Dongzhuo Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 If you aren't committed to taking care of patients, then you can do a hell of a lot of damage as a physician. But no more keenly are these mistakes felt than in the very specialty you deigned (and radiology, nuc med, radiation oncology). If a pathologist or radiologist makes a misdiagnosis, everything that every doctor does subsequently (surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists) may be more harm than benefit simply because the initial diagnosis was wrong. Personally, I'd rather someone screw up taking my history than calculating my radiation dose. In general, overall dedication to quality and excellence in medicine is typified by imaging/lab/nuc MDs. There are physicians who don't give a rat's ass, it's true, but they don't end up in these specialties. I don't really agree that "commit(ment) to taking care of patients" has anything to do with doing a good or bad job. Even if pathologists and radiologists don't really care about the patient, that in no way means they will do a bad job. I don't really think there's a correlation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mourning Cloak Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I don't really agree that "commit(ment) to taking care of patients" has anything to do with doing a good or bad job. Even if pathologists and radiologists don't really care about the patient, that in no way means they will do a bad job. I don't really think there's a correlation. I suppose that no physician has to care about his patient to be competent. You just have to show up, say the right things, prescribe the right meds, cut the right duct, dictate the right report. However, this doesn't work in real life. I've yet to meet a physician - in any specialty - who didn't care about his patient and still was good at his job. Face it - this isn't the sort of job where you can show up, punch a time clock, and do the minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dongzhuo Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I suppose that no physician has to care about his patient to be competent. You just have to show up, say the right things, prescribe the right meds, cut the right duct, dictate the right report. However, this doesn't work in real life. I've yet to meet a physician - in any specialty - who didn't care about his patient and still was good at his job. Face it - this isn't the sort of job where you can show up, punch a time clock, and do the minimum. I agree most physicians should care about their patients, but your original comment said that "damage could be done". While I agree that the subjective experience of the patient might be different, I don't think any measurable damage (such as misreading a study) would be present regardless of the physician's attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mourning Cloak Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I agree most physicians should care about their patients, but your original comment said that "damage could be done". While I agree that the subjective experience of the patient might be different, I don't think any measurable damage (such as misreading a study) would be present regardless of the physician's attitude. We'll have to agree to disagree. I believe that someone who actually cares about their patient does a better job caring for them than someone who doesn't. Those physicians (and nurses) I have worked with who "couldn't give a rat's ass" give poor quality care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalltowngirl33 Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 This is an interesting thread. Those who are interested in finding out how much of an impact a physician who does not care about his/her patients can make should read, "How Doctors Think" by Jerome Groopman. He is the Dina and Raphael Recanati Chair of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, chief of experimental medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine (abstracted from wikipedia). Obviously, "caring" about your patients is one aspect which tends to trigger the desire for a physician to investigate and heal their patient. However, as caring as one might be, there are still many more skills a doctor should possess such as logic, ability to cope with uncertainty, communication skills, the ability to think outside of the box, etc. These are all important skills of a physician and can make a great deal of difference. However, just because someone goes into medicine just for the money does not alone make them any less of a physician than anyone else. What if they have all of the skills I mentioned previously in this post but compassion? They could still do a fantastic job! It might take more of an effort to motivate them to do it, but the patient can still be healed and cared for. And besides, how many of us on this thread pursued a volunteer activity just to get into medicine? Okay, now how many of us who volunteered to boost our non academic score realized afterward how amazing it was to help others and make a difference? Just because someone goes into medicine for one reason doesn't mean they can not evolve as a person and make a great impact on the lives of their patients. Here is my take on this matter (believe me, it has taken a lot of sucking up of my own pride to realize this since I've always felt like I was one of the "good guys" because I care a lot about healing others). I have my own reasons for pursuing medicine and you have yours. The ability to be a great physician is not one dimensional. At the end of the day, it's the patients and their well being who count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanics Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 We'll have to agree to disagree. I believe that someone who actually cares about their patient does a better job caring for them than someone who doesn't. Those physicians (and nurses) I have worked with who "couldn't give a rat's ass" give poor quality care. You're right, most patients would rather prefer to die comfortably with an incompetent but noble doctor in stark contrast to being rushed and resenting a doctor that does treat and cure them. If only more doctors could apologize to their patients after they have made a mistake and take full responsibility, malpractice law-suits would drop by half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flobot222 Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 Why does nova scotia have so many doctors? (or did someone ask this already) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 We're just that awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dongzhuo Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 You're right, most patients would rather prefer to die comfortably with an incompetent but noble doctor in stark contrast to being rushed and resenting a doctor that does treat and cure them. If only more doctors could apologize to their patients after they have made a mistake and take full responsibility, malpractice law-suits would drop by half. You bring up an example where most people would chose an incompetent but noble/caring doc vs an intelligent/uncaring doc. I mean if you were dying then you don't really care that much about competence. If my family members were to have surgery, I'd rather them be taken care of by a smart but mean surgeon rather than someone with "lesser caliber" but a heart of gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 You bring up an example where most people would chose an incompetent but noble/caring doc vs an intelligent/uncaring doc. I mean if you were dying then you don't really care that much about competence. If my family members were to have surgery, I'd rather them be taken care of by a smart but mean surgeon rather than someone with "lesser caliber" but a heart of gold. I guess the counter question is would you prefer the smart surgeon with the hard of gold, or the smart surgeon who was mean? The process is designed in part it seems to obtain med students that are actually both highly skilled and personable - not that it always succeeds but in such a competitive environment it is possible to get people well rounded enough to be both. That way occasionally people argue like they are mutually exclusive on the forum confuses me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rwethereyet Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 That's true, and there are certainly jobs that easily pay more than any physician will ever net. My particular degree combination could net me 6-figures right now if I wanted to, and I just have undergrads. Hm. Solely for money? I've only met one high-school student who I would consider to be that way. I seem to know a few undergrads who are in it for money and chicks, but that's another story. I'm really curious about this, Kyla. Would you mind sharing this ugrad combination or giving some hints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I'm really curious about this, Kyla. Would you mind sharing this ugrad combination or giving some hints? Lols mega bump Rwe this thread is like 4 months old. Can't speak for Kyla but Engineering + HBA/MBA = 6 figs no problemo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 geology + business or environmental sciences Lols mega bump Rwe this thread is like 4 months old. Can't speak for Kyla but Engineering + HBA/MBA = 6 figs no problemo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylamonkey Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 I'm really curious about this, Kyla. Would you mind sharing this ugrad combination or giving some hints? Sorry, I didn't notice this post until just now. I have a double. Honours Earth and Ocean Sci and Major in Biology. Diamond/gold mines pay well plus I have the enviro knowledge to be slotted into remediation if need be. I'm not trying for med for the money, that's for sure. Geology is really interesting, but not something i can see myself dong forever, plus the market is quite volatile. And there isn't a lot of people contact. Plus you're, well, raping the earth. I don't know how happy I would be with that at the end of the day. Any other questions feel free to PM, I'm pretty open about everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 i was right sort of Sorry, I didn't notice this post until just now. I have a double. Honours Earth and Ocean Sci and Major in Biology. Diamond/gold mines pay well plus I have the enviro knowledge to be slotted into remediation if need be. I'm not trying for med for the money, that's for sure. Geology is really interesting, but not something i can see myself dong forever, plus the market is quite volatile. And there isn't a lot of people contact. Plus you're, well, raping the earth. I don't know how happy I would be with that at the end of the day. Any other questions feel free to PM, I'm pretty open about everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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