Medicine and Money

Well no, we care about status too. Keep up! :p:

Edit: And more seriously, people who do medicine for the "money" are fools - pay during the first ten years isn't great, you have to train for 5/6 years and also work lots of night shifts!

Reply 2

Ribbons

12

Alexii

Does anyone doing Medicine actually care about anything other than making money?

I'm not accusing the people on this board but that's just the attitude I've got from the people at my college. All they seem to care about is how much they'll earn and seem to have no real desire to help people or reduce human suffering. I'm sure that not all prospective doctors are like that but I do find it somewhat disheartening to see that the money grabbing attitude at my college seems to be prevalent, I wonder what anyone else thinks to that, do you agree that is the attitude of many or not?

there, youve said it. Not all would (hopefully) be like that....what i think is worse is that some people who really want to do medicine for the right reasons dont get in.
However, is the money really that much? i mean if you compared it to a few other jobs....its not really the highest-paying profession is it? And then theres the big loan medics have to pay off too...i think it all works out fine, but then again thats just me :redface:

Reply 3

Miles

Well no, we care about status too. Keep up! :p:

Edit: And more seriously, people who do medicine for the "money" are fools - pay during the first ten years isn't great, you have to train for 5/6 years and also work lots of night shifts!

LOL @ Miles!

If all I cared about was the money I wouldn't have given up a salary of a lot to study medicine. It's costing me way over £100K in lost earnings alone, without adding to that the student and bank loans...

To the OP, did you know the starting salary after graduation is just over £20k - whhhooo! Can't wait

Reply 4

Alexii

OP

12

Hmm, I've read that doctors earn 100 k - 200 k but then again that's probably older doctors with private practices.

Not that I ever considered doing medicine, doesn't interest me too much, but my GCSE Chemistry teacher lied to me, he said my A-level choices(Chemistry, Maths, English and History) were perfect for medicine, but surely everywhere wants biology too?

Reply 5

Fluffy

LOL @ Miles!

If all I cared about was the money I wouldn't have given up a salary of a lot to study medicine. It's costing me way over £100K in lost earnings alone, without adding to that the student and bank loans...

To the OP, did you know the starting salary after graduation is just over £20k - whhhooo! Can't wait

Did you read the front page of the Standard about that £270K GP, has made me reconsider general practice again! :biggrin:

Reply 6

Saffie

11

Alexii

Hmm, I've read that doctors earn 100 k - 200 k but then again that's probably older doctors with private practices.

Not that I ever considered doing medicine, doesn't interest me too much, but my GCSE Chemistry teacher lied to me, he said my A-level choices(Chemistry, Maths, English and History) were perfect for medicine, but surely everywhere wants biology too?

no most places don't specify biology. Chemistry is essential almost everywhere and you need another science A2 often, and you have maths.

You don't know a lot about medicine do you :wtf?: Of course we're not all in it for the money. Miles is an exception :rolleyes:

Reply 7

Miles

Did you read the front page of the Standard about that £270K GP, has made me reconsider general practice again! :biggrin:

I did, as I posted on AF, if it's my GP I shall go mental, as the words 'chocolate teapot' are the ones that really srping to mind...

Reply 8

Fluffy

I did, as I posted on AF, if it's my GP I shall go mental, as the words 'chocolate teapot' are the ones that really srping to mind...

I didn't get chance to read it. Just saw a stand with the headline, what's AF and I'll go look.. ? I assumed there was private work cos he surely can't get that off the NHS ?!

Reply 9

Alexii

Hmm, I've read that doctors earn 100 k - 200 k but then again that's probably older doctors with private practices.

After about 5 years at medical school and then another 10 years of training and professional exams. The starting consultant salary is around £65k.

Edit: Just found this: (from 2005): http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nhs-knowledge_base/data/5340.html

Reply 10

Cataclysm

2

Medicine is not the most lucrative job, different people enter for different reasons: whether it is for power, to gain respect, earn money or believe or not some people actually want to do Medicine and enjoy the challenges they will experience. Some just want to be doctors after seeing an episode of Scrubs or ER :p:

If people want to go into Medicine for money, the interviews will clearly indicate to the unis which candidates have a genuine interest or not. If money is what the people in your college are after - tell them to sell their souls to Investment Banking or Law.

Money can't buy 'em love :wink:

Reply 11

Miles

I didn't get chance to read it. Just saw a stand with the headline, what's AF and I'll go look.. ? I assumed there was private work cos he surely can't get that off the NHS ?!

AF - admissions forum. There's a thread (or two) on there re: £250k docs

The ES article is suitably vague.

Reply 12

Fluffy

AF - admissions forum. There's a thread (or two) on there re: £250k docs

The ES article is suitably vague.

Ah.. *reads*

BTW, seeing one of your threads reminded me something - when's your CC out?

Reply 13

7589200

18

Many other jobs pay a hell of a lot more. Investment banking to name a popular one. I think the attractive features of a career in Medicine are that is a stable job with good prospects and a raised status. Its also a comfortable job after the initial stages. The money is an advantage but for many its not the most important factor.

Reply 14

Miles

Ah.. *reads*

BTW, seeing one of your threads reminded me something - when's your CC out?

In theory for next academic year. I have a shed load to do on it though. I need to knock 2 chapters out before friday!!! 'My' CC is a bit of a rush, as the original author dropped out, and I only offically started this in January, so am a good 5 months behind the other authors.

That said, I don't think I'll have any major issues, I just need to sit my but down and get writing. I've just finished my essay for next week so hopefully can start ploughing through!

Gaarrgggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhh!

Reply 15

Cataclysm

2

To develop on what VazzyB said, Medicine is a field in which there is always a demand, people will never stop getting sick hence we always need doctors, in whatever country you go to, more doctors are always needed so never have to worry about a job except for those poor guys who were failed by the MMC system for their FY1 jobs.

Reply 16

spoon1

Call me naive, but when I decided I wanted to do medicine I didn't actually know that med students had a guaranteed job after uni - it didn't even occur to me that doctors could earn so much either! For me, it's not about the money - i don't care if I don't earn loads, I just want to earn enough to pay off my student debt!

Reply 17

spoon1

Call me naive, but when I decided I wanted to do medicine I didn't actually know that med students had a guaranteed job after uni - it didn't even occur to me that doctors could earn so much either! For me, it's not about the money - i don't care if I don't earn loads, I just want to earn enough to pay off my student debt!

There is no such thing as a guarenteed job in medicine, especially if you want a job with a training number allocated to it.

There will be some 50 people this year who will be left without a job. Not many, granted, but from next year the new medical schools start spouting out their first graduates (there will be about 500 extra graduates a year) - all this with no increase in training posts.

Reply 18

spoon1