Is Practicing Medicine Losing Its Luster?

If a person watches any show from the 1950's, the Doctor is also revered and respected like no other person. Perhaps this was a simpler time, or this was simply one perspective of the profession. In conjunction with this, the profession itself was viewed as luring the best and brightest minds. For centuries, the physician has been one of the most respected members of society. Shamans of native tribes were revered for their knowledge of the healing arts. The family doctor often treated patients for their entire lives and was called upon not only to assist in births and deaths, but for advice and guidance as well. That seems to be changing somewhat in the litigious society of today. The profession was certainly attractive, lucrative and fulfilling in the past.

In today's evolving culture, being a doctor is a lot more complex than simply helping people become or stay healthy. The nature of our society is to sue first ask questions later. There certainly does need to be protection of the consumers of medicine against malpractice, however what about protecting the doctors? The profession itself is distinct from basically any other occupation that someone can engage in. Suppose, you are a businessman and a small miscalculation results in a flawed budget for the year. The businessman will likely be disciplined when this error is found but probably will hold on to their job. Now suppose a doctor makes a small miscalculation while in surgery. The patient dies, the family sues and the doctor's career is likely effectively over.

The risks of being a doctor are substantial in comparison to other professions currently. However, there is still quite the allure for those who wish to practice medicine. While U.S. physicians' incomes vary based on their specialty and on their location, they still averaged about $186,044. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2008, the median annual salary of a general practitioner stands at $186,044. If you choose to be a specialist, your annual salary is about $339,738. Additionally, physician incomes/salaries remain among the highest of all professions. However, this is not growing as rapidly when compared to other industries and managed care practices make it exceedingly more difficult to earn a high salary, yet another reason why concierge medicine is growing so rapidly.

To get to these high income levels, a medical career requires many years of preparation. Generally most people graduate college at age 22 and medical school at 26. Then after 3 years of internship and residency, many physicians begin their career at age 29. However, the training for some specialties can last until the physician's early to mid 30's. This amount of school can be off-putting to those who want to start and raise a family early in life. Additionally, the amount of student loans that are often required to pay for school is particularly staggering. During the past 20 years while the current crop of med-school hopefuls were growing up and earning undergraduate studies, the cost of tuition at medical schools has increased by 133 percent, according to a survey by the American Medical Association. The average student loan balance at graduation is $156,456, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

First time applicants have been on the rise off of the 2002-2003 lows. This could possibly be due to many deciding to change careers due to workforce reductions due to the recessionary trends in the US over the past couple of years.

The facts remain that helping others is fulfilling for numerous doctors in the profession. It has to feel good inside knowing that you were responsible for making somewhat feel better or even preventing their untimely death. Lastly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the expected need for physicians will grow faster than the average for all of the professions between now and 2018. The BLS attributes this to the use of new machines and tools designed to treat a number of illnesses that were until now untreatable. Also, there is a shortage of doctors in rural and low income areas so the demand will keep growing. Furthermore, the passage of healthcare reform, has re-affirmed the demand as an additional 47 million Americans will need physicians to treat them.

About this Author

Kandie Day is founder of Linwright Design, specializing in optimized web design, social media marketing, SEO, and content marketing. This article was submitted for http://www.SignatureMD.com, the leader in concierge medicine.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kandice_L_Day