You're right. Doctors only have 1 person's life in their hands at a time, whereas we have 50+.

We should be making more than what doctors make, not less.

 

But the persons' life you have in your hands is not split open on an operating table. Some ER doctors have several critical patients thaey have to deal with at one time. Doctors get paid to save lives, not transport them. You're not staring into a patients eyes, watching them spit up blood or with a punctured lung and a rib protruding through their chest, wondering if you're going to be able to keep them alive with the knoledge and skills you spent the last 15 - 20 years cultivating. I'd say doctors are paid accordingly for what they do considering the pain they go through when losing a patient, putting their own health at risk and the financial sacrifices they made in Med School (which can add up to be well into the 6 figure loans!).

But I still think pilots are underpaid, however.

My agreement with the doctor/pilot comparison is in hardships to get to your ultimate destination within the profession. The skills are two different things but again, similar hardships and sacrifices are made to get there.

 

Actually, many pilots at majors make more than Doctors. Doctors may gross more money, but when you subtract overhead, staff, malpractice insurance, and student loans, many doctors are faced with a sub-six figure income. Just as we have a pilot shortage, the medical profession is seeing a shortage for many of the same reasons.

Then you have the case where retired airline pilots are actually teaching CRM in hospitals, since some of what we do actually does compare to the medical profession. http://www.prwebdirect.com/releases/...rweb430209.php

 

This is very true for doctors with their own practice but it's also subjected to location. Dr. Joe Dirt in South Carolina may have his own practice and makes $150,000 after expenses/taxes facotred in. Dr. Hollywood in LA might do the same thing but gets more business than Dr. Dirt in SC because he's simply in a bigger city. Whatever the point to all that was!?!?!

There is a huge shortage of nurses especially! Doctors as well. But you know what? They are trying to solve the problem by increasing pay and improving QOL/benefits at hospitals and private practices. And it's working, they're getting more nurses and docs, but ever so slowly because they don't want to lower their standards and minimum qualifications.

That link you posted is interesting!

 

Very true. I was trying to inject a wee little bit of humor into an otherwise serious topic. I failed.

 

Ehhhh.....My bad?

 

Not at all, I could have phrased the humor better. I'll refrain from editing as I'm low on brain-power right now.

 

I'm feeling the fuel starvation myself. Time to go hunting and gathering.

 

ChinookDriver47,

I just wanted to say thanks for you service. It is appreciated, deeply.

I am a little older than most here, I think. I have chosen not to serve, in the military, although I have been very close to joining, a few times in my life. I took to heart things I heard from guys like yourself, and weighed the pros and cons. Ultimately, I looked at it like any other job, what are the risks/benefits/payoffs. I whole heartedly agree, that no one in a combat zone is being adequtely compensated (is there such a thing?)

Sometimes, I feel guilty for not having done my part for my country, but then agian, many, many, people before me, paid the ulimate price, so that I might live in a country where I have the choice. If my country calls me, I will be there. In the meantime, I am bit**ing and moaning about how tough I have it, like the rest of the civilians, here. But I know that we are comparing apples to watermelons.

I think many here forget what our troops are going through, because the media would rather talk about which celeb is in rehab this week, than about combat deaths. (stories, not just numbers) No one knows how to report actual news anymore. I think it is slowly killing our society.

Thanks again, and stay safe.

 

right on sir!! Thank you Chinook for your service, you are a true American