*Disclaimer:* This is not meant to be a political post, political opinions expressed are in no sense a representation of all medical students or even the author. It is meant to add some humor to the recent "historic health care bill" (the media has dubbed it historic within minutes of it passing, somehow I feel it is doubtful we can analyze it like other points in history so quickly)...
On a Sunday afternoon, March 21, 2010, an absolutely gorgeous day for the 2nd day of spring (at least on the East Coast), medical students were torn between a few important activities. The most important (obviously) was studying for exams, the equally necessary production of Vitamin D post-winter hibernation, the uncertain conclusion of the healthcare debate - changing our lives post-graduation [if we make it that far], and most importantly, performing CPR on our NCAA tournament bracket after Villanova and Kansas lost (there went President Obama's bracket as well...)
A surprisingly large number of congressmen and women stayed indoors as well in order to piece together a hodge-podge of ideas for what many call the greatest reform in decades. Funny how we already know it's the greatest even before it is implemented... The topic of health care reform will be missed dearly by medical students [and the media as they need to get creative for news stories] now that the debate is over.
If you ask any student, and you will probably hear that reform is necessary. Ask about this particular bill-- well, it's like asking whether potato is pronounced poe-tay-toe or poe-tah-toe and which type is healthier when turned into fries and topped off with nacho cheese and a diet soda. But then, this could be the next best thing since anesthesia was incorporated into surgeries...
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
#3 - Debt
The cost of medical school is only a drop in the bucket really. Compared to 4 years of undergraduate work and possibly a post-bacc program, tuition in medical school is surprisingly inexpensive.
We apply for loans, fill out the FAFSA, get loan counseling, all because we're just too cheap to pay for our own medical education. We figure we've paid for all this school already, why pay for the next 4? As a student, we have no obligation to be productive members of society, it's about time the government and banks give us something! They owe us that much.
Go to an in-state school, and it's only 21,000/year, private school its less than 38,000/year (averages according to US News on March 26, 2008)- pennies! In the end, we will all become dermatologists, gastroenterologists, and opthamologists who average 195,000, 265,000, and 280,000 a year for a starting salary right? And those are just the lowest specialties, everybody else (especially primary care physicians) make way more, two or three times the amount! [Jealous yet?]
But get real, if you're after the money and think becoming a physician is the best way, you're right. It all goes away from you. You will graduate an average debt of 156,456; 79% of students with more than 100,000, 58% with over 150,000 worth of debt (according to the AAMC). You will have malpractice insurance premiums in some states and specialties of over 150,000 a year. Few people become dermatologists, gastroenterologists, and opthamologists. Primary care physicians are paid much less. You will finally graduate medical school around your 28th birthday, finish your residency at a prime age of 31 or higher.
And hey, when you make (and give away) the big bucks, you can find the one, a home, and maybe start a family (assuming your body can still produce sperm & ova). Your debt will hopefully decrease by 50% but if you inbreed within the physician race... Well, then it might double...
Sources:
US News
AAMC Student Debt
We apply for loans, fill out the FAFSA, get loan counseling, all because we're just too cheap to pay for our own medical education. We figure we've paid for all this school already, why pay for the next 4? As a student, we have no obligation to be productive members of society, it's about time the government and banks give us something! They owe us that much.
Go to an in-state school, and it's only 21,000/year, private school its less than 38,000/year (averages according to US News on March 26, 2008)- pennies! In the end, we will all become dermatologists, gastroenterologists, and opthamologists who average 195,000, 265,000, and 280,000 a year for a starting salary right? And those are just the lowest specialties, everybody else (especially primary care physicians) make way more, two or three times the amount! [Jealous yet?]
But get real, if you're after the money and think becoming a physician is the best way, you're right. It all goes away from you. You will graduate an average debt of 156,456; 79% of students with more than 100,000, 58% with over 150,000 worth of debt (according to the AAMC). You will have malpractice insurance premiums in some states and specialties of over 150,000 a year. Few people become dermatologists, gastroenterologists, and opthamologists. Primary care physicians are paid much less. You will finally graduate medical school around your 28th birthday, finish your residency at a prime age of 31 or higher.
And hey, when you make (and give away) the big bucks, you can find the one, a home, and maybe start a family (assuming your body can still produce sperm & ova). Your debt will hopefully decrease by 50% but if you inbreed within the physician race... Well, then it might double...
Sources:
US News
AAMC Student Debt
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