Why do so many doctors not recommend their jobs?

[ComputerGuy365]

I've asked doctors in real life and people on here, why do so many physicians refrain from recommending their jobs? I want to see what people think.

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[eteshoe]

I would guess that a lot of the times people just don't want those considering the career path to have any misconceptions about what being a doctor entails. In many career lines, going to college is all that's required. If you end up hating your job, you can just leverage your transferable skills and do something else. With the physician pathway, you need college + med school + residency - all while taking on a ridiculously heavy debt burden. The combination of the time spent and debt incurred makes it a path that really only the most dedicated should venture. Since it's hard to really know who will succeed, many docs will tend to be cautious in their recommendations. Or at least that's the impression I got.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Insecurity. They're scared of younger, sexier doctors stealing their jobs.

 

[gyngyn]

Many applicants have no idea what this career really means.

 

[futuremdforme]

Almost all of the doctors that I've spoken to recommend it highly! I also think that's related to why so many children of doctors go on to become physicians.

 

[Dr. Death]

Because they think they could have made as much money or more money doing something easier.

Spoiler

They probably couldn't

 

[Mansamusa]

Because they think they could have made as much money or more money doing something easier.

Spoiler

They probably couldn't

Don't think that's it. Having your's + your spouse's income total around $120K (pretty easy to accomplish) is much much better than $250K at something you dislike. Many doctors who say no MD recommend PA. Less pay, easier work, less investment, and it isn't too hard to break $100K as a PA. Which is a valid point. A CRNA can make a fantastic living and go through no where near the amount of sacrifices and still have a good family life. It's not as simple as doctors wanting more money.


OP, it is a really long road of constant stress and hard work. Once you dive into med school, you really don't get to come back up for air during the decade of training. It's a decision some people make too lightly and it's hard to get out of the field if you don't like it.

I know doctors who love medicine, but when I ask if they would go to med school again if given the choice, they say that they would never willingly go through that training period again, haha. So they love the job, but didn't fully understand how many sacrifices they would be making to get to the end. It's good to be exposed to the negatives of medicine so we can best try to understand what we are getting into

 

[Monkey.King]

Why didn't you just ask those same doctors why they wouldn't recommend their profession?

 

[Lost in Translation]

Most common reasons I've heard:

- prepare to sacrifice (mostly) everything outside of school
- pay is not as good as it was 30 or even 20 years ago
- ungrateful patients. Ungrateful patients everywhere
- depending on specialty, hours may be terrible
- high stress
- if you work for a medical group, administration is filled with idiots AND you get no autonomy

 

[Holmwood]

You don't recommend everyone to become a fireman even if they get double the salary they currently have now.

It's just not for most people, I guess.

 

[Petrichor1]

when you talked with so many doctors, why did you never asked them why? That is an awkward conversation to have if you just believe in what people say without explanation.

 

[ERDOC555]

Many applicants have no idea what this career really means.

Based on my personal experiences I would argue for "most" instead of many.

 

[fahimaz7]

Many applicants have no idea what this career really means.

Truth. Life isn't easy on the other side. The sacrifices you and your family make for this is disheartening.

With that said, I would do it again, but my perspective on it would be different.

 

[catmario]

Most people don't recommend their jobs.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Truth. Life isn't easy on the other side. The sacrifices you and your family make for this is disheartening.

With that said, I would do it again, but my perspective on it would be different.

Good thing I've got no baggage 🙂

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[Petrichor1]

Never met a dentist who didn't. Just food for thought.

met a dentist who proudly proclaimed his child was becoming a physician 😛

 

[Colossal Wreck]

.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[Colossal Wreck]

.

 

[LizzyM]

Most common reasons I've heard:

- prepare to sacrifice (mostly) everything outside of school
- pay is not as good as it was 30 or even 20 years ago
- ungrateful patients. Ungrateful patients everywhere
- depending on specialty, hours may be terrible (weekends/holidays)
- high stress
- if you work for a medical group, administration is filled with idiots AND you get no autonomy

I've heard the same bolded comments from a PA.

 

[Newhorizons21]

Grass is always greener

A large percentage of physicians have never worked any other real job

8-14 years of building up expectations about how great being an attending is which inevitably leads to a huge letdown

Unrealistically rose tinted view of what responsibilities/hours people have in other $200K+ jobs

Think that making $50-60k and working 9-6 would make than happier even though the vast majority come from top income quintile families and don't realize how big of an impact the salary difference would have on their life style.

 

[Dr. Death]

Grass is always greener

A large percentage of physicians have never worked any other real job

8-14 years of building up expectations about how great being an attending is which inevitably leads to a huge letdown

Unrealistically rose tinted view of what responsibilities/hours people have in other $200K+ jobs

Think that making $50-60k and working 9-6 would make than happier even though the vast majority come from top income quintile families and don't realize how big of an impact the salary difference would have on their life style.

Exactly this times a million

 

[ComputerGuy365]

I guess it's really the time.

 

[Quaero]

You are not asking the right ones. I worked with a bunch, and most people in the PROAD specialties are very happy.


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