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Do Doctors get paid too much money?

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Do doctors get paid too much money?

Yes 11%
No89%
Total votes: 62
Do doctors get paid too much money?

This is a common interview question, so it would be useful for all applicants going for an interview in medicine to have an answer prepared. I think it will be interesting to see the variety of answers... :smile:
(edited 9 years ago)

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Depends what kind of doctor I guess, GPs are a joke and you could find people willing to do most jobs doctors do for much less than they currently earn


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Reply 2
Avatar for Blobar
Blobar
15
In my opinion, no.

I haven't heard anyone say they were asked that in their interview tbh though.
Not much at all considering the hours they work and what they actually do, in my opinion. Sure it's comfortably paid but so are many other jobs that demand much less of a person - I think the "wow doctors earn a lot of money" days are quite long gone now
I've never heard of this being asked in an interview? :/

Let alone it being a supposedly 'common' question lol. I would have thought the interviewers would have more important questions to ask. E.g about your work experience, insight into the career, medical ethics etc.
Problems in NHS pay lie at the very top of the organisation anyway; it would be much more effective to cut certain directors' salaries over doctors'
Not in my opinion, I don't do medicine and I'm not a doctor. I don't know the pay scales as such but I agree with the idea that GPs are overpaid for what they do and the main big earners should be specialists (this is probably the case anyway but also thinking about hours, quality of life etc). At the same time GP mustn't be discouraged as an option because I think they provide continuity of care, understanding of that one patient's issues and they act as preventative rather than reactive medicine. So although they don't really do any work the value they add to the NHS is considerable.

And also as the guy above me says the first salaries to cut are the supermanagers and the management consultants' fees. The former have been parachuted in by politicians to help destroy the NHS's finances, force working conditions down so staff defect to private, and force quality of care down so rich users defect to private. And the consultants have had to be brought in following the unnecessary pressure from politicians on the NHS's finances, and forced to recommend the same stuff.

If you actually get asked this question you can show your commercial awareness (wrong word, but...) by talking about the reports that doctors are going private or going abroad because the NHS doesn't pay as well.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by pripri13
Do doctors get paid too much money?

This is a common interview question, so it would be useful for all applicants going for an interview in medicine to have an answer prepared. I think it will be interesting to see the variety of answers... :smile:


Never ever heard a question like that, where do you get the impression that it's a common interview question?
No.

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Reply 9
Avatar for pgreg1
pgreg1
9
Original post by SerLorasTyrell
Depends what kind of doctor I guess, GPs are a joke and you could find people willing to do most jobs doctors do for much less than they currently earn


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What a load of ****
Original post by scrotgrot
Not in my opinion, I don't do medicine and I'm not a doctor. I don't know the pay scales as such but I agree with the idea that GPs are overpaid for what they do and the main big earners should be specialists (this is probably the case anyway but also thinking about hours, quality of life etc). At the same time GP mustn't be discouraged as an option because I think they provide continuity of care, understanding of that one patient's issues and they act as preventative rather than reactive medicine.

And also as the guy above me says the first salaries to cut are the supermanagers and the management consultants' fees. The former have been parachuted in by politicians to help destroy the NHS's finances, force working conditions down so staff defect to private, and force quality of care down so rich users defect to private. And the consultants have had to be brought in following the unnecessary pressure from politicians on the NHS's finances, and forced to recommend the same stuff.

If you actually get asked this question you can show your commercial awareness (wrong word, but...) by talking about the reports that doctors are going private or going abroad because the NHS doesn't pay as well.


GPs are specialists...they're specialists in general practice. Or as the Americans call it, "family medicine".

Also, what's your idea of a "big earner", in terms of figures? And what is the use of offering higher salaries as an incentive for promoting recruitment to hospital medicine when the majority of shortages (and demand) are for GP, psychiatry etc?

So although they don't really do any work the value they add to the NHS is considerable.


GPs don't really do any work? Hahahaha :rofl2:

What is your understanding of "work" in medicine? Surgery?
Reply 11
Avatar for pgreg1
pgreg1
9
Original post by scrotgrot
Not in my opinion, I don't do medicine and I'm not a doctor. I don't know the pay scales as such but I agree with the idea that GPs are overpaid for what they do and the main big earners should be specialists (this is probably the case anyway but also thinking about hours, quality of life etc).


Another embarrassingly clueless ignorant individual.

do not comment on that which you have absolutely no clue about
Original post by pripri13
Do doctors get paid too much money?

