Why Medical Students Should Choose Primary Care - Not for the Reasons You Think

The current generation of medical students are not choosing primary care and instead are flocking to specialty care medicine in droves. Unlike decades ago when the best and brightest often went into internal medicine, the vast majority of students opt for dermatology, radiology, anesthesiology, and ophthalmology. Reasons for doing so include better predictable schedules, work-life balance, and compensation. (read more via davisliumd.blogspot.com)

Dr. Liu reminds us that most organic process is cyclic.  In this case the nadir of primary care in which we live is beginning to show signs of an upswing that should re-energize primary care in the US.

Just when things look dark and awful to so many I see immense opportunity and green shoots of joy for PCPs who reject the status quo and incremental improvement strategies based on the grudging willingness of others.

Comments

[L Gordon Moore]

Hi R Watkins
You'll have to ask AAFP about their intent with small practices. I imagine that they intend good things and support for small practices, but sometimes good intentions and action result in unintended consequences.
Gordon

[R Watkins]

Dr. Moore:

Thanks very much for this fascinating blog (and, by the way, I did not find your previous post at all arogant).

Do you have any insight into what the thinking is at the AAFP? They seem to be determined to go a direction that is quite hostile to small, successful, innovative practices. Do they have any awareness of how they have alienated so many practicing physicians?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Nirav]

Primary care has to trend back up or else healthcare costs will go so high people will leave the country to goto a country with an actual system. Specialists cannot beat primary care in pricing unless they practice with loss leaders so as people have bear the cost of their own care, primary care will appear more favorable and those not bound by insurance price fixes can set a fair price in line with operational costs.