What else is there to do on a rainy day but read? Over on WSJ we learn 10 reasons doctors get burned out. It is written by a surgeon about surgeons but I think most other doctors will agree it rings true for them as well. Yet even though I agree with many of the points made (delayed gratification, isolation, financial, guilt, and I would say sex-, race-, and age-related issues), I can’t help but think “Man, we doctors whine too much!”. Who do we think we are? Super-humans?
Also on WSJ we are asked our opinions on limiting work hours for medical residents. I’ve previously blogged my opinion on this matter and got called a cynic. Fine, I do tend to have a cynical outlook on life overall but that doesn’t change that there’s something terribly wrong with medical education and healthcare in the US.
Still on WSJ (can’t seem to get myself off their health blogs today) Senator Grassley is pointing fingers at an academic physicians income from industry. It is part of the “doctors can’t think for themselves so we must limit their contact with pharmaceutical companies etc” movement. Although I see no problem with academic physicians declaring all sources of income shouldn’t this be an issue between said physician, his/her employer, and the IRS? I’m sure there are just as many unreported incomes in the House & Senate in Washington, maybe we could do a crack-down there.
Underlying medical conditions has its day over at NYT. It is true that every single US person who has died from the swine flu has been reported as “having an underlying medical condition”. I don’t know if the point of this is to make the rest of us feel better or what. Why can’t we just agree that H1N1 influenza is going to kill a number of Americans just like regular flu does every year, wash our hands, and stop making excuses?
Also on NYT, I think I now have insight about why the distal interphalangeal joint of my right thumb has hurt for a few weeks now. I may be suffering from texthritis. But to the 2000-3000 messages a month discussed in the article, wow! That can’t be normal. If we are not ADD to begin with texting, Facebooking, Twittering, etc are certainly going to make us!
Leave a Reply