If you or your son/daughter are thinking of going into medicine, think of this.
Only 20% of the general population get sick. Of the 20%, only 10-12% seek medical attention or go to a doctor. The rest either self medicate or they have a self limiting disease. Of the 10% who seek medical attention, 4% are admitted; the 6% go home and take medicine.
Medical schools produce doctors at a rate of 1 doctor per 5,000 population in the developed countries or 1 doctor per 10,000 population in the developing world. This is because of financial constraints. If it is cheap to go to medical school, everybody wants to be a doctor. Thus, there is an increase of about 1-2% to our ranks every year. So, if we are 800 doctors in the city, 8 doctors build new clinics nearby. But only about 2 to 3 doctors retire every year. Some doctors still practice even if they already have the signs of Alzheimer. I know of a doctor who had the beginnings of the disease and kept on asking her patient what her name was to the exasperation of the patient. The patient did not take the prescribed medication for fear of wrong diagnosis and wrong medication.
Another surgeon I know was still operating despite the fact that he cannot thread the needle nor can he steady his hand as he cut. His junior surgeons have to take over the operation to limit complications. No one in the hospital dares to tell the doctor to retire. There is no law limiting medical practice. Malpractice probably.
Now, do you still love to become a doctor? You are welcome.; the more the merrier. But there is no money in it, dude!!
Only 20% of the general population get sick. Of the 20%, only 10-12% seek medical attention or go to a doctor. The rest either self medicate or they have a self limiting disease. Of the 10% who seek medical attention, 4% are admitted; the 6% go home and take medicine.
Medical schools produce doctors at a rate of 1 doctor per 5,000 population in the developed countries or 1 doctor per 10,000 population in the developing world. This is because of financial constraints. If it is cheap to go to medical school, everybody wants to be a doctor. Thus, there is an increase of about 1-2% to our ranks every year. So, if we are 800 doctors in the city, 8 doctors build new clinics nearby. But only about 2 to 3 doctors retire every year. Some doctors still practice even if they already have the signs of Alzheimer. I know of a doctor who had the beginnings of the disease and kept on asking her patient what her name was to the exasperation of the patient. The patient did not take the prescribed medication for fear of wrong diagnosis and wrong medication.
Another surgeon I know was still operating despite the fact that he cannot thread the needle nor can he steady his hand as he cut. His junior surgeons have to take over the operation to limit complications. No one in the hospital dares to tell the doctor to retire. There is no law limiting medical practice. Malpractice probably.
Now, do you still love to become a doctor? You are welcome.; the more the merrier. But there is no money in it, dude!!
Dr. Cagape, there you go again. Telling the truth!
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