This is a common interview question, so it would be useful for all applicants going for an interview in medicine to have an answer prepared. I think it will be interesting to see the variety of answers... :smile:


Idk how much they get paid but if they get paid a lot, no; they're qualified and save lives :rolleyes: While it should be a human obligation and therefore free, they are probably the most respectable and honourable professionals (when they don't make us wait all damn day just to give us a bandage :mad:).
(edited 9 years ago)
I hate it when people say "doctors are overpaid". You try getting into medical school and then say that.
Reply 14
Avatar for Booyah
Booyah
16
Original post by SerLorasTyrell
Depends what kind of doctor I guess, GPs are a joke and you could find people willing to do most jobs doctors do for much less than they currently earn


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Original post by scrotgrot
Not in my opinion, I don't do medicine and I'm not a doctor. I don't know the pay scales as such but I agree with the idea that GPs are overpaid for what they do and the main big earners should be specialists (this is probably the case anyway but also thinking about hours, quality of life etc). At the same time GP mustn't be discouraged as an option because I think they provide continuity of care, understanding of that one patient's issues and they act as preventative rather than reactive medicine. So although they don't really do any work the value they add to the NHS is considerable.

And also as the guy above me says the first salaries to cut are the supermanagers and the management consultants' fees. The former have been parachuted in by politicians to help destroy the NHS's finances, force working conditions down so staff defect to private, and force quality of care down so rich users defect to private. And the consultants have had to be brought in following the unnecessary pressure from politicians on the NHS's finances, and forced to recommend the same stuff.

If you actually get asked this question you can show your commercial awareness (wrong word, but...) by talking about the reports that doctors are going private or going abroad because the NHS doesn't pay as well.


In an odd way being a GP is being a specialist (training takes 4 years or so after the foundation posts), a GP is the gatekeeper to the NHS hospital care. Without them the NHS would be in much greater turmoil. Also do remember that most GP's work for their own business so they are not just doing medical work, they are making sure figures are correct, choosing the services to offer to the community, maintaining premises etc. So GP's do deserve the money they recieve, however salararied GP's earn around 80k and are the vast majority.

Self made GP practices are also more efficient then the old PCT run GP surgeries and offer a more effective and continuous care of patients, the PCT use to throw money at problems but never solved them. If you gave a GP lets say 1m a year they will try and be as cost efficient as possible whilst following guidelines set by the local CCG and NHS England.
Argh my computer pressed the wrong button :/

I think for the amount of work they have to do they get paid well, not too much. I think that the junior doctors pay is a bit too little personally in the NHS for the amount that they do !! especially in really intense areas like A&E and Critical Care the amount expected of them is immense tbh!!

I may not be a doctor but i work with a fair amount of them all of which are lovely :smile:
If anything, doctors in the NHS are underpaid compared to their counterparts in the private sector. An argument could be made based on demand/supply that the private sector level is how much you "deserve" to be paid and anything less or more is just the government balancing things out.

More generally though, health is seen as one of the top priorities for people so those that help maintain health in the population should be rewarded fairly.


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Original post by pgreg1
Another embarrassingly clueless ignorant individual.

do not comment on that which you have absolutely no clue about


Thank you for engaging so civilly in the discussion!
Original post by Democracy
GPs are specialists...they're specialists in general practice. Or as the Americans call it, "family medicine".

Also, what's your idea of a "big earner", in terms of figures? And what is the use of offering higher salaries as an incentive for promoting recruitment to hospital medicine when the majority of shortages (and demand) are for GP, psychiatry etc?


"Specialists in general practice" is semantics tbh, I acknowledged the value of "family medicine" in my post.

I dunno, I guess £100k+ but it depends how old you are. I didn't know that was where the shortages were, but obviously I do know about GPs going private and abroad.

GPs don't really do any work? Hahahaha :rofl2:

What is your understanding of "work" in medicine? Surgery?


Well yes, I suppose. GPs get considerable autonomy, regular hours, sure they need a lot of expertise but mostly it's advice, advocacy, referrals, writing prescriptions and fairly simple check-ups. I'm sure there is a lot more behind the scenes, including the not inconsiderable task of running the entire surgery, but it is a mainly sit-down job with short, regular hours for the pay and fantastic security. It's flippant to say they don't do any work but it sounds like a pretty sweet gig to me.
Original post by pgreg1
What a load of ****


So you're saying if doctors pay got lowered they wouldn't be able to fill the medical school spots?


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