Entry into practice : special committee report / Medical Practitioners' Union.

Date:
[1950?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Entry into practice : special committee report / Medical Practitioners' Union. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE MEDICAL STUDENT AND HIS FUTURE Some time before qualification the medical student begins to think of his career. Depending upon his inclinations, aptitudes (and still, un- fortunately, his financial resources) he will decide into which branch of medicine he wishes to go, and plan accordingly. The class of com- petition he is likely to meet with is carefully considered, his chances of obtaining the requisite junior hospital appointments estimated and he must learn what eventual reward he is likely to receive in each branch of medicine before he makes a final decision. | Earning power in the two fields Having weighed the various factors his final decision will be largely influenced by the financial prospects offered to him. Since all specialities in medicine and surgery are to be paid on the same scale he can make a direct comparison between his prospective earnings in the fields of specialisation and general practice. On the one hand specialisation offers him as a start a certain livelihood of £350 per annum as a house officer, rising through the registrar grades (£670 to £1,300) until he is graded as a specialist (£1,700 per annum) at 32 years. His pay will then rise automatically to a maximum of £2,750 per annum at the age of 40. He may hope, if especially brilliant, to add to his salary £500, £1,500 or £2,500 per annum, representing special distinction awards. — These figures are all net (his expenses being paid separately). On the other hand should he enter general practice he may expect to receive £1,000 per annum as an outdoor assistant, out of which he must pay his own car expenses. When he starts on his own he may apply for the fixed annual payment of £300 and his total earnings within the service will henceforward depend upon the number of patients he can attract to his list. Since the average number of patients on the list of a doctor—taking the country as a whole—is 2,500, this — figure may be taken for a basis in computing the reasonable earning power of a single-handed practitioner principal. At the present capita-
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