Why in the World Would Anyone Want to Be a Doctor A Satirical Exposition of the Terrible Burdens of

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Why in the World Would Anyone Want to Be
aDoctor? A Satirical Exposition of the Terrible
Burdens of the Medical Profession1,2A
Presentation for the Pre-Medical Dinner

• Kendall L. Stewart, M.D.
• February 10, 2009

1People who choose to be miserable are just
stupid. 2Physicians who choose to be miserable
are especially stupid.
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Why is this important?

• Incredibly, a lot of physicians are miserable.
• Many of us say we would not go into medicine
  again,
• Many of us advise our children not to go into
  medicine,
• In a recent Physicians Foundation survey of
  12,000 primary care physicians, only 6
  considered the morale of their colleagues as
  positive. (November 18, 2008).
• What in the world is going on?1

• After listening to this presentation, you will be
  able to
• Identify three of the terrible burdens physicians
  must bear, and
• Explain three strategies for achieving happiness
  and contentment in spite of them.
• You might as well face reality before you apply
  to medical school.

1Actually, miserable doctors inspire me.
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What are some of the burdens of being a physician?
Slide 1 of 3

• You will be forced to relieve human suffering
  when you could be doing something meaningful.
• You will have to get by on 150,000.00 to
  1,000,000.00 per year.1,2
• You will have to endure the eternal gratitude of
  your patients and their families.
• You will have to tolerate an exciting and
  stimulating work environment.

1A woman in medical records department once told
a millionaire physician she would give him 5.00
if he would complete his charts. (He actually
took her money!) 2Another physician took pop by
the case out of the physician lounge refrigerator
to his car!
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What are some of the burdens of being a physician?
Slide 2 of 3

• You will have to turn down at least 10 job offers
  every day.
• You will have to travel to posh resorts to attend
  medical meetings in exotic places.
• You will have to suffer the embarrassment of
  pulling into a reserved parking space every
  day.1,2,3
• You will have to put up with numerous colleagues
  who are intent on making your professional life
  easier.

1I dont know what it is with physicians and
their parking spaces. 2Not infrequently, we see
able-bodied physicians parking for their
convenience in handicap parking spaces. 3Just so
you know, we call the police when we observe that
outrageous behavior.
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What are some of the burdens of being a physician?
Slide 3 of 3

• You will have to cope with being a part of the
  highest-regarded occupation in America.
• You will be required to wear nice clothes, drive
  fine cars and live in a nice house in the best
  neighborhood in town.
• You will have to live with the unspeakable joy of
  lifelong learning.
• You will have to make the best of clean,
  comfortable and sometimes gorgeous work
  environments.
• You will have to face the reality that you can
  continue to work as long as you are mentally and
  physically able, and that you may actually be
  able to afford to retire when you want to quit.1,2

1Some people simply cannot be pleased. 2A farmer
was unhappy with the way his wife prepared the
eggs.
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So, how can you have a happy life in spite of
these awful burdens?

• Cultivate a servant heart.1,2
• Remain passionate about excellence.
• Build and nurture a team.
• Avoid negative people.
• Spend time with positive people.
• Resist materialism.

• Abandon arrogance as a coping strategy.
• Choke off that sense of entitlement.
• Write a values-based life plan.
• Find meaning in your work.
• Keep improving your efficiency.
• Measure your results.
• Create variety in your professional practice.

1Helping people is really what its all about. 2I
told a patient she had terminal cancer. 3Given
the cards Ive been dealt, Ive played them as
best I could.
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What have you learned?

• It is hard for some of us to imagine a more
  satisfying and meaningful life.
• Some of us feel deeply privileged to be a
  physician.1,2
• Sadly, many of us are miserable.
• To be miserable or not to bethats entirely up
  to you.
• This is a critical career decision.
• Life is too short to be miserable.

1I once had the opportunity to serve an extremely
poor, disabled man who insisted on paying me in
baseball cards. 2When something like this happens
to you, you will then know the joy and privilege
of being a physician.
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Where can you learn more?1

• Edwards, Nigel, Kornacki, Mary Jane and
  Silversin, Jack Unhappy Doctors What Are the
  Causes and What Can Be Done? BMJ 2002,
  324835-838 ( 6 April )
• Mechanic, D Physician Discontent. JAMA 2003
  290941-6
• Smith, R Why are Doctors So Unhappy? BMJ, 2001,
  3221073-4
• Zuget A Dissatisfaction with Medical Practice. N
  Engl J Med 2004, 35069-75
• The Physicians Foundation National Survey Finds
  Numerous Problems Facing Primary Care Doctors,
  Predicts Escalating Shortage Ahead, November 18,
  2008

1Please visit www.KendallLStewartMD.com to
download related white papers and presentations.
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How can you contact me?1
Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. VPMA and Chief Medical
Officer Southern Ohio Medical Center President
CEO The SOMC Medical Care Foundation, Inc. 1805
27th Street Waller Building Suite B01 Portsmouth,
Ohio 45662 740.356.8153 StewartK_at_somc.org
KendallLStewartMD_at_yahoo.com www.somc.org www.Kend
allLStewartMD.com
1All speaking and consultation fees are
contributed to the SOMC Endowment Fund.
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