Thumbs Down: Doctor Disillusionment

The practice of medicine isn't whatit used to be, according to abouthalf of the physicians who answereda survey by physician recruiter Merritt,Hawkins & Company (www.merritthawkins.com). That's the percentageof physicians who, if given a secondchance, say they wouldn't go intomedicine again. More than a quarterof the doctors, who ranged from ages50 to 65, say they plan to retire ortake medical positions that don'trequire patient-care activities. Another23% say they plan to cut back ontheir workload. Medical malaise andmalpractice woes are impacting medicalstudents, too. According to anAMA survey, almost 50% of medicalstudents say they would think twicebefore choosing to enter a high-riskspecialty because of malpractice insuranceissues. A huge majority (86%)think the medical liability issue is amajor problem.