Hi Everyone,
I’m considering becoming a PA but I’m truly somewhat concerned about the future of health care when I see surveys, discussions, and news posts (e.g. from The New York Times, etc) about how many doctors and nurses want to leave (and are leaving) medicine because of the ever increasing stress, long hours, paperwork, regulations, decreases in reimbursements, etc. Various surveys say anywhere from 5 out of 10 to 9 out of 10 doctors/other health providers would not recommend medicine to their children as a career and more than 50% of those surveyed want to leave medicine because of the reasons above and many of those say they are overloaded and/or burnt out. This makes me concerned, even if it’s only 50% which is pretty significant. I know things are vastly changing in medicine, especially with the Affordable Care Act, but these numbers seem pretty high. Are you worried at all about the future or medicine and being a PA?
On a similar note, do you think medicine will see a “trickle down effect?” That is, it seems logical and to be expected that if many doctors are doing ever more work and are not particularly happy, then how could those working with and under them not be affected via trickle down? If the doctors are overloaded then I would think that any work that can be handed down to others would be done so, thus increasing the workload, stress, etc for PA’s, NP’s, nurses, etc. and potentially affecting the “great work/life balance” that is such a hallmark of being a PA/NP. Am I being reasonable with these concerns? Or am I blowing them up out of proportion?
Any thoughts would be soooo great to hear since I must decide very soon on my future path.... thank you!
Jim
Leaving medicine?
Leaving medicine
Im looking for an MD or DO who is a sharp doctor and good at diagnosis . Someone who might be open to alternative medicine also. But mainly someone who is really on the ball.
Arnie
Arnie