April 2010 Medical Student Bulletin

More Young Physicians Opt Out of Private Practice -  New physicians are choosing to work for health systems and hospitals rather than starting their own offices according to the March 26 New York Times.  As late as 2005 more than 2/3rds of medical practices were owned by physicians but that number has dropped by more than half today.

What does this mean?  According to the article, physicians, burdened by debt and seeking regular hours, are opting for salaried position. They see hospitals and health plans as having more clout in contract negotiations and will allow them to focus on practicing medicine.  Many have found, however, their independence is limited and, unlike a private practice, they don’t get to build a personal relationship with patients. In fact they may not even see the patient again since system physicians are not assigned individual patients.

Join PCMS!  There is no charge to join and it’s easy. Download the application from our website, www.pimamedicalsociety.org.  Once you become a member (through a vote of our member physicians), log onto the site and use our members only forum to comment on the news of the day. 

PCMS has always been a two-way street for our members.  We have lots of information to “push” to our members, but we are at our best when members bring things to us. If you have problems, dilemmas or questions, please send them to us at steve5199@simplybits.net.  Staff has never driven the agenda here, and our medical society reinvents itself with every generation and its needs. Be involved.

What’s Up With the New Student Loan Program? You asked us to publicize and educate you about the pitfalls of the loan process. We started, but with the massive change that takes place July 1 we need to see more details and which problems remain especially now that the middleman has been removed. 

Several student members forwarded the Feb. 16 Wall Street Journal article about Dr. Bisutti, the Ohio family practice doctor who graduated in 2003 with a loan debt of $250,000 and now faces a $555,000 debt that will take her to age 71 before it’s paid off. Ouch!

We’ll figure this thing out and pass on the information.

Want a Mentor? We are in the process of creating a mentor program for students. For the past two years, student leaders have told us students are hungry for interaction with practicing community physicians, from just having lunch to talk, to shadowing various specialties, to an email “friend”, to a full-blown mentor.  We started last month asking doctors to tell us if they would be willing and under what limits they wish to operate. The College of Medicine is also working with us to create a formal process to move education out into the community. 

How About a Free Dinner & Program?  You’re invited to a free dinner and one hour lecture, “Robotic Surgery in Tucson Today – and Tomorrow,” which is  part of the Pima County Medical Foundation’s Evening Speaker Series. The April 13 program is at the Pima County Medical Society building, 5199 E. Farness, 85712, about four miles east of the College of Medicine along Elm/Pima.  Call 795-7985 by noon on Monday, April 12 to reserve a spot and get directions.

How About Helping Out -  Any possibility you can work a health fair on Saturday May 1st. Radiology, Ltd will host a community health fair at their Midvale Imaging Center, 1598A W. Commerce Court between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The event will include free screenings and health care information. Any physician, physician group, medical student or health organization wanting to participate may register by calling Mary Jankovsky at 545-1836.