Doctors are underpaid. If a job is measured on skill required vs. ability to muck things up... we are getting the right ass-end of remuneration. People can die if we make mistakes.Take this example. First, we study for SIX YEARS! Then work a compulsory term in government for 2 years (at a calm, relaxed 90 hours per week). That's 8 years we could have been earning tom.
A GP earns medical aid rates for a patient. That's R180 per consultation (if you get paid). 30 patients a day (fully booked). So that's an income of R108 000 per month. Whoah there big daddy - you think that sounds good?
Practice Overheads: Nurses, receptionist, premises, office costs, disposable items (gloves, swabs, needles etc.).
Practice Equipment: An ECG machine costs R35000. And we can't survive on just that.
Medical Licenses: HPCSA registration. R800 per year. Malpractice insurance. R7000 per year. Loss of income insurance. R12000 per year.
Actually giving a damn about your patients after paying all of this: Priceless.
And that's a practice that's positively rolling in patients. AND a practice that's managed to get reasonable payment terms out of Discovery.
Did I mention we have to study for 6 years? And we have to continue studying to keep up with health patterns, developments in the industry and refresher course on the 3 billion diseases that we could face alongside the snotty noses.
I'm bitching. And saving lives. Such a philanthropist.
But you get to save lives.
ReplyDeleteJack Bauer gets to save lives. He gets paid more :)
ReplyDelete> He gets paid more :)
ReplyDeleteBecause he has to dodge bullets :)
And when he gets hit by one? Who saves him so can go dodge more? :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you!!! As a student in Australia we are in the same situation.
ReplyDeleteHere, literally, for the first 5 years, doctors are paid LESS than teachers. $55000 per year for a intern doctor, $67000 for a new teacher.
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ReplyDelete