Date Me Natalie!

[ClydeJr]

Eh, the money isn't worth it at 80 - 90 hours a week. Or is it? I'd think that the only thing that could possess someone to do that is the desire to help people.

Probably depends on what area of medicine you go into. I imagine some people do it for money, some because they love the job, some because the love the power of saving lives, some because they feel they have some family obligation to be a doctor. My sister is an ob/gyn and loves the work she does. She makes good money but she just loves her work. She works most weekdays in her office and then spends 1-2 24-hour on-call shifts a week at the hospital taking care of patients. She loves it even though she's had to deal with some horrible crappy situations:

• parents who don't want the child
• fat ladies who don't realize their pregnant
• botched abortions
• 22 year old grandmothers
• miscarriage aftermath
• fat ladies who need to have 2 male interns hold her legs apart so she can get in there
• women who have strange hygine issues

[Yegolev]

TMI!

[Nebu]

Eh, the money isn't worth it at 80 - 90 hours a week. Or is it? I'd think that the only thing that could possess someone to do that is the desire to help people.

Having gone through the system, here are my observations. 

1. People that genuinely want to help others through medicine are by far the minority.  I'd say they comprised 5-10% of my med school class and even fewer among my colleagues. These are the people that continued to do volunteer work after they got accepted into med school.  These are some of the best people I've known in my life.

2. Most people go into medicine not for the money, but for the prestige/power.  Being a physician in this society brings with it a certain amount of clout and people really feed off of that.  I laughed my ass off at all the people that had Dr. or MD stamped all over their shit after they graduated. 

3. Money.  Medicine (in most cases) is a golden cage.  In some areas you make very good money but sacrifice your life to have it.  In other areas, such as family practice, starting salaries of $130-150k are common.  Yes, this is a solid salary, but you could make close to it going through a lot less hell. 

As for the time commitment, it varies with choices.  An emergency room doc or an anaesthetist can make a very good salary working 3-4 10 h shifts a week.  Not having to manage any beds frees up a lot of time.  Technicians like surgeons can also do very well once established.

[Strazos]

how is it possible to be a grandparent at 22? That doesn't seem mathematically possible.

[stray]

Maybe it's just a joke. Or maybe he meant 32 year old grandmothers. That's plausible.

[Pococurante]

I pondered that too.  Second/trophy wife?

[ClydeJr]

how is it possible to be a grandparent at 22? That doesn't seem mathematically possible.

The lady had a girl when she was 11. Her daughter then followed in her mom's footsteps and had her own kid at 11.

[Pococurante]

Ah I was correct then.

Yeah trophy wife.

[Strazos]

how is it possible to be a grandparent at 22? That doesn't seem mathematically possible.

The lady had a girl when she was 11. Her daughter then followed in her mom's footsteps and had her own kid at 11.

Did they try to blame GTA? Wouldn't suprise me.

Seriously though, that sucks.

[voodoolily]

NOW do you guys see why I'm always waxing Orwellian about state-mandated birth control? People should be put on contraceptives when they hit puberty and then have to apply to get off them.

[Nebu]

NOW do you guys see why I'm always waxing Orwellian about state-mandated birth control? People should be put on contraceptives when they hit puberty and then have to apply to get off them.

#1 Reason I left Pediatrics: Parents

[Strazos]

Don't you mean Stupid Parents?

[Merusk]

Don't you mean Stupid Parents?

Probably not.  Smart parents with one or two 'little darlings' can probably be an even bigger pain in the ass than the ones that just go along with what you say bu have 8 kids because they don't understand what the fuck a condom or even pulling out is.

[Yegolev]

Don't you mean Stupid Parents?

Even us smart parents don't know what the hell we are doing.  Zee books, zey explain not-zing!

[Nebu]

Probably not.  Smart parents with one or two 'little darlings' can probably be an even bigger pain in the ass than the ones that just go along with what you say bu have 8 kids because they don't understand what the fuck a condom or even pulling out is.

I'll clarify.

a) There are parents that abuse or neglect their kids causing them to require medical care/intervention.  I refer to these as stupid parents.  I have to try hard to overcome the things I learned playing football when around these people. I saw far more cases of this than any person should and am nearly convinced that the people who really shouldn't be having children are the ones responsible for the largest portion of the birth rate.

b) There are the "smart" parents.  I'll give these parents a tip: if you take your child to a physician, you're doing it to get the physician's medical advice or opinion.  Don't come to me and tell me what the correct solution is, it defeats the purpose of the visit.  I'm not here to validate your medical knowledge, I'm here to help your kid feel better.  Tell me what the child has been "feeling" or experiencing.  Tell me the facts associated with the case to the best of your ability.  Also, if you don't like my solution feel free to get a second opinion.  I'm not perfect nor do I profess to be.  By the way, it's ok to leave the doctors office without a prescription.  Not everything demands it.

Edit: fwiw I am a researcher now and do not practice.  Probably for good reason.

[Strazos]

By the way, it's ok to leave the doctors office without a prescription.  Not everything demands it.

I fucking hate that shit. In my opinion, taking some kind of drugs for every little thing just leaves a person worse off.

I cannot remember the last time I took anything, besides ibuprofin for a headache now and then, and some over the counter antihistamine to help me adapt to the crap in Rome and a food allergy I discovered the hard way one night.

I haven't been truely sick in awhile, while I know some people that take meds for almost everything when they catch something, and continue to become sick on an almost regular basis.

Fuck the meds, give your immune system something to do.

[WayAbvPar]

I, on the other hand, want to gobble down anything and everything that will make me feel better. Better living through pharmaceuticals!

[HaemishM]

By the way, it's ok to leave the doctors office without a prescription.  Not everything demands it.

I fucking hate that shit. In my opinion, taking some kind of drugs for every little thing just leaves a person worse off.

I have one better. The local MEA clinics are awful. If you go in complaining of any kind of sinus or cold-type symptoms (congestion, fever, aches), they will almost always ask if you'd like a Decodron (sic) shot before even really looking at you. I had a doctor walk into the examining room, after only having been seen by the nurse for a minute or two, and the doctor not having seen me at all, and the first words out of his mouth are "Would you like a shot?"

[Paelos]

I had a doctor do that to me in college. I asked him if he had any good bourbon.

He just stared at me.

[WayAbvPar]

I had a doctor do that to me in college. I asked him if he had any good bourbon.

He just stared at me.

Of course he stared at you. Anyone who drinks good bourbon as a shot needs to be slapped.

[Kenrick]

I'd say she is beautiful but not hot.  I think she'd make a great painting but horrible porn.

I'd still whack off to it though.