that they might not actually get the idealistic lifestyle they thought they were going to get (i.e. a very good paying job with time spent with patients and not with paperwork and also having personal time outside of the job, and respect from patients, etc)?

 

[VFrank]

Did anyone read the Jan 31 issue of US News and World Report? Basically, it talks about how doctors are increasingly becoming jaded with the bureaucracy and the rising costs of actually being a doctor (malpractice lawsuits, etc) and how in the future, people are tending towards nurses because they seem to provide better patient care because they have more time, etc...

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Are pre-medical students worried that they might not actually get the idealistic lifestyle they thought they were going to get (i.e. a very good paying job with time spent with patients and not with paperwork and also having personal time outside of the job, and respect from patients, etc)?

I never really thought I was going to get that idealistic lifestyle. The hassles involving too much paperwork, too little time with patients, and grossly overextended resources have been around for quite some time. I already personally know many people who don't respect doctors (my parents, for one). It doen't change my mind one bit.

 

[palminator2003]

Not all doctors are dermatologists you know.

 

[tacrum43]

Did anyone read the Jan 31 issue of US News and World Report? Basically, it talks about how doctors are increasingly becoming jaded with the bureaucracy and the rising costs of actually being a doctor (malpractice lawsuits, etc) and how in the future, people are tending towards nurses because they seem to provide better patient care because they have more time, etc...

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Are pre-medical students worried that they might not actually get the idealistic lifestyle they thought they were going to get (i.e. a very good paying job with time spent with patients and not with paperwork and also having personal time outside of the job, and respect from patients, etc)?

U.S. News can write what they want. People still need doctors and a bunch of press hype isn't going to change that. I think that nurse practioners will increase, especially in rural areas, but nurses just aren't qualified to do many of the things doctors are.

I read an article on CNN (the source is also questionable) that doctors are finding success and it is costing the hospital less for doctors to admit their mistakes and apologize to the patient when they have done something wrong. I like this approach because it is more honest, humane and involves less lawyers (almost always a good thing).

I've always thought that being a doctor involves some sacrifice of your personal life (at least at first) and I'm okay with that. As any of us know that have shadowed physicians, there is lots of paper work. I'd that say a good quarter of my observation time, the doctor was dictating his charts to be transcribed. But, it comes with the territory and I think the good far outweighs the bad, and I'm sure so do the other people on this site, why else would we be applying to med school?

Just my 2 cents.

 

[45408]

Nah, it's just a flashy title that will make people read the article. Medicine may not be in its "glory days" any more, but it's still a high-paying secure job with a lot of prestige, especially compared to flipping burgers.

 

[virilep]

I wonder how the nurses are gonna perform those surgeries and read the images and drive the beamers.. and.. well u know.

 

[Sancho]

US News had a special issue a couple months back devoted exclusively to The DaVinci Code, and they routinely lay down and spread prayer and Jesus on their covers every Christmas and Easter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it sure as hell ain't news- that mag is fortified with 100% money grubbin bizitches-
I'd like to see any other org. step up and rate schools and hospitals-the NRA, the PTA, Maxim, even Oprah's mag would be an improvement, well maybe not

 

[Dr. Donkey]

Sancho, your avatar is inspiring.

Also, the US News "special" was anything but. Cartman's attempt to be special was far more special. Special, special, special.

The report really didn't bring up any new points. If you are even half on top of what has been happening in the medical world in the last ten years, which I barely am, then you would know this crap.

Special.