General Discussion

greatlaurel

(2,004 posts)

34. Medical school is 4 years and residency is 3 to 7 years depending on the specialty.

Sat Sep 19, 2015, 11:01 AM

Sep 2015

Last edited Sat Sep 19, 2015, 02:24 PM - Edit history (1)

The years in medical school mean no income, as there is very little time for a part time job. To get an MD at a public school means between $250,000 to $300,000 in debt. Residents are not very highly paid, either. It takes a lot to pay off that sort of debt, then add in the costs to start up a practice.

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Why do US doctors make so much more than German doctors? [View all] Recursion Sep 2015 OP

Could be the cost of living! Just my guess akbacchus_BC Sep 2015 #1

Compared to Germany? Recursion Sep 2015 #2

Germany may be a much more expensive place to live but their students do akbacchus_BC Sep 2015 #9

But what about their eyes, akbacchus_BC? Codeine Sep 2015 #21

Holy shite! demmiblue Sep 2015 #28

Some animals are more equal than others. nt Codeine Sep 2015 #42

Are you kidding? tabasco Sep 2015 #37

Liability insurance is outrageous too yeoman6987 Sep 2015 #20

So it's your contention American doctors actually don't make more Kingofalldems Sep 2015 #53

Medical is very inexpensive in Germany emsimon33 Sep 2015 #3

Med school? Recursion Sep 2015 #6

Yes, sorry "school" emsimon33 Sep 2015 #63

Medicine is not a business in Germany (n/t) Spider Jerusalem Sep 2015 #4

In what sense? Recursion Sep 2015 #7

There aren't HMOs and multibillion dollar private hospital companies and so on, though. Spider Jerusalem Sep 2015 #57

We have some close equivalents, though DFW Sep 2015 #70

Because it suits the insurance companies. djean111 Sep 2015 #5

What sort of student loans are hanging over their heads? pugetres Sep 2015 #8

In Germany--none or very little emsimon33 Sep 2015 #65

Because they are worth every last cent. linuxman Sep 2015 #10

Your premise is incorrect... Human101948 Sep 2015 #15

That's true. Not just India, mexico also has outstanding medical tourism. A client of mine Sunlei Sep 2015 #17

You seem to be confusing my premise with what you think I'm talking about. linuxman Sep 2015 #19

Can you provide me with some actual research results that back up your claims? Human101948 Sep 2015 #23

The knowledge base and skill in what objective sense? Keep in mind the US is also a MillennialDem Sep 2015 #50

This message was self-deleted by its author TubbersUK Sep 2015 #27

As far as I'm aware German doctors and German healthcare are among the best in the world TubbersUK Sep 2015 #29

No. Doctors are not worth a slice of a cent they charge. LeftOfWest Sep 2015 #71

That's just not true we can do it Sep 2015 #83

Malpractice Insurance? JustAnotherGen Sep 2015 #11

Part of the answer I gave below. nt TexasTowelie Sep 2015 #13

Malpractice insurance is insignificant Human101948 Sep 2015 #24

Insurance. TexasTowelie Sep 2015 #12

Two friends JustAnotherGen Sep 2015 #14

Liability insurance is typically less than 10% of gross income before Hoyt Sep 2015 #22

How is 10% of gross not very significant alone and then when we know it has to come out of the net TheKentuckian Sep 2015 #74

It's not that much. Would you prefer limiting people's right to sue when Hoyt Sep 2015 #77

I don't oppose the requirement for coverage, I'm just saying it is not a trivial cost TheKentuckian Sep 2015 #81

Insurance and student loans? bemildred Sep 2015 #16

I am from Minnesota and I know there are people who come from all over the world Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #18

That's a bit misleading. People come from all over the world to be treated at Mayo Clinic. hedda_foil Sep 2015 #35

The cost of education. Huge debts. mainer Sep 2015 #25

Good post. 840high Sep 2015 #54

Unlike many college graduates doctors easily get jobs. snappyturtle Sep 2015 #61

Divide and conquer. Keep the peons squabbling while the corporations pick everyone's pocket greatlaurel Sep 2015 #26

Thank you. K&R this post. nt TBF Sep 2015 #38

I don't think you will get many people in the U S to go into medicine if the top salary is 95K DemocratSinceBirth Sep 2015 #30

Getting into med school is hard because the AMA constrains the supply of med schools. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2015 #39

I don't know much about getting into med school... DemocratSinceBirth Sep 2015 #46

I'm guessing this is not the case with the person you know JI7 Sep 2015 #51

My cousin was not a legacy. His dad had one year of college and his mom two. DemocratSinceBirth Sep 2015 #52

Yes. We have 840high Sep 2015 #56

Health care fadedrose Sep 2015 #31

We make them incur significant and risky debt Ilsa Sep 2015 #32

Germany has 3.4 doctors per 1000 people, the USA has 2.3 Donald Ian Rankin Sep 2015 #33

If one assumes that Germans individually have comparable demand for medical care... lumberjack_jeff Sep 2015 #40

Medical school is 4 years and residency is 3 to 7 years depending on the specialty. greatlaurel Sep 2015 #34

that's on top of a 4 year undergraduate degree Matariki Sep 2015 #48

They do get paid during residency, and can discharge most of their debt by working Hoyt Sep 2015 #62

Student loans & liability (insurance) - TBF Sep 2015 #36

I've done loans for family GPs and they were no where near $150k Hassin Bin Sober Sep 2015 #41

I've been watching this thread with interest due to my life experience. mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #43

Not so sure that psychiatrists are among those who "make the least"! WinkyDink Sep 2015 #45

Sure. That's probably changed, too, since more psychiatrists mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #49

Simple answer: BECAUSE THEY CAN. WinkyDink Sep 2015 #44

$600k school loan debt? Matariki Sep 2015 #47

The AMA and federal health agencies have capped med school and residency openings riderinthestorm Sep 2015 #55

Why do we pay CEOs 100s of times a US doctors salary? Rex Sep 2015 #58

xactly!!!!! 840high Sep 2015 #59

The AMA and medical professional associations determine payment schedules MannyGoldstein Sep 2015 #60

So you're upset about $150,000 vs $95,000 mainer Sep 2015 #64

Because most of them are gods, silly little mortal. JNelson6563 Sep 2015 #66

Med school is free in Cuba. Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #67

Because being a physician in the U.S.A. sucks so bad we have to import them. hunter Sep 2015 #68

Because greed rules in the U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! moondust Sep 2015 #69

Honestly, I'm not at all bothered by how much money doctors make Victor_c3 Sep 2015 #72

Good Health is NOT a business... CanSocDem Sep 2015 #73

I will say this.... Adrahil Sep 2015 #75

Somehow the problem is the cost of labor is too high. Can't have the people actually doing something TheKentuckian Sep 2015 #76

In the rest of the world doctors are just professional people. In the US they are gods and demand LiberalArkie Sep 2015 #78

Student debt. Nt geek tragedy Sep 2015 #79

So I'm guessing once again you aren't really interested in a conversation riderinthestorm Sep 2015 #80

Why become a doctor if you' re in it for the money? herrbockelmann Sep 2015 #82

Education costs? jwirr Sep 2015 #84