MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR FREE?
That’s the article's title: How to Go to Medical School for Free

This is quite an opportunity. Previously, I had explored the salary range of different medical specialties in two entries: HOW MUCH DO PHYSICIANS EARN? and the recession-resistance index (!) of a profession in healthcare in A HEALTHCARE-RELATED CAREER OR NOT? THINKING DEFENSIVELY....

To me, this article indicates the seriousness of the problem with the healthcare system in America. Healthcare currently accounts for 16 to 17 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States. It is the single largest component of the economy.

A related article by the same author discussed how medical school has become less expensive for some.

One of the better deals, in my opinion, is serving in the US military if you can.

At any rate, I can see demand and supply meeting each other within the next 15 to 20 years. Until then, demand far exceeds supply which means that healthcare professions have an above-average rating in terms of compensation and security.

The flip side of the equation is work and study. Since demand exceeds supply, be prepared to study and work a lot and continuously. Medical school is not a walk in the park either. As this other article indicates, medical students are more depressed than the general population. Doctor, heal thy self!

CITY HOSPITAL No. 17
The paradox of US healthcare & photos of a community hospital in post-Soviet Ukraine

There’s a paradox that illustrates why the healthcare system in the US needs to be reformed.

You may or may not know that the US spends more for healthcare than any other country in the world. That's significant. But it can be like visualizing a trillion; how large is that number?

How do we make that fact meaningful?

Well can we agree that a relationship exists between the amount spent on healthcare and life expectancy? In other words, can we expect that spending more for health and medical care will prolong the average life expectancy? If we agree, then we should expect that, up to a certain limit, more money spent on healthcare should prolong life expectancy.

Let’s see if the facts support that hypothesis. Compare the following countries. The data came from the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the agency of the United Nations whose mission is to “provide leadership on global health matters, shape the health research agenda, set norms and standards, articulate evidence-based policy options, provide technical support to countries and monitor and assess health trends.” I used the latest figures (2001 and 2002) available on their website [1].

United States
Per-capita expenditure = $4,887
Life expectancy, Male = 75 years old
Life expectancy, Female = 80 years old

Switzerland
Per-capita expenditure = $3,322
Life expectancy, Male = 78 years old
Life expectancy, Female = 83 years old

Cuba
Per-capita expenditure = $229
Life expectancy = 75 years old
Life expectancy, Female = 79 years old

Ukraine
Per-capita expenditure = $176
Life expectancy = 62 years old
Life expectancy, Female = 73 years old


Let’s take a moment to review these numbers.

The US spent nearly $4,900 per person in 2001 for healthcare. Switzerland, the next big-spender, spent $3,300. Yet the average life expectancy of an American man (75) is less than his Swiss counterpart. The same holds true for American women (80) and her Swiss counterpart (83). It appears that the additional $1,600 did not prolong American lives.

Incidentally, that per-capita figure, $4,900 (per individual in 2001) represents the total expenditure on healthcare by both the government and private sector (i.e., companies and individuals).

Let’s take Cuba now. Cuba was chosen for comparison and contrast. For comparison, note that its men live as long as American men. Its women live only one year less than American women. And for contrast, note how little was spent by Cubans for healthcare? Only $229! That’s $4,700 less than Americans spent and the life expectancy for both countries is very similar!

Now let’s move to Ukraine.

Ukraine spent only $176 per head and that’s less than Cuba. Its men have a life expectancy of only 62 years and its women, 73 years. Ahhh… Now we see a correlation. Less money spent shortens life expectancy.

The facts above support the notion that extra expenditure on healthcare does not extend life expectancy. So why is the US spending so much and what can be done to reform the system?

The solution is complicated and I’d like to cover that in another blog entry but for now, let me show you a typical Ukrainian community hospital.

These photos show the facade of City Hospital No. 17 in Dnipropetrovsk.

Dnipro (“Dnepro” in Russian) is the third largest city in the Ukraine. It has a number of interesting secrets. For example, the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, was developed in this city [2]. In fact, the manufacturing facility that actually developed it, Yuzhmash, became the heart of the Soviet space and missile programs [3].

Yuzhmash owns an Olympic-standard swimming pool complex beside it. Before you’re allowed to swim in it, you have to get a medical note that declares that you don’t have any skin-related diseases [4]. And you can get one at Hospital No. 17.

REFERENCES:

[1] Per capita total expenditure on health at international dollar rate & Life expectancy at birth. Retrieved