tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6076839327674215825.post4966087412833750368..comments2024-03-27T05:14:34.288-04:00Comments on Medinnovation And Health Reform: medical students, effect of culture - Medical Students Seek Residencies Leading to Good and Balanced LifeRichard L. Reece, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446550629857699574noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6076839327674215825.post-73053729894409888022008-03-20T14:42:00.000-04:002008-03-20T14:42:00.000-04:00After my lectures, I ask my 3rd-year medical stude...After my lectures, I ask my 3rd-year medical students what factors they take into account when choosing specialties and the answer is overwhelming - LIFESTYLE, which some of them defined as "the best salary for the least hassle". Doctors do not differ from engineers, lawyers or plumber in this respect. Human motivation for optimizing ones state does not necessarily rule out a place for personal integrity and compassion. In fact, in a free-market environment (which we don't have) the hardest-working, most ethical, most compassionate, most caring doctors would be the most attractive to patients and command the most favorable compensation. Sadly, in the artificial model we have today, only the most idealistic souls would enthusiastically embrace a career in primary care, and it's arguable how long their idealism will sustain them after facing a few years or even a few months of reality. If economics holds true, what will happen is a severe shortage of primary care doctors (already happening) and then a cyclical increase in demand as people suddenly become willing to pay what's reasonable in order to have access to the sparse pool of good primary care doctors. However, medicine does not follow normal economic models the way it's set up now.IVF-MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15278457522408272479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6076839327674215825.post-24018485800870659402008-03-20T10:26:00.000-04:002008-03-20T10:26:00.000-04:00These are very interesting statistics. In my day O...These are very interesting statistics. In my day Ophthalmology was the "top gun".<BR/>Now reimbursements, patient loads, separation from the hospital medical staff has dried this up unless one is interested in refractive surgery.........Gary M. Levinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16205704913440150198noreply@blogger.com