Summary_of_Young_Doctors_and_Wish_Lists__No_Weekend_Calls,_No_Beepers,_”_Journalist_Matt_Richtel

Chris Turnage ENG 102-781 Paper 1- Summary 6 Feb. 2012 A Doctor’s New Meta' The Controlled Lifestyle We’ve all heard of the surgeon who saved Aunt Lilly by operating on her for 37 straight hours, or that amazing story of the local hospital resident who was doing her rounds 2 hours after giving birth herself, but not all doctors are created equal. Many doctors are people just like the rest of us, who wish to have their own lives, separate from their jobs. In the article “Young Doctors and Wish Lists: No Weekend Calls, No Beepers,” journalist Matt Richtel attempts to convey this message to the rest of us. His article originally appeared in The New York Times on Jan 7, 2004. He explains that medical professionals of today have a desire to keep their work schedules and their personal time separate, and are choosing specialties accordingly. Medical professionals have a desire for the elimination of being ‘on call’ while off duty, and who can blame them' For instance, Dr. Jennifer Boldrick, a graduate of Stanford, enjoys the aspects of being a doctor. She also enjoys being able to sleep through the night, and hopes to one day start a family. Being constantly on call would put a serious strain on her person desires (Richtel 271). These people enjoy their line of work, else they wouldn’t be doing it, but that doesn’t mean they have to live and breathe their job. Gregory Rutecki, chairman of the medical education at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, explains that what young doctors want is that “when they finish their shift, they don’t want to carry a beeper; they’re done” (qtd in Richtel 272). Most other white-collar professions are structured this way, so it’s not an extreme ideal. Aside from being able to leave work at work when one leaves, they also have to actually be able to leave. One cannot work 90 plus hours each week, and still be able to maintain a fulfilling personal life. Dr. Boldrick states, “I want to have a family. And when you work 80 to 90 hours a week, you can’t even take care of yourself” (qtd in Richtel 271). Many young doctors are choosing specialties that allow them to work certain hours each day, and no more, like a typical 9 to 5 job (Richtel 272). This allows them to structure and plan their lives, rather than never having time to think, do for, or develop themselves. When these individuals decide to take cuts in hours, the naturally take a cut in pay also. That is something most are more than willing to sacrifice in order to have the free time they see fit. Income only accounts for 9% on the list of reasons residents gave when selecting their specialties in 2002 (Richtel 272). A large number of doctors are willing to take jobs with lower incomes. Many do not wish to work over 50/60 hours each week, even when doing so would increase their income exponentially (Richtel272). Medical professionals are choosing the specialties where they have direct control over the total hours they work, and govern their own income. It is the current meta in the medical world. “You can see 15 patients a day, or 10 patients a day,” says dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross. He also said “the procedures… can cost a patient $400, with the doctor keeping half, for instance” (qtd in Richtel 273). While some could perceive this new mode of thinking as selfish or lazy, it could also be seen as quality over quantity. Dr. Boldrick puts it into perspective when she says, “If I force myself to do something that didn’t make me happy in order to pay a debt to society, that wouldn’t do anyone any good” (qtd in Richtel 274). We’re all thankful of the work these people do, but no one ever said they have to give up themselves completely for them to do it. Many doctors in the past have missed out on parts of their own lives while doing for others, and this developing standard of medicine seems to have rightful justification. Works Cited Richtel, Matt. “Medicine.” Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 11th Edition. Suzanne Chambers. Boston. Pearson 2011. Pg 271-274. Print