med school

[ducksak]

I am in radiology at UMC and deal with doctors daily. Most of them are over worked but well paid. I couldnt go to med school because I dont have the organization and will to study every free min I have. I wont make as much money but money aint everything. As for the surgeons, they are all cocky and arragant but trust me thats what you want. The best know they are the best and show it. There are some plusses to med school though. Some of the other doctors you meet will have VERY nice land to hunt and may invite you.

[bigsprig]

you don't have to study all the time, but some people choose to. they are called gunners. as for pay, in residency it sucks. most residents are in debt anyway from med school and while in residency you make about the equivalent of minimum wage. we are getting a raise at umc next year and will still be the lowest paid residents in the country, but you don't do it for the money you do it for the experience. however after residency your options are wide open. the field you enter will pretty much determine your salary.

[ducksak]

Yeah bigsprig you are right about the residents not making much money at all but most take out loans and are in deep debt. They make up for it after residency though. The surgeons here at UMC are highly paid.

[Deltamud77]

Hey guys,

I really appreciate the perspectives of everyone. I understand what it is like to study hard. I am an attorney at the moment but hate it. Not to say that it is a bad profession, it just was not what I thought it was going to be. Yeah I know, I am crazy for wanting to go to med school after already going through law school. I would be lying to myself and you guys to say some ego would not be involved, but I can also honestly say that this is something I have wanted to do from a young age and backed out because of various reasons. I can honestly say that I believe I would do the work in some third world country. It is not about the money and I really don't believe it is about the prestige. The direct and immediate impact you can have in people's lives in helping them when they can't help themselves is really appealing to me. However, it is probably not something I will do because it is probably something I shouldn't do at this point in my life.

Seymore, thanks for your perspective. That is a point of view that I had not really contemplated getting, although my family is my main concern.

I am sure that this ship has sailed but I wanted to get a point of view or two from a bunch of like minded people who would be honest.

Ya'll have helped me more than you know and I really appreciate it.

[Dog's Eye]

Don't neglect the positive impacts on your family. The social status will afford opportunities for your children that will not come as easy without it. And, you will have much greater financial security that also affords greater opportunity. Will you be able to send your children abroad after their first or second year of college in your current position? Will your children amass great debt gaining an education? Will you be able to provide financial security to your grandchildren at early ages?

[Super Black Eagle]

I can honestly say that I believe I would do the work in some third world country.

Why some "third world country"? There are LOTS of needing and deserving people you can help out right in your own backyard!!
Why would you, or anyone, go far away to help, when there are tons of people right here, that need it.
This is one of those things that BURNS ME UP.

If you want to donate, donate to YOUR community.

Hurricane relief, the volunteers that are down there now, they have to have medical staff on duty anytime there are people working. Go help there.
Wildfire relief, same deal.

Under privileged, under fed, untreated children within 20 miles of your house need help! If you want to help folks in Guatamala on your vacation, COOL! but don't pass home, to help down there, jsut to make a statement!

Sorry for the rant.

[Deltamud77]

SBE,

That kind of thing burns me up too. I am not saying I would go to a third world country. It was simply an illustration that I would not be doing it for the money. In my mind's eye, it is how I know that I would not be doing it for the money, or at least that the money is not a major factor. I do, however, think it would be great to go on medical missions, whether home or abroad. Obviously, Mississippi and Louisiana especially, are places of great need for great healthcare.

Mississippi has a program I have looked into that will pay for your med school if you work for a set number of years upon completion of school in "under-privileged" areas. Anyone who was raised in or who hunts in the Mississippi Delta knows the definition of under-privileged.

This is something that I am very interested in. As a matter of fact, I am sure that after school was completed, despite the malpractice issues, I would seek employment in Greenwood, Cleveland or Clarksdale even if I did not sign up for this state program. The problem with the program is that it limits you to primary care fields. If I were to go back to school, I may very well go into a primary care field (Internal Medicine, Family, or OB/GYN) but I don't want to go in on the front end with my choices being limited. I would let my grades do the limiting

[Super Black Eagle]

OB/GYN

careful there, you know the plumber is always the one with leaky pipes.

[sondance]

MS like so many other states in need of dr's will waive the cost of medical scholl if you agree to practice in an impoverished are. Guess what? The whole delta qualifies. There are so few applicants that is why you see Dr Bin Laden in Clarksdale or Dr Mohomhead in Greenwood. They take them from overseas. I would applaud anyone at your age to go back to school. We need more good ones. Just know of the great sacrifices after you get out namely debt and being a junior partner ina practice. It is a little better than being a pledge but not much.

[mudsucker]

If you are a Lawyer now and get a MD, will you sue yourself for malpractice?

[Deltamud77]

Mudsucker,

I am sure I would just try to avoid malpractice altogether, even if I am doin' the suin'.

There are some JD/MDs out there that strictly work as expert witnesses in trials and make a killing. ($600- $1000 per hour or more) That is not something I would be interested in, but whatever floats your boat. I have had to work with some "med whores" in the past and I have to say it is pretty bad what some people will do and say in this context.

[augustus_65]

Deltamud, I admire your determination, but you must be a glutton for punishment to want to endure medical school after law school.

I spent my time in law school and swore I would never go back to school. Four years of undergrad, a year of grad school and three years of law school was plenty of education for me. There was a guy a year ahead of me in law school who was in the opposite position from you, he'd gone to med school and decided he wanted to be a lawyer. Never could figure that one out.

[Deltamud77]

Augustus,

I probably am glutton for punishment. I know two or three guys in New Orleans who are JD/MDs. I am not an academic, ivory tower kind of guy. They are very much academics. They did work at the LSU Health Science Center (Med School) as clinical instructors. One is a trauma surgeon and the other two are ER docs. I am not sure where they relocated to after katrina. All three went to med school first and from what they tell me, that is the way to do it. Loyola Law School has a night program that allows people like them to work and still go to law school. I think the school is spread our over 4 or 5 years as opposed to three.

I will say this, I have an ability to not remember pain that I endured in the past. Maybe it is stupidity, I don't know.