Obama, Heal Thyself

pajamasmedia.com ^ | 5-3-09 | Ralph Alter

[HangnJudge]

An April 26 article in the New York Times reported:

The need for more doctors comes up at almost every congressional hearing and White House forum on health care. “We’re not producing enough primary-care physicians,”Obama said at one forum. “The costs of medical education are so high that people feel that they’ve got to specialize.”

This quote demonstrates precisely the stilted logic based on flimsy assumptions that characterizes the intellect of our statist new presidential administration. That primary care physicians are in short supply is not in dispute, but the shortage certainly doesn’t stem from the cost of medical education, according to a November 2008 consumeraffairs.com report:

Thus, your new national health care coverage will be administered by physicians trained more frugally than those now practicing. Perhaps these newbies can be rushed through a community college-type program in a couple of years to meet the demand for “doctors.” One can imagine the high quality sawbones that would be turned out by our nation’s rumpled bureaucracy.

The simple alternative — simplifying the procedures for physician access to Medicare and Medicaid funds combined with tort reform to enable doctors to keep more of their hard-earned cash — is surely anathema to Obama and his regulators. Unfortunately the president’s approach meets the medical standard for Gresham’s Law, as demonstrated in nationalized health care systems in Europe and Canada: Bad doctors drive out good doctors

[zeestephen]

Hangn,

Am I correct that “Internships” have mostly disappeared from modern medical education?

I lived next door to the University of Iowa medical library for many years.

I met dozens of “Residents,” but never met a single “Intern.”

[ex91B10]

Add to this the repeal of the conscience clause...

[chopperman]

This quote demonstrates precisely the stilted logic based on flimsy assumptions that characterizes the intellect of our statist Stalinist new presidential administration.

There, fixed it.

[HangnJudge]

Medical research will slowly extend the human life span and quality of life.

There are a few breakthroughs I hope for

A way to prevent Alzheimer's Disease
-— My elderly patients live in fear of this
-— more than anything else
A centrally acting Substance P blocker
-— This would be the first genuinely useful
-— Answer to human suffering
A meaningful way to reverse vascular disease
-— HTN, Diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking
-— would no longer irreversibly damage the vascular tree

[HangnJudge]

Am I correct that “Internships” have mostly disappeared
from modern medical education?

http://www.jobmonkey.com/internships/medical-internships.html

Nope,
still a bread and butter rite of passage

[Mom MD]

Add to that the fact that we make NO income during extended school years, and minimal income during residency. That means most of us are in our early 30’s by the time we start earning a reasonable income, 5-10 years behind those who went into business/law etc.

Not only are student loans and educational costs high, but income is deferred for quite a while. The relief is one we are out, we make the really big bucks /s

Yes I have a 6 figure income (just barely) But if you look at the time I spend at work, the number of weekends, holidays, kids soccer games, etc that I have spent in the hospital working, the hourly pay is a lot less than your average professional or even skilled laborer. If national health care comes on board, I am retiring. I will not work for the government, and I will not work for less than I already make.
/rant off.

[HangnJudge]

I am retiring.
I will not work for the government,
and I will not work for less than I already make.
/rant off.

Why turn off the rant
Speak this Truth Loud and Clear

I'm Mad as Hell,
and I'm not going to Take it Anymore

[zeestephen]

Re: Internships

Let me re-phrase my question.

Is it correct that most modern medical internships are the first year of a longer specialized residency at the same hospital?

My impression is that few M.D.’s these days do a one year internship and then move straight into a practice, or move on to do a residency at another hospital.

Also, at UI, all third year Med students spend their entire year doing clinical rounds.

Is that how it works at other Med schools?

[HangnJudge]

Is it correct that most modern medical internships
are the first year of a
longer specialized residency
at the same hospital?

No, they can, and frequently are, different locations

For example,
Neurology requires a
1 year Internal Medicine Internship (or equivalent)
3 year Neurology Residency

But not necessarily in the same location

For logistical reasons, however
Many people choose to intern
at the same place they do their residency
Assuming they match

http://www.nrmp.org/

[upchuck]

Visited my GP recently and we got to taking about this. He said (paraphrased), “There’s no money in what I’m doing. Shudda been a surgeon. If this (nobama’s plan) goes through, I’m gonna retire.” I would guess this guy is in his mid 50s.

[HangnJudge]

If this (nobama’s plan) goes through,
I’m gonna retire.

I've had many similar conversations
“In the Lounge”

Usually with MD’s with
Paid off Mortgages
Paid off Loans
Kids out of School

They are “Outta Here”