I am livid over corrupt MD's.

That's no different than any other normal profession. I'm an architect and consider it a good year if I bill over $100k (that equates to about $50/hr.). The average architect with a 5-6 year professional degree and a 3 year internship makes about $30k per year. 8-9 years training, and the average is about $30k before taxes. After ten years experience the average is about $50k nationally. We have no good lobbyists apparently... It is hard to feel sympathy for the pay scale argument from my desk.


BT

 

Apples and oranges to the nth degree. Pay differences between MDs and architects isn't due to the presence or absence of lobbyists. It's a result of training, hours worked, and the value placed on those hours. To use your example of billing $100k at $50/hr, that works out to 40 hours/week. Most MDs I work with put in around 70-80 hrs/week not including hours they are on call. They also put in at lest 8 years of school, then residency, and sometimes an internship.
One of our neurosurgeons makes close to, if not over 7 figures and he's worth every cent.

 

My point was that almost all professionals have no pension, have to pay their own vacation / holidays, etc... So they are no different than an MD.

An architect that trains for 8-9 years and often put in 60 hours per week (not me, I'm lazy) still make only around $50k per year. I know they don't 'save lives', but there is some value in having a shelter also. Is the effort not worth anything? Is it worth $50k/year as the market suggests? Is it worth more? My guess is that the effort is worth what the market allows, or $50k per year.

A surgeon getting 7 figures is worth it if people are willing to pay that. I suspect that the evolution of the medical professions and insurance have worked to obscure the actual costs so that people are not aware of what they are being charged in most cases.

A good example is the elective surgery arena. Similarly trained surgeons may only make $4000 for a surgery because the customer has to pay for it 100% out of pocket. If insurance covered it, they likely could charge much more since the customer would not be inclined to shop it for price.


BT

 

^ then it must really chap your ass to know the local tile setter contractor working on your projects makes approx $10k/ month.

 

Insurance and the BS attitudes of these days have completely skewed healthcare. Man my memory is working today, 1 shot on google and I get the site I remembered from quite a while ago.

Mr Goodwrench of Surgery;

Procedures | Surgery Center of Oklahoma

 

I'm not sure I'd trust a place that can't spell.

Transurethral Resection, Prosate | Surgery Center of Oklahoma

 

But one time, I got better the day after I took it! Zpak always works!!

 

Whatever. Was probably as truthful as this...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/fine-watches-jewelry-clothes/402630-rolex-collectors.html

 

...
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Why? I don't care if a tile setter makes $100k per month. If someone wants to pay him that, good for him! My point is that asking people what a doctor should earn is silly. Almost all professions are worthwhile things for people to do, and just because someone chose one over another doesn't automatically make them worth more to society in general. Some are less lucrative, but more fun. Things generally even out, and the market determines the worth. It gets clouded by regulations and insurance in the case of healthcare, but that's the way the cookie crumbles as they say.


BT

 

These medicine threads are hilarious.
I will now look to the Internet for great medical advice

 

And you guys get the **** kicked out of you with Malpractice insurance.