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Why you should not go to medical school

blogs.law.harvard.edu

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Re: Why you should not go to medical school

#181

Post by roentgen »

jfoutz wrote: post #178
roentgen wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This guy gets it. Many replies in this thread are asking about computers interpreting scans, assuming I know nothing about the underlying technology, or am blinded by some form of bias. I have been programming computers since I was 5 years old. I have a MS in neuroscience, and I am a board certified radiologist, so I think I'm qualified to understand the problem. Believe it or not, nothing would make me happier than…

First, a radiologist made a judgement call and saved my mom's life. I've got a lot of respect for what you do. Second, there must some set of scans that are easy. It's not hard to imagine a device that says, "yes" or "see a real radiologist". Perhaps later revisions can even say "No". an example might be a mammogram analyzer. I think even 10% getting an immediate answer would save a lot of money. I think it's the nor…

> an example might be a mammogram analyzer.

These exist, google for "mammogram computer aided detection". While the data on their efficacy is equivocal at best, I well tell you that they are useless. I do get to bill more for reading a mammogram if I run it through a CAD machine, which my group owns, so of course I do it.

Strangely enough, patients are reassured when the learn that the computer didn't detect any problems. And, more importantly, ignorant juries can be swayed by this piece of information. "The computer didn't detect anything? Then there is no way the radiologist should be held liable for missing that little tumor!" I'm not joking.

Little do they know.

Re: Why you should not go to medical school

#182

Post by adrianwaj »

roentgen wrote: post #181
jfoutz wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First, a radiologist made a judgement call and saved my mom's life. I've got a lot of respect for what you do. Second, there must some set of scans that are easy. It's not hard to imagine a device that says, "yes" or "see a real radiologist". Perhaps later revisions can even say "No". an example might be a mammogram analyzer. I think even 10% getting an immediate answer would save a lot of money. I think it's the nor…

> an example might be a mammogram analyzer. These exist, google for "mammogram computer aided detection". While the data on their efficacy is equivocal at best, I well tell you that they are useless. I do get to bill more for reading a mammogram if I run it through a CAD machine, which my group owns, so of course I do it. Strangely enough, patients are reassured when the learn that the computer didn't detect any prob…

Do you use Thermography, I've read it to be safer?

Re: Why you should not go to medical school

#184

Post by steve8918 »

roentgen wrote: post #48
arn wrote: post #4

So, surprisingly, this rant is more or less accurate, imo. (I went to med school, residency, fellowship) I mean some things stronger than others, but it hits on the major negatives as you go through training. I know a lot of these rants tend to romanticize how hard people's own professions are in a "no one else has it this hard" type stance. We see similar "how hard it is to be a programmer" type rants as well. But,…

I had a different experience. Medical school was easy, I was single and went out drinking / partying two or three nights a week. Not to be crass, but I did well with the ladies. Luckily I can get by on four hours of sleep or less. So, I don't feel like I missed out on much of the early twenties experience. Most of my non-medical friends had jobs and I didn't, but that was the only real difference. Things got a little…

In terms of job security, I heard that many hospitals are outsourcing radiology to India, ie. sending the X-rays, etc, over the internet and getting them diagnosed in India, by equally competent Indian doctors.

Is this true, and if so, do you think this might jeopardize at least radiology in the US?

Re: Why you should not go to medical school

#185

Post by daylast »

The most telling part of this article is point #8 (which basically says you will end up blaming and then eventually disliking the patients for your sad lot as a modern day doctor). What I find amusing here (and so comically characteristic of a Doctor's absurd notion of self-importance) is that the author so completely lacks the capacity for self-introspection that he doesn't even realize the truth of who is to blame.

To all the doctors out there that feel the same way as this author does I have one message for you. The only person to fucking blame is YOU!!!

Guess what? You're the one who made the decision to go into medicine and so you're the person at fault for the sad state of affairs in the modern medical profession. It's your fault for failing to do your due diligence on the demands and rewards of the profession. Why didn't you do your due diligence? You probably had some romantic notion of what it would be like as a Doc. Or possibly you went into medicine to make your parents happy? Or you thought it was a respected profession, or you simply wanted to help folks in need because it's an altruistic pursuit.

Well, sorry buddy, but all those things aren't an excuse for not doing your due diligence. It get's worse though...

At the macro level it's a self-reinforcing cycle. The lack of due diligence happens so frequently and by so many aspiring docs, it has repercussions on the profession as a whole. At the aggregate level, it causes wages to fall and working conditions to get worse for docs and interns (since the demand for medical school entrance remains strong regardless of conditions or wages).

You think just because you got good grades and got into med school that makes you smart? Ummm...no. And that is why Doctors get paid less than - and have more difficult working conditions than - Investment bankers. The type of person who goes into I-banking is smart enough and introspective enough to do their due diligence. The type of person who goes into medicine isn't.

Re: Why you should not go to medical school

#186

Post by a3camero »

hugh3 wrote: post #5
seunghomattyang wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you to an extent but this article is especially relevant to the medical profession. There is a tremendous commitment to entering it. You must go to undergrad, medical school and residency (with standardized exams throughout) whereas for programming, there is no "traditional" path that you must follow. Moreover, although there is a tremendous reward—financial, societal and perhaps even moral—at the end, t…

I'd argue that this sort of article applies mostly to the "glamourous" professions -- things that kids want to be when they grow up, jobs that will impress your nephews. Actor, musician, doctor, certain varieties of lawyer, physicist cough , athlete, artist, airline pilot. These sorts of professions have a ready supply of suckers wanting in, which means that the competition is tough, the work is hard and the compensa…

Actually the introductory salaries in law are quite high. They start in Canada at or above the average Canadian salary. First year lawyers make between $40-100k a year depending on who you work for (in Ontario). If you're willing to move there's also nearly guaranteed employment by going up north/rural areas.
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