Doctors are underpaid.

Doctors are underpaid. If a job is measured on skill required vs. ability to muck things up... we are getting the right ass-end of remuneration. People can die if we make mistakes.

Take this example. First, we study for SIX YEARS! Then work a compulsory term in government for 2 years (at a calm, relaxed 90 hours per week). That's 8 years we could have been earning tom.

A GP earns medical aid rates for a patient. That's R180 per consultation (if you get paid). 30 patients a day (fully booked). So that's an income of R108 000 per month. Whoah there big daddy - you think that sounds good?

Practice Overheads: Nurses, receptionist, premises, office costs, disposable items (gloves, swabs, needles etc.).

Practice Equipment: An ECG machine costs R35000. And we can't survive on just that.

Medical Licenses: HPCSA registration. R800 per year. Malpractice insurance. R7000 per year. Loss of income insurance. R12000 per year.

Actually giving a damn about your patients after paying all of this: Priceless.

And that's a practice that's positively rolling in patients. AND a practice that's managed to get reasonable payment terms out of Discovery.

Did I mention we have to study for 6 years? And we have to continue studying to keep up with health patterns, developments in the industry and refresher course on the 3 billion diseases that we could face alongside the snotty noses.

I'm bitching. And saving lives. Such a philanthropist.