Princess'Dad

ali,
learn to spell neurology if you want to do it.

Princess'Dad

Focus,
One of the problems is there are many different drugs which do the same thing - and many generic drugs that most do the same as the original. Insurance companies "pick" which drug they will use and negotiate a price for them. Unless the doc is using an electronic Rx that picks the drug by insurance company, they have no idea until you call them and then usually an office assistant does it.

Princess'Dad

Shrinkrap
Right On.

Rumor has it that they are going to shorten the hours once again.

Shrinkrap

Princess'Dad

The thread that generated that comment on the other forum, rages on.

For those thinking of Psychiatry, this was the subject of another.

This story is important on many levels. This reality is not hard to avoid once you finish training, but DURING training, this is important to think about.

Tape shows woman dying on waiting room floor - CNN.com

Applejacks02

Well, after taking some time to read through all of the posts I have decided to add to the discussion. In full disclosure, I am a PharmD., work for a major chain in a community setting. Since everyone wants to know, I should pull in about 125-130k this year, depending on how much OT I choose to work (choose is a key term here!), I am at 112k base, and I will receive a bonus come year-end. In weeks that I do not work OT, I put in 40 hours, and I find plenty of time to hang out with friends, family, workout, play guitar, and do just about anything else I want. I do plan on eventually getting an MBA and then moving into healthcare management. I'll admit that sometimes work is not the least bit challenging or stimulating, but I manage to help people on a daily basis and find it rewarding. The job can get a bit repetitive.

Of all the opinions/info presented so far I would say this...trust those that are posted by physicians. I don't put much faith in the high schooler who's friend's dad's brother is a cardiologist with an enzo, a big mansion, and a model wife clearing 800k per month (slight exaggeration.) I will also point out that the heart surgeon who has a 10 million dollar house is actually now CEO of a publishing company (I googled it!), so he didn't earn that money soley by practicing medicine. Listen to the people with 20-30 years in the field, and listen to what has changed. Don't be fooled by salary stats, which are more representative of MD's several years into practice. And finally, if you are going into medicine only for the money I think you are going to have a long and dissappointing career. After awhile the money will not make up for your unhappiness, and by then it will be too late to change.

That being said medicine is a rewarding profession, in which, if you are smart you will never be clipping coupns, but probably won't be purchasing a private jet. There are better jobs to make money, and certainly worse jobs that pay less.

I would also like to note that earlier posts were debating MBA vs MD. I would like to point out one flaw in the reasoning. People seemed to think a comparison could be drawn between the "average" MD and MBA. I feel that this is not fair, given the competition in getting into the various programs. An individual that is driven enough and intelligent enough to gain admission into medical school would be on par with the type of person that would get into a more reputable MBA program. Just my opinion.

kmzizzle

Elaborate! you left me hanging :[

bluedevilmike

Physician Compensation Economics

DaNDHSIrishGuy

Doctors make too much. I don't want I hear the, "but I went to med school, or I wasted 12 years of my life," excuse. In my family it's a tradition to become a doctor. I am going to be the first to break it, even though I hear the constant threats of disownment and no will. I have witnessed first hand what doctors do to people. Letting people die just because they couldn't pay for surgeries or them die because they won't make any money. I have too much of heart to become a doctor.

Get over it, medicine is supposed to be a service; not for money!

Pharmaceutical companies and "most" doctors are crooks.

Edit: I remember the time my disgusting dad and his partners went to some foreign country to give vaccines. They wanted to go so bad, even though they didn't have enough shots; they just filled them with alcohol, not containing the true vaccine.

Unbelievable. All of those children are probably dead.

norcalguy

So you decided to go into i-banking...

DaNDHSIrishGuy

petroleum engineering... I never said I wanted to do a service to our community. I just don't want to scam people when they are going through a life or death situation. I will never play with someone's life to make a profit.

If I was in it for the money; I'd be an anesthesiologist. There are plenty of residencies out there for the taking; I know, my grandfather was one...

...until the dumbass died. He worked part time and brought it 7 figs, absolutely ridiculous.

Shrinkrap

^I hope you ( or maybe more importantly, others,) realize how distorted your perspective is.

dreamers_disease

wow. i just read this entire thread, and its really made me doubt wanting to pursue medicine. just when i started feeling good about a career plan...

pharmacy maybe?

to DandHSIrishGuy: I think it's safe to say your father's lack of morals has left you with a negative bias toward doctors/the medical profession. But that doesn't mean all doctors are like your father. You should know that.

hyp86

stable job? no 100% , like #117 on p. 8 says

" what about robots? lol..may seem like a dumb question...but what if robots became so advanced that they could replace a surgeon and actually do a better job? "


what if you become a robot/cyborg, isn't that more interesting? we'd transcend human

all you future physician/surgeons could end up jobless in some utopia type world w/ robot/posthumans.

Bmalloy

Ask yourself this. What do I want my outcome to be?
Here is a good reading list for you and anyone else trying to figure out their own link between profession and wealth.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by by Robert M. Pirsig

These books have changed my life and professional direction.

LuckyCharms1

I used to think I was so set on being a doctor to the point that I couldn't see myself doing anything else but now , after reading all of these threads, I do not know about medicine anymore.

It was never about the money to me. I wanted to be a Pediatrician because I love kids and I want to help them. So many peers have told me that Pediatricians dont get paid enough compared to surgeons,and higher ranked medical professionals. It was never about money to me. It really is sad to hear of doctors and meet doctors who only work for the money and not to help the patient.

I really like science and math and can see myself doing medicine to help others but I am definitly looking into Psychology and Pharmacy. Maybe even Mathematics. I want to lead a comfortable life for myself and not have any regrets.

I hope all of you out there who are doing medicine, do it for the right reasons. It would be great to see more doctors who actually care about the patients and not the money.