Medicine vs. Law - prospects? Forum

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TUP

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by TUP » Wed May 11, 2011 4:03 pm

ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.

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ResolutePear

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by ResolutePear » Wed May 11, 2011 4:04 pm

TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
I've seen Doc Review and PCP. PCP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DocReview

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vamedic03

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by vamedic03 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:08 pm

Renzo wrote:No one who can actually get into medical school would go to law school.
BS. There are plenty of people who strongly dislike health care and choose law school instead.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2011 4:09 pm

TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?

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TUP

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by TUP » Wed May 11, 2011 4:11 pm

ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
I've seen Doc Review and PCP. PCP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DocReview
I'll have to take your word for it, although doing doc review seems more appealing than disimpactions and abscesses.

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ResolutePear

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by ResolutePear » Wed May 11, 2011 4:15 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
Well, it's true. That's why there's PA's.

Doctors gravitate towards specialties with higher pay and prestige.

Why be a PCP when you can be an oncologist and make twice as much? That's the problem.

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TUP

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by TUP » Wed May 11, 2011 4:16 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
No on pay. And many PCPs feel the pressure to see 5+ patients/hour to keep the lights on.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2011 4:17 pm

PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).[/quote]

It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.[/quote]

I've seen Doc Review and PCP. PCP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DocReview[/quote]

I'll have to take your word for it, although doing doc review seems more appealing than disimpactions and abscesses.[/quote]

everything's more appealing when u are making $15 dollar an hour.

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vamedic03

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by vamedic03 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:18 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
It's not a relaxed work load. It's an incredibly heavy workload. Reimbursements have been steadily decreasing and there is a very high pressure for PCP's to have a high volume practice. Often times, busy PCPs are seeing multiple patients at once. Many are lucky to have a chance to sit down and eat lunch, let alone finish their charting during the day.

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TUP

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by TUP » Wed May 11, 2011 4:19 pm

ResolutePear wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
Well, it's true. That's why there's PA's.

Doctors gravitate towards specialties with higher pay and prestige.

Why be a PCP when you can be an oncologist and make twice as much? That's the problem.
The same reason not everyone scores 170+ on the LSAT.

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ResolutePear

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by ResolutePear » Wed May 11, 2011 4:20 pm

TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
Well, it's true. That's why there's PA's.

Doctors gravitate towards specialties with higher pay and prestige.

Why be a PCP when you can be an oncologist and make twice as much? That's the problem.
The same reason not everyone scores 170+ on the LSAT.
It was a rhethorical question. :|

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by 3ThrowAway99 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:22 pm

Renzo wrote:No one who can actually get into medical school would go to law school.
No. Do you really believe this? They are very different fields, so naturally someone intellectually capable of succeeding in both could choose one or the other for reasons other than intellectual or academic competency.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2011 4:23 pm

TUP wrote:The lack of scholarships and resulting guarantee of extreme debt didn't help. Spending almost a decade trying to become a specialist only to bomb the step 1 and end up in primary care with insane debt also seemed to be a problem.
It's not a relaxed work load. It's an incredibly heavy workload. Reimbursements have been steadily decreasing and there is a very high pressure for PCP's to have a high volume practice. Often times, busy PCPs are seeing multiple patients at once. Many are lucky to have a chance to sit down and eat lunch, let alone finish their charting during the day.[/quote][/quote][/quote]

relaxed comparing to big law associates?

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Patriot1208

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Patriot1208 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:27 pm

TUP wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
TUP wrote:
ResolutePear wrote: PCP really isn't that bad at the end of the day. In fact, PCP is in demand(giggity).
It's in demand because not many non-foreign MDs want to do it. I think they struggle to fill PCP residencies.
doesn't PCP pay as well as big laws? @ a much relaxed work load? and u just mentioned they can not get enuf ppl to fill PCP?

i know, who on this board in their right mind would want a job like that?
No on pay. And many PCPs feel the pressure to see 5+ patients/hour to keep the lights on.
Is it really no on pay because a quick google search tells me that is incorrect. Pretty much every link I clicked on had PCP at 160-180k median salary.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealt ... licy/10850

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2011 4:28 pm

It's not a relaxed work load. It's an incredibly heavy workload. Reimbursements have been steadily decreasing and there is a very high pressure for PCP's to have a high volume practice. Often times, busy PCPs are seeing multiple patients at once. Many are lucky to have a chance to sit down and eat lunch, let alone finish their charting during the day
only if the worst a law school graduate can do is making 100k+ guaranteed busy doing doc review, imagine what this board would look like.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by 3ThrowAway99 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:29 pm

To OP: it sounds like you want Medicine, so by all means go for it. It will (in all likelihood) offer you a much surer bet in terms of job prospects upon graduation, and it sounds like you are more interested in medicine.

That said, I think the idealization of medicine on TLS is pretty funny. Being a doctor these days sucks pretty hard IMO; with the advent of managed care doctors have become so bogged-down with insurance issues and time-constraints that I think more and more of them are hating the job. It's not particularly glamorous or fulfilling IMO to have 15 minutes to meet with someone in a cubicle-sized room to try and manage symptoms using pharmocology.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2011 4:30 pm

Is it really no on pay because a quick google search tells me that is incorrect. Pretty much every link I clicked on had PCP at 160-180k median salary.

