Els Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 It depends on the specialty. Some residencies take 7 years! Another option for the OP (assuming he is in the US) is to be a Physician's Assistant. Yes, 5-7 is the standard here. I know folks who have been in training (what we call residency here) for over 10 years! OP, what are your goals for your career? Do you want money? Lifestyle? Fulfillment? Etc. Link to post Share on other sites
topaMAXX Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Let's just put it this way: My SO has been a doc for as long as you have been thinking about being a doc, and I have been with him through the entire journey. So I'm quite aware of what doctors go through 'in the real world', thank you very much. There are doctors who do care about the well being of their patients above and beyond the money that they earn, and to those doctors, the genuinely good ones - people like you are their 'enemy'. People like you are going to be the ones screwing patients up for them to cover later on, because you're too busy covering your own sweet ass and figuring out how to game the system to get the most $$ out of it. Sorry sweetie, but you have to worry about cya these days over all else. Because of the entitlement mentality among patients, they try to sue constantly and make crazy demands that are oftentimes not even in their own best interest. Do I care more about not getting sued than individual patients? Yes. Not because I want to, but because that's the reality of the current climate. Luckily for me, being VERY careful about not getting sued also happens to mean following the standard of care with patients. Your SO sounds very righteous. Good for him. I'm part of the next generation that has found that righteousness doesn't pay. Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Sorry sweetie, but you have to worry about cya these days over all else. Because of the entitlement mentality among patients, they try to sue constantly and make crazy demands that are oftentimes not even in their own best interest. Do I care more about not getting sued than individual patients? Yes. Not because I want to, but because that's the reality of the current climate. Luckily for me, being VERY careful about not getting sued also happens to mean following the standard of care with patients. Your SO sounds very righteous. Good for him. I'm part of the next generation that has found that righteousness doesn't pay. Most countries aren't as lawsuit-happy as the USA, honestly. AFAIK, here patients sign a lawsuit waiver when they accept government-subsidized care (which applies to all public hospitals), so docs are not liable for lawsuits. However, patients can certainly file complaints to the medical association resulting in disciplinary action to the doc, if deemed fit. I have empathy for the plight of docs in the USA, but the solution isn't to jump into it anyway for selfish gain with selfish motives, as you plan on doing. Link to post Share on other sites
topaMAXX Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Most countries aren't as lawsuit-happy as the USA, honestly. AFAIK, here patients sign a lawsuit waiver when they accept government-subsidized care (which applies to all public hospitals), so docs are not liable for lawsuits. However, patients can certainly file complaints to the medical association resulting in disciplinary action to the doc, if deemed fit. I have empathy for the plight of docs in the USA, but the solution isn't to jump into it anyway for selfish gain with selfish motives, as you plan on doing. What's the solution then? I'm intelligent enough to enter one of the few fields left where I am guaranteed a high paying job for at least the foreseeable future. Why wouldn't I do that? I also present myself well and patients and employers alike generally like me. So why would this be a bad idea, especially since I'm more than capable of safeguarding myself from being sued? Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 What's the solution then? I'm intelligent enough to enter one of the few fields left where I am guaranteed a high paying job for at least the foreseeable future. Why wouldn't I do that? I also present myself well and patients and employers alike generally like me. So why would this be a bad idea, especially since I'm more than capable of safeguarding myself from being sued? Because you are likely going to screw patients (who are living, sentient human beings) over? Go for law, entrepreneurism, actuarial science. You can be as ruthless as you like without lives being at stake. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
topaMAXX Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Because you are likely going to screw patients (who are living, sentient human beings) over? Go for law, entrepreneurism, actuarial science. You can be as ruthless as you like without lives being at stake. You really don't understand medicine as much as you think you do. ALL providers follow the "cya" guidelines. Anyone that I've ever met that acted in the best interest of the patient without worrying about lawsuits found themselves in hot water. Either way, I'll do what I want. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 You really don't understand medicine as much as you think you do. ALL providers follow the "cya" guidelines. Anyone that I've ever met that acted in the best interest of the patient without worrying about lawsuits found themselves in hot water. Either way, I'll do what I want. Thanks I don't think I've ever been under the delusion that I was capable of restraining someone on an anonymous message board from doing whatever they want. I was not trying to persuade you, but rather to offer a counterpoint to your "do medicine for the money! you don't have to care about patients! money!!111!! $$$$$$" exhortations, to the OP or anyone else reading it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
suladas Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 You really don't understand medicine as much as you think you do. ALL providers follow the "cya" guidelines. Anyone that I've ever met that acted in the best interest of the patient without worrying about lawsuits found themselves in hot water. Either way, I'll do what I want. Thanks I really hope you never get into medicine (somehow from your posts I don't think it's a big risk). The last thing it needs is more people who think like you. There is plenty of other good paying careers where you can be as ruthless as you want. People who think like you give the few number of good doctors out there a bad reputation. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
topaMAXX Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I really hope you never get into medicine (somehow from your posts I don't think it's a big risk). The last thing it needs is more people who think like you. There is plenty of other good paying careers where you can be as ruthless as you want. People who think like you give the few number of good doctors out there a bad reputation. I'm already in medicine. Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 (edited) (somehow from your posts I don't think it's a big risk) It took all of my restraint not to say that, but since you already did...:laugh: Lots of people think the bottleneck is getting 'into' medschool or satisfying the requirements, but IMO the bottleneck is finishing. Here, at least, there's something like a 50% fail rate. Fortunately the practical years filter out some of the lazy/entitled ones, but many do get through. Hopefully this one doesn't. Edited March 17, 2014 by Elswyth 1 Link to post Share on other sites
suladas Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 It took all of my restraint not to say that, but since you already did...:laugh: Lots of people think the bottleneck is getting 'into' medschool or satisfying the requirements, but IMO the bottleneck is finishing. Here, at least, there's something like a 50% fail rate. Fortunately the practical years filter out some of the lazy/entitled ones, but many do get through. Hopefully this one doesn't. I'm glad of that, sad how many bad ones still make it through. Or maybe i'm just pissy after dealing with many bad docs over last 2 years. I guess being mostly workers compensation doctors makes it worse to. I don't care about them being arrogant, entitled or not caring if they knew their stuff, but if they aren't even knowledgeable what use are they even serving? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I'm glad of that, sad how many bad ones still make it through. Or maybe i'm just pissy after dealing with many bad docs over last 2 years. I guess being mostly workers compensation doctors makes it worse to. I don't care about them being arrogant, entitled or not caring if they knew their stuff, but if they aren't even knowledgeable what use are they even serving? Ugh, sorry to hear that. They probably didn't care to take the time to learn their stuff properly and to look up what they didn't know (not everything is taught in med school, my guy has been out for years and still studies regularly). 1 Link to post Share on other sites
suladas Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Ugh, sorry to hear that. They probably didn't care to take the time to learn their stuff properly and to look up what they didn't know (not everything is taught in med school, my guy has been out for years and still studies regularly). It is pretty bad. Every doctor with a different opinion, the only theme is they are all wrong, likely due to the fact that they couldn't be bothered to do a proper exam Definitely need to still be studying, one orthopedic surgeon even admitted that medicines knowledge itself was incredibly lacking in regards to shoulders. To say the least, I think it's pretty bad when a surgeon of 50 years is stumped without even a opinion...... Makes me concerned who they are operating on! Link to post Share on other sites
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