Medicine = Money?
Scroll to see replies
Nope medicine =/= money.
Dentistry however does.
Dentistry however does.
Spoiler
Original post by Hippysnake
What? Did they drop the salary of an FY1 from £97k or something?
(Genuine question posed to me not too long ago.)
(Genuine question posed to me not too long ago.)
LOOL I actually laughed out loud at this! hahahaha
Regardless. There is nothing wrong with money being a motivation. What matters is how much of a motivation it is.
Original post by Sherlock.H
Regardless. There is nothing wrong with money being a motivation. What matters is how much of a motivation it is.
With medicine yes it is. You will probably just end up dropping out if that is the main motivation when you realise the challenges (emotional + physical) medicine can present you with.
Original post by lekky
Probably because they don't want to do research? There are enough people that go into research, but to majority it's not appealing. I've never considered it properly because the idea of it literally makes me shudder. I like people. I like wards. I want to be a doctor.
The practical side of being a doctor is NOTHING like the practical side of being a nurse!
I didn't say prestigous. I said respectable. I think nursing, research, art historian, etc is equally respectable. Essentially a graduate level job.
And by 'decent salary' I mean enough to bring up a family on comfortably.
Medics always get slated for having these as reasons for wanting to be a doctor. But what do you look for in a job? A job with no respect and on such a low salary that if you ever wanted to raise a family you would struggle to make ends meet or live comfortably? For lots of people that is a reality but no one would aim for it. Only medics get criticised for wanting a career that offers that kind of stability.
Money is a factor everyone considers when choosing a job.
The practical side of being a doctor is NOTHING like the practical side of being a nurse!
I didn't say prestigous. I said respectable. I think nursing, research, art historian, etc is equally respectable. Essentially a graduate level job.
And by 'decent salary' I mean enough to bring up a family on comfortably.
Medics always get slated for having these as reasons for wanting to be a doctor. But what do you look for in a job? A job with no respect and on such a low salary that if you ever wanted to raise a family you would struggle to make ends meet or live comfortably? For lots of people that is a reality but no one would aim for it. Only medics get criticised for wanting a career that offers that kind of stability.
Money is a factor everyone considers when choosing a job.
Good post. Being a doctor isn't some sort of charity, if I couldn't support a family on a doctor's wage fairly well I doubt I would be wanting to be one.
Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
With medicine yes it is. You will probably just end up dropping out if that is the main motivation when you realise the challenges (emotional + physical) medicine can present you with.
Providing money isn't the sole or primary motivation. If consultants earnt £20,000 I would probably re-consider, wouldn't if it was £50,000 - 60,000. Money is a completely legit factor to consider, especially when we could all do dentistry, economics, law, engineering courses and earn more money for less effort. But yeah, the fact I could earn much more doing other stuff is outweighed by the fact that medicine is an amazing vocation. The money side of medicine is attractive in that I (probably) won't be long-term unemployed or destitute - and will be able to afford housing and so on - other than that I'm not that interested in it.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Organ
Providing money isn't the sole or primary motivation. If consultants earnt £20,000 I would probably re-consider, wouldn't if it was £50,000 - 60,000. Money is a completely legit factor to consider, especially when we could all do dentistry, economics, law, engineering courses and earn more money for less effort. But yeah, the fact I could earn much more doing other stuff is outweighed by the fact that medicine is an amazing vocation. The money side of medicine is attractive in that I (probably) won't be long-term unemployed or destitute - and will be able to afford housing and so on - other than that I'm not that interested in it.
Maybe my post came on too strong. I agree that money is a legit factor to consider. I was trying to get across was that it can't be the main motivation.
Medicine may not have good money to start with like say Investment Banking but the reasons it is viewed as lucrative are mainly due to the fact that most of the time (well I don't know how long it will last) Medicine is generally a secure field of work and won't be affected by whatever recession happens to coming blowing our way. It's one of the few careers with a fixed starting salary with a guaranteed increase as you progress up the training ladder and depending on the circumstances of the day you should be able to progress on that ladder.
Also Medicine is one of the few careers where (if language is no barrier) you can live and work pretty much anywhere in the world and command a good social standing and pay packet. I can't think of many countries in the world that would decline a working visa for a trained medic. Medics are always in high demand wherever you go in the world. Also (in small part due to social stereotypes) Medicine as a subject and Doctors are viewed as highly intellectual, well educated, financially secure and respectable members of society (well unless you're Dr Hannibal Lecter or Dr Harold Shipman). I mean going with the universal acceptance of the degree, if you studied Law in France you'd be an expert in French law but would this be handy for landing you job at a Law firm in Tokyo? Would a degree in Spanish boost your career prospects in China?
