Why Gen. Surg applicants are down

[seniorvisitor]

>To do surgery, you would have to love it to the point where you could not imagine yourself possibly doing anything else in medicine.


As someone who has been doing surgery for over 20 years, let me offer another perspective. There is no doubt that a surgical residency is a pain in the ..., although improving due to ACGME rules. BUT, many of us see the residency as a penance that we did to get to do a truly enjoyable occupation. Despite the usual BS about third party payors, malpractice, etc. most general surgeons like what we do, as opposed to many of our colleagues who use medicine to earn the money to do what they really like doing.

Remember, I don't have to deal with "Dr. I'm tired all the time, depressed, weak and dizzy, etc." I feel privileged to do what I do, and surgery still pays much better than most other specialties, so despite the whining, most practicing surgeons have it pretty good.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Voxel]

Some of us (in fields other than general surgery) like what we do for a living as well. We also have interests outside of medicine. There is nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I believe it is a healthy thing. We all make a living doing our job and while you may not enjoy hearing about patient's depression or fatigue, I bet there are plenty of psychiatrists out there who like to do and have a life outside of medicine. I'm glad you enjoy being a general surgeon, because only a "*******" would do general surgery if they did not love it. And yes general surgery does pay well, better than any primary care field for sure where you have to listen to people complain all day long.

 

[ckent]

Here is a good article about why general surgery applicants are down from my local newspaper:
http://www.sunspot.net/bal-te.doctors13sep13.story

 

[seniorvisitor]

As someone who has been doing surgery for over 20 years, let me offer another perspective. There is no doubt that a surgical residency is a pain in the ..., although improving due to ACGME rules.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



How is it improving?


The ACGME will require all programs to have some sort of work limits - we are not sure what, but 80-90 hrs per week (including call) seems likely. That is a far cry from many programs at present where residents still work upward of 100 hrs per week. There are likely to be limitations on the number of consecutive hours worked, but no one is sure how that limitation will be applied.

Obviously, some programs will try to cheat the system, and most will probably push the limits, but the ACGME plans on coming down hard (as does the Residency review Committee) on blatant offenders.