Why would any intelligent person choose a profession where income is guaranteed to fall 30% over the next five years, where your every action is second-guessed by government or health plans, where malpractice suits are a constant worry, and where you are blamed at every turn for the exorbitant cost of care?
Related posts:
- An ex-judge on malpractice
- Health care reform: "The root of the problem is obvious"
- The physician-patient bond
- Is the NY Times fair and balanced when it comes to health care?
- How malpractice cases affect physicians emotionally
- Things are looking grim in Hawaii
- Should health care be bailed out?
KevinMD.com on Facebook
{ 6 comments }
Really?? Physician income is “guaranteed” to fall 30% in the next 5 years? I will bet anyone who believes this $10,000 right now that it won’t. If it is guaranteed then I should have several takers. I’m betting that no one will take this bet though because using phrases such as “guarenteed to fall 30% in 5 years” are merely scare tactics that not even the author believes.
Even if (?) there are “grim times ahead for physicians”, medical schools will still receive thousands upon thousands of applicants from prospective students.
“medical schools will still receive thousands upon thousands of applicants from prospective students.”
But not the same quality of applicants. And to those snide posters who think this means maybe getting more “human” or more dedicated or more whatever-quality-you-would-like-but-are-sure-you aren’t-getting-now; I can only say dream on. Paying less does not get you better quality. Sure there will be applicants. There have always been applicants who were unable to get accepted to medical school. Perhaps now there will be fewer. This will be their big chance.
And you, dear reader, can be one of their patients.
>>” I’m betting that no one will take this bet though because using phrases such as “guarenteed to fall 30% in 5 years”
Shorting practice income, are you? A bad bet, IMHO. Even if revenues are static, rising practice income will cut deeply into net incomes. One more good increase in gas prices, enough to drive up office labor rates, will push the scissor a lot tighter against doctor income in private practice. Of course, the end result might be the collapse of Medicare part B. So who knows. Perhaps that will send more elderly into the clutches of full-coverage private insurers. That is, if they will have them. But I bet not.
“Perhaps that will send more elderly into the clutches of full-coverage private insurers. That is, if they will have them. But I bet not.”
I bet the private insurers will always have their hands ready to grap some cash, even if it comes from rich elderly folks!
The only folks who’ll suffer will be the poor, who can’t help themselves.
Oh Woe is Me!
Comments on this entry are closed.