cargo hopeful

I know others are thinking it so I’m just gonna come out and say it; Where in the world is Tony to rebut these statements and answer these detailed questions?

RXS676

Can someone please make those darn crickets stop chirping?

contrails

And he already owns at least a share of a Pitts or the whole thing and flies in first class on vacations.

A good friend of mine is in med school right now and I'm not going to consult them yet but I'm awaiting TM's response too.

Mateo303

I'm sure we will hear from Tony soon enough. No doubt he will be itching to reply to this thread. Until then, I'm going to get this post back on topic and reply to the initial discussion about Physicians leaving their profession.

I personally know three physicians who made the decision to leave Medicine. One, an endocrinologist, could not keep his practice in the green and had to sell it. The costs of insurance coupled with reimbursement challenges ended up sinking his practice.

Another, an Anesthesiologist, simply could not justify the risk associated with his job any more. He had outrageous malpractice insurance costs that took a huge chunk of his sizable pay. Anesthesiologists work under extreme pressure and there is a lot that can go wrong. In the end, he decided it just wasn't worth it all. He could not handle the constant looming threat of a lawsuit.

The last one was a physician I held in very high regard. She was the best Physician I have known. Essentially, she became fed up with the BS of medicine and decided to get out. I knew her well and know exactly why she left. Simplified, the reasons are as follows:

1)She was tired of seeing patients and not being reimbursed by insurance/Medicare.
2)She hated working for a hospital management structure who were not physicians and did not understand the needs, responsibilities, and culture of medicine.
3)She was tired of insurance companies dictating how she should practice rather than being able to make the decisions she felt were right.
4)QOL: Working and being on call holidays, day, night, weekends... As a critical care doc she was ALWAYS at the hospital day and night.

The point here is not that medicine is a poor career choice. In fact, I think its a great choice if you are the "right man for the job". The point is that every career has it's downsides that have to be weighed carefully against ones own needs and fulfillment.

People often talk about whether or not their career makes them happy. I personally think it's better to decide if your career leaves you fulfilled and satisfied. If you hate your job to the core and get zero satisfaction, all the money and benefits in the world will not make that road feel worthwhile and rewarding.

In many ways a career is a relationship of sorts. That's what separates a career from a job. You have to expect and make a choice to accept the ups and downs, the good and the bad. In the end when you weigh it all out it should meet your needs personally and leave you fulfilled on some level. If it does, then it's worth the sacrifice for that reward.

For some, being a Physician is the right job and what leaves them fulfilled. For others its Real Estate. There even seem to be some that feel it's worth all the crap (of which there is plenty...no one is arguing that) to fly planes for a living. Some get stuck however, opportunities never really come, and it never becomes a viable or fulfilling career.

My guess is that most of the pilots that are happy and proud to be in aviation will tell you they had a similar level of satisfaction and fulfillment throughout their career. Not just once/if they made it to the top. You have to look to the positive or you will always be miserable. Sky and Tony have made it clear they were never really content. Like many they were constantly looking for the next step to make them happy. I have all the respect in the world for their decision to pursue a better career that met their needs.

Ok...more than enough said, back to lurking.

USMCFLYR

I've heard this before - espeically the part about the lawsuits and the malpractice insurance. Recently I asked a few doctors to name the top medical speciality in terms of money. I figured it would be brain surgery or heart surgery, maybe Neurologist or something with a fancy name like that. All the doctors around here each said Anesthesiologist! Guess they rake in the cash for all that mental stress!

Sounds like a pilot's life

As for the rest that I won't quote - but Mateo - I've not seen it better said than you thoughtful refelction. The tie to a relationship is spot on! Well done.

USMCFLYR

de727ups

Well said Mateo. Since this is the "leaving the career forum", it would interesting to know what your three doctor friends did after they left the medical biz.

Senior Skipper

Med students like to talk about the coveted ROAD specialties-

Radiology
Ophthalmology
Anesthesiology
Dermatology

They are chosen because they have a good combination of some of the important things people look for in their careers:

superior pay (not quite at the top of the scale, but close enough)

QOL- little or no call, 9-5 type jobs

limited patient contact

autonomy


BTW, neurologists don't make that much. Neurosurgeons on the other hand...

Some of the top paying specialties are radiation oncology, spinal surgery and dermatological pathology $$$$$$$

Lowtimer77

Well whatever anyone says, I still stand by my belief that psychology/psychiatry is the safest career. Think about it, no matter how much more automated every other industry becomes, most people don't want to sit on a couch and talk to a robot about their feelings...

Ski Patrol

Bueller? Bueller?

de727ups

The man left the building once before......

Tony Montana 7/20/08, 5:55pm:

"I've enjoyed it guys.

But I really have better things to do. I'm where I want to be and very happy/secure. My choice the second time around has ensured that I will retire wealthy and that the rest of my work years will net me a wonderful income and job satisfaction.

Plus-sleeping in my own bed, and seeing my child everyday at home.

For those who have p.m.'d me and asked for advice and help, that offer stands.

Good luck to all and Gods speed in whatever direction you should choose to go.

JRL M.D.

I request that my APC account be closed--"

And then....

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/le...ar-demand.html