bitter physicians: What do you think

[Guest macdaddyeh]

So, I ran into my buddy the other day at work; his wife does internal medicine in Toronto.

 

Here was his incredulous response to my news: "Sorry we can't be happier for you. You see, my wife hates medicine and regrets going into it. She is bitter, hates hospitals politics and has had a bad attitude problem ever since she finished med school."

 

To put the above comment in context, she refused to offer me any advice at the application and intervew stages and in effect told me "get out while you can."

 

Is this kind of reasoning common? Are many physicians bitter? Her husband (my friend) has actually noticed a remarkable change and said that his wife has become a mean and nasty person ever since she decided to take this path toward medicine at 30 years of age (only been a doctor for LESS THAN TEN YEARS!).

[Guest justanotherpremed]

I think it is quite common. Probably not as common as a much bigger issue: bitter patients as a result of some pretty shoddy medical care.... But I digress. :hat :smokin

[Guest noncestvrai]

Medicine is not for everybody.

 

You should interpret what she said as "make sure you know what you are getting into". Maybe medicine isn't for her.

 

noncestvrai

[Guest walton1]

Hello,

 

Sometimes I wonder if it is such 'bitter doctors' that would, under different circumstances, make the best doctors.

 

I think people go into medicine expecting to be able to develop positive relationships with patients, colleagues, etc. and realize once they're there that positive things are hard to achieve in such a fast-paced environment.

 

In academic medicine, the pace of work seems to be set at a constant, relentless pace. Everyone is always scrambling to finish things. Even people in so-called 'light' specialities are drained. I've noticed, for example, that although endocrinology is not known as the most demanding of internal medicine specialities, endocrinologists seem to be disproportionately represented in med school administration, as tutors for med students, and so forth.

 

I want to be able to do a good job and enjoy my patients and co-workers, so I hope to avoid becoming in the future an example of bitterness for impressionable students to behold. I had an experience this year that was a sort of epiphany, though -- not universally true, I'm sure, but perhaps will add some direction to my career.

 

I had some outpatient surgery done at a small community hospital. The difference between this hospital and the academic hospitals I attended for my first-year clinical sessions was like day and night.

 

The nurses were unhurried, relaxed, cheerful. My last memory before going under with the propofol or whatever is was they gave me was the nurses and I making gentle fun of the anesthetist (probably not normally a good idea!). When I woke up in the recovery room, I drifted between staring up and the ceiling and chatting with the nurse. In all, I interacted with 8 health care workers, all of whom seemed very happy at work.

 

This was in contrast to friends who have had the very same procedure done at the academic hospitals, who had a different description of their experiences. Their negative experiences were a surprise to me, as it was a simple outpatient procedure that probably wouldn't take too much effort to make into a positive experience.

 

I bet you the happy health care workers I dealt with would not be so pleasant if they were thrown into a hostile working environment.

 

Maybe I just ran into an exceptional team. But could the problem be related to the type of hospital?

 

 

wally

[Guest RageoftheDragon]

I formerly had a Family Dr. from South Africa who said to never attempt medicine under the Government of Saskatchewan, as you end up as the B*tch of the gov't or something...Heehee. Still going though. Bitterness is in the person, not the profession.

 

RotD

[Guest kosmo14]

You will find bitterness in every profession. I dare you to go to any workplace and try to find someone that is not bitter.

 

I know many doctors that love thier jobs and wouldn't trade it for anything. I also know many that would give it up in a minute if they could. This is true of dentists, pharmacists, lawyers, engineers ...

 

The key is to form your own opinion and not to be effected by those who choose to be bitter individuals.

[Guest Lorae]

I've worked with so many physicians and residents. I've perceived 2 main reasons for bitterness/burnout (please excuse my use of "he" as I hate he/she, him/her).

 

Doctor A loves medicine and cares tremendously about the patients. He works long hours and spends extra time with the patients who need it. Doctor A is frequently unable to do the things his patients require because of red tape and politics in an inefficient system. There's too many patients and not enough time.

 

Doctor B had no idea what a career in medicine involved. He was the top of his class in the science program and decided to apply to meds because he was smart enough and wanted to see if he'd get in. Doctor B is bothered by the patients and does not enjoy interacting with them.

 

Maybe two polarized examples, but I've worked with many bitter physicians. The common thread is that a lot of them didn't know what sacrifices would be involved when they embarked on their career. It's true that the current healthcare system can induce bitterness and burnout, but from my experience this happens in the physicians who love their job the most.

 

My advice: know what you're getting into, find a job you love, like your patients, and take time for yourself!

 

edited to say: although I've worked with "bitter" physicians, the majority are *not* and they love their jobs, despite the frustrations.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

I talked to 5 separate doctors about their careers before applying to med school.

 

4/5 warned me to get out while I could.

 

Call me an idiot for not listening to 4 voices of reason, but for some reason I couldn't be disuaded. And I'm not really worried about it. . .

 

The thing I noticed about those 4 MDs was that they all looked at medicine simply as a job, and nothing else. Turning it into a simple equation as to the pros and cons of medicine as (just) a career and I have to agree with them. . . the long years of training, insane hours on the job, and BS you have to put up with ISN'T worth the pay (especially when you consider pay on a per hour basis!!) if you consider this is only a job to earn money.

 

But since entering med school I've met tons of docs who are happy. They are people who love medicine/surgery for the sake of what medicine/surgery is and never really considered it just a job in the first place.

 

Simply put, if your interest is $$ being a poor med student. . . then poor resident. . . then poor doc into your mid 30s as you pay off the debts will drive you nuts. As will accumulating some $$ in your 40s only to realize you can't spend because most of your weekends and evenings are spent on-call, with the others spent either catching up on sleep, or on laundry, grocery shopping, and other maintenance tasks you fell behind while on call. Truly, unless you are enjoying yourselves in those long hours of training. . . and long hours of work, you'll go nuts before getting any sort of payout.

[Guest UTMed07]

I don't think everyone can be happy in medicine, but medicine is a big house and there is plenty of room for different types and lifestyles. There are physicians that work half the year... then go on vacation for the rest. I know family physician that works two days a week and spends the rest with their family. Physicians that hate hospitals can work out side of one. Physicians that dislike interacting with patients on a daily basis can do jobs where they have little contact with them.

 

I think the biggest problems are:

(1) Opportunities for re-training leave a bit to be desired. In Ontario re-training includes a number of onerous conditions that are disincentives (and have the effect of keeping physicians in jobs they dislike).

(2) There is a shortage of physicians and workers that support them. In some environments there is a lot of pressure to work very long hours.