--LinkRemoved-- ... licy/10850
that's it? 160k median? no wonder they can't find ppl to do that. most law school graduates wouldn't bother piss at that kind of money...oh wait.

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TUP

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by TUP » Wed May 11, 2011 4:33 pm

Patriot1208 wrote:
TUP wrote:No on pay. And many PCPs feel the pressure to see 5+ patients/hour to keep the lights on.
Is it really no on pay because a quick google search tells me that is incorrect. Pretty much every link I clicked on had PCP at 160-180k median salary.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealt ... licy/10850
What's the median salary of all big law attorneys? And I didn't make the comparison, I just replied to it.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by 3ThrowAway99 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Is it really no on pay because a quick google search tells me that is incorrect. Pretty much every link I clicked on had PCP at 160-180k median salary.

--LinkRemoved-- ... licy/10850
that's it? 160k median? no wonder they can't find ppl to do that. most law school graduates wouldn't bother piss at that kind of money...oh wait.

I would prob take those stats with a grain of salt... might be as good as reading the 160k private sector medians in the law school stats section of USNews.. I strongly doubt most PCPs make 160k, except perhaps in the biggest cities. And don't forget, med. students have several more years after their 4 years of med school where they make around 40k/year before getting to a higher salary (but these points are probably orthogonal to your argument direction).

Again, I think the idealization of medicine as a career on TLS is fairly humorous... It is true though that obviously there are some pretty compelling employment security advantages of choosing medicine.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Rooney » Wed May 11, 2011 4:43 pm

“As for doctors, I was in this debate once with the head of the Harris County Medical Society, and it was being televised. He went off on lawyers; it was terrible. And the last couple or three minutes the moderator looked at me and said, ‘Mr. Jamail, I’m sorry he’s taken most of the time but you have thirty seconds if you’d like to respond.’ I said, ‘That’s more than enough time. I would like for you to remind the doctor, and I hope he doesn’t mind if I call him a doctor, I would like for you to remind him that when his professional ancestors were putting leeches on George Washington to bleed him, mine were writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.’ That ended that shit.” - Joe Jamail, arguably the most successful attorney in America

8)

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by jujujohn » Wed May 11, 2011 4:43 pm

i've had couple of lawyers telling me JD is a doctor degree and they are entitled to be referred to as "dr.xxx", i think they may wanted to have gone to med school instead.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by 3ThrowAway99 » Wed May 11, 2011 4:47 pm

Rooney wrote:“As for doctors, I was in this debate once with the head of the Harris County Medical Society, and it was being televised. He went off on lawyers; it was terrible. And the last couple or three minutes the moderator looked at me and said, ‘Mr. Jamail, I’m sorry he’s taken most of the time but you have thirty seconds if you’d like to respond.’ I said, ‘That’s more than enough time. I would like for you to remind the doctor, and I hope he doesn’t mind if I call him a doctor, I would like for you to remind him that when his professional ancestors were putting leeches on George Washington to bleed him, mine were writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.’ That ended that shit.” - Joe Jamail, arguably the most successful attorney in America

8)
:lol:

We watched a depo he (Jamail) participated in at the beginning of my first semester LW class- it was pretty funny. He basically threatened to fight another guy in the depo. I think his nickname is King of Torts, but that he (ironically) got a D in torts class in law school.

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by stylishlaw » Wed May 11, 2011 5:16 pm

I just googled stuff on Joe Jamail. Dude is a beast. Wow.

Is it safe to say that if I idolize him, I'm in the right career track?

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by The Insider » Wed May 11, 2011 5:19 pm

I do want to pursue medicine, but I guess I'm just hesitant (for now), because it is a huge and pricey commitment. Now money-wise, is it generally true that most doctors make more than most lawyers, but "top" lawyers make more than most doctors? That link that someone inserted I believe was discussing the income of family doctors/practitioners, what about specialized doctors?

The thing with law is that I still enjoy it, but I am concerned about law practice. But I am extremely irritated by "lay-offs" and poor job market conditions, something I definitely do not want to be subject to as I know how irritating and hopeless it can be. Do lawyers ever have to worry about being laid off by megafirms?

TBF, when I stated 'I decided medicine is my calling' I meant that ostensibly; that is, I guess I am under the impression that I want to pursue it, but I was hoping to get reassurances where people can discuss the disadvantages and whether the costs outweigh the benefits, in the long-term. Thanks.
Last edited by The Insider on Wed May 11, 2011 5:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Renzo

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Re: Medicine vs. Law - prospects?

Post by Renzo » Wed May 11, 2011 5:22 pm

vamedic03 wrote:
Renzo wrote:No one who can actually get into medical school would go to law school.
BS. There are plenty of people who strongly dislike health care and choose law school instead.
Yeah. I'm one of them; I left a 10+ year healthcare career for law. No amount of money in the world could get me to go to medical school. But one or two outliers don't disprove the rule.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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