Medicine is universal. People get sick all over the world and making them better follows pretty much the same principles everywhere. Also if you don't want to go into Medicine, the degree is very rigorous and highly regarded and can open up career paths into virtually any field including Investment Banking (many medics "jump ship" every year).
Personally I'm doing Medicine because I have a deep interest in the science underpinning disease and how to make people better and I've especially had a keen interest in Public Health Medicine/Medical related business etc and so may consider postgraduate study.
Also if you work privately or go into pharmaceuticals or your own "medical business" there's plenty of money to be made.
But money shouldn't be your sole ambition as a certain amount of drive and determination is required to get through what is (in my opinion) a very demanding course academically and mentally but nevertheless satisfying and rewarding.
If you just want lots of money in the quickest amount of time then be a bank robber and there's plenty of jobs going round in that field and you can work for as long as you want or as little as you want and enjoy the fruits of your labour as long as you don't get caught. You also get to wear those striped suits and carry your pay in those brown sacks with the $ signs on the front. How cool is that? And the best bit, you don't need a medical degree, a PHD or any formal qualifications.
Also Medicine is one of the few careers where (if language is no barrier) you can live and work pretty much anywhere in the world and command a good social standing and pay packet. I can't think of many countries in the world that would decline a working visa for a trained medic. Medics are always in high demand wherever you go in the world. Also (in small part due to social stereotypes) Medicine as a subject and Doctors are viewed as highly intellectual, well educated, financially secure and respectable members of society (well unless you're Dr Hannibal Lecter or Dr Harold Shipman). I mean going with the universal acceptance of the degree, if you studied Law in France you'd be an expert in French law but would this be handy for landing you job at a Law firm in Tokyo? Would a degree in Spanish boost your career prospects in China?
Medicine is universal. People get sick all over the world and making them better follows pretty much the same principles everywhere. Also if you don't want to go into Medicine, the degree is very rigorous and highly regarded and can open up career paths into virtually any field including Investment Banking (many medics "jump ship" every year).
Personally I'm doing Medicine because I have a deep interest in the science underpinning disease and how to make people better and I've especially had a keen interest in Public Health Medicine/Medical related business etc and so may consider postgraduate study.
Also if you work privately or go into pharmaceuticals or your own "medical business" there's plenty of money to be made.
But money shouldn't be your sole ambition as a certain amount of drive and determination is required to get through what is (in my opinion) a very demanding course academically and mentally but nevertheless satisfying and rewarding.
If you just want lots of money in the quickest amount of time then be a bank robber and there's plenty of jobs going round in that field and you can work for as long as you want or as little as you want and enjoy the fruits of your labour as long as you don't get caught. You also get to wear those striped suits and carry your pay in those brown sacks with the $ signs on the front. How cool is that? And the best bit, you don't need a medical degree, a PHD or any formal qualifications.
Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
With medicine yes it is. You will probably just end up dropping out if that is the main motivation when you realise the challenges (emotional + physical) medicine can present you with.
I don't think every aspiring medic is a philanthropist. Money is fine motivation. Wanting to help people is not going to prepare you better.
Original post by KingofSpades
I don't think every aspiring medic is a philanthropist. Money is fine motivation. Wanting to help people is not going to prepare you better.
Nothing wrong with money as a motivation. But money being the main motivation is wrong.
Banking=Quick Money.
Law=Quick Money.
Chemical engineering= Quick Money
Medicine=striving just to get in, being stressed just to get in to find that uni medicine is even harder, I know that from people who got AAA or higher in A levels fairly easily saying that the exam time for medicine is extremely stressful.
After those 5/6 years your treated like the slaves of registrars/consultants for a few years with a moderate salary of 20k when you are old enough to start a family so you'll be struggling then if you move out, then you become 'rich' where you may get 70k-300k if you're lucky you may get the higher end.
Is it worth it solely for money.
Hell no!!!!!!
I know people applying to med school thinking they'll get automatic money but they don't know that they'll be facing.
I like science, helping people and I like that medicine evolves over time so no 2 days are ever the same. The examples at the top do not have all three of these points.
Law=Quick Money.
Chemical engineering= Quick Money
Medicine=striving just to get in, being stressed just to get in to find that uni medicine is even harder, I know that from people who got AAA or higher in A levels fairly easily saying that the exam time for medicine is extremely stressful.
After those 5/6 years your treated like the slaves of registrars/consultants for a few years with a moderate salary of 20k when you are old enough to start a family so you'll be struggling then if you move out, then you become 'rich' where you may get 70k-300k if you're lucky you may get the higher end.
Is it worth it solely for money.
Hell no!!!!!!
I know people applying to med school thinking they'll get automatic money but they don't know that they'll be facing.
I like science, helping people and I like that medicine evolves over time so no 2 days are ever the same. The examples at the top do not have all three of these points.
I thought everyone went into it nowadays because of Scrubs? 
Original post by ikoghoo
People are underestimating the FY1 salary slightly. Here in NW Thames foundation school, just about everyone is banded at 1B for 2 or 3 of their rotations, and thus 90% are on about £32-34k (£2k extra for London).
In answer to your question, not at first. It is very hard work and for the amount of work you do it is not very lucrative at first. But when you hear people saying that once you reach consultant level you won't get more than 100k that is bull****.
The best doctors in the most sought after specialties (Plastic surgeons, Otolaryngologists, Orthos) can be earning quadruple that salary if they are part of a lucrative private practice. I think a lot of people underestimate private practice, doctors don't really like to talk about private practice wages. But my dad is 42 and a plastic surgeon and although I am not sure how much exactly he earns from his private practice, I can guess that it is probably in the region of 600-800k.
Basically with private practice you can add to your 100k NHS salary A LOT.
The best doctors in the most sought after specialties (Plastic surgeons, Otolaryngologists, Orthos) can be earning quadruple that salary if they are part of a lucrative private practice. I think a lot of people underestimate private practice, doctors don't really like to talk about private practice wages. But my dad is 42 and a plastic surgeon and although I am not sure how much exactly he earns from his private practice, I can guess that it is probably in the region of 600-800k.
Basically with private practice you can add to your 100k NHS salary A LOT.
Original post by fudgesundae
In answer to your question, not at first. It is very hard work and for the amount of work you do it is not very lucrative at first. But when you hear people saying that once you reach consultant level you won't get more than 100k that is bull****.
The best doctors in the most sought after specialties (Plastic surgeons, Otolaryngologists, Orthos) can be earning quadruple that salary if they are part of a lucrative private practice. I think a lot of people underestimate private practice, doctors don't really like to talk about private practice wages. But my dad is 42 and a plastic surgeon and although I am not sure how much exactly he earns from his private practice, I can guess that it is probably in the region of 600-800k.
Basically with private practice you can add to your 100k NHS salary A LOT.
The best doctors in the most sought after specialties (Plastic surgeons, Otolaryngologists, Orthos) can be earning quadruple that salary if they are part of a lucrative private practice. I think a lot of people underestimate private practice, doctors don't really like to talk about private practice wages. But my dad is 42 and a plastic surgeon and although I am not sure how much exactly he earns from his private practice, I can guess that it is probably in the region of 600-800k.
Basically with private practice you can add to your 100k NHS salary A LOT.
Oh yeah I forgot about private that's the only exception to you won't make loads of money being a doctor. GP's in newham get around 140k and they said they can earn double that pretty easily by going private. That's why I said about it ranges to 300k, your dad may be one of the special people if he gets 800k or maybe because there isn't really a cap on private in comparison to NHS. Also I think people get 50% supplements and overtime as well so that's probably why he's earning so high.
Original post by jam277
Oh yeah I forgot about private that's the only exception to you won't make loads of money being a doctor. GP's in newham get around 140k and they said they can earn double that pretty easily by going private. That's why I said about it ranges to 300k, your dad may be one of the special people if he gets 800k or maybe because there isn't really a cap on private in comparison to NHS. Also I think people get 50% supplements and overtime as well so that's probably why he's earning so high.
Yeh I think people do underestimate private a bit. Although like you said not many consultants have the luxury of being able to do a private job.
What people have been saying is true about NHS earnings. 100k is pretty much base salary for an experienced consultant. With up to 75k possible in clinical awards. Then of course consultants doing overtime could get anywhere from 20-40k. Which is about 215k just from NHS salary. It is by no means the best for money. Doing investment banking you could be earning that at 25 whereas this would be mid 40s for a doctor, where you could be in the millions in IB. For people earning from 500k - 1 mil it is usually people who are part of private practices in london, such as those on Harley Street.
Original post by limetang
I remember a few weeks back now I was on the bus to school when sat behind me were some Y9's (or whatever year they were in). One of them was talking to the rest about medicine and basically how its quite a lucrative career.
Anyway this got me thinking. Do most medics outgrow this attitude and develop a genuine passion for healing the sick. Or do most disguise this attitude and make up a story to impress admissions staff?
In short my question is: How many medics do you think are actually in it for good reasons, and how many do you think are just in it for the money and prestige?
Alright quick comment to make here. I am in no way wanting to apply for medicine. For a start as you can plainly see I am a chemist not a medic. The only reason I asked this as I was curious if it's common place to find people becoming doctors mostly for the money.
Anyway this got me thinking. Do most medics outgrow this attitude and develop a genuine passion for healing the sick. Or do most disguise this attitude and make up a story to impress admissions staff?
In short my question is: How many medics do you think are actually in it for good reasons, and how many do you think are just in it for the money and prestige?
Alright quick comment to make here. I am in no way wanting to apply for medicine. For a start as you can plainly see I am a chemist not a medic. The only reason I asked this as I was curious if it's common place to find people becoming doctors mostly for the money.
It is not worth going into Medicine for the money. Doctors do not get paid enough money for the hours they work, the stress it involves and the fact that their decisions have to be quick yet reasonable.
For those year 9s, think about the tuition fees. It's bad enough now, £9000 a year, 5/6 years at Med School, thats at least £45,000 on tuition fees before you start adding in living costs. Higher salaries in general for Doctors, however larger debts.
Original post by limetang
I remember a few weeks back now I was on the bus to school when sat behind me were some Y9's (or whatever year they were in). One of them was talking to the rest about medicine and basically how its quite a lucrative career.
Anyway this got me thinking. Do most medics outgrow this attitude and develop a genuine passion for healing the sick. Or do most disguise this attitude and make up a story to impress admissions staff?
In short my question is: How many medics do you think are actually in it for good reasons, and how many do you think are just in it for the money and prestige?
Alright quick comment to make here. I am in no way wanting to apply for medicine. For a start as you can plainly see I am a chemist not a medic. The only reason I asked this as I was curious if it's common place to find people becoming doctors mostly for the money.
Anyway this got me thinking. Do most medics outgrow this attitude and develop a genuine passion for healing the sick. Or do most disguise this attitude and make up a story to impress admissions staff?
In short my question is: How many medics do you think are actually in it for good reasons, and how many do you think are just in it for the money and prestige?
Alright quick comment to make here. I am in no way wanting to apply for medicine. For a start as you can plainly see I am a chemist not a medic. The only reason I asked this as I was curious if it's common place to find people becoming doctors mostly for the money.
They probably get filtered out as the years go by and end up in the apprentice looking like fools.
Original post by nazirard
They probably get filtered out as the years go by and end up in the apprentice looking like fools.
Hehe very true.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- should i just do engineering?
- Help! Science Careers/Degrees
- Can you study Medicine after studying Radiography?
- How much money did you spend on medical school interview prep courses?
- What Masters should I choose to do if I want to get into Medicine?
- Becoming a doctor in the US from UK medical school
- Should I do medicine at university?
- Clinical science into Medicine route
- Drop Accoutning for Medicine?
- Home base accommodation during placement years, Medicine
- Computer Science or Medicine? Career Choice Crisis
- Second year university student but I suddenly want to do medicine.
- Getting into medicine with a BTEC
- Medicine or Accounting
- medicine or finance ?
- Gap Year Medics
- Gateway to medicine
- Oxford biomedical science
- What should I pick as my 5th UCAS option (I'm applying for medicine)?
- Medicine-UCAT BMAT &interview prep
Latest
Last reply 1 minute ago
LSE Undergraduate Politics and IR 2024Last reply 2 minutes ago
Will an IVA cause my Civil Service pre employment check to fail?Last reply 2 minutes ago
Inlaks, Commonwealth, and Other Scholarships for Indian Students 2024: ThreadLast reply 3 minutes ago
Haven't heard back from LSELast reply 3 minutes ago
Accenture Degree Apprenticeship 2024Posted 4 minutes ago
How to choose unis in UCAS application for CS undergraduate course?Last reply 5 minutes ago
Official University of Bath Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 5 minutes ago
Medical doctor degree apprenticeship 2024Last reply 8 minutes ago
Social Security Scotland - Client ManagerLast reply 8 minutes ago
SIP civil service 2024 threadLast reply 9 minutes ago
NICS Staff Officer and Deputy Principal recruitment 2022 2023Last reply 16 minutes ago
Michaela School: Muslim student loses prayer ban challengeLast reply 16 minutes ago
Cannot find any apprenticeships for Child NursingTrending
Last reply 4 hours ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 1 week ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 3 weeks ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 4 hours ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 1 week ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 3 weeks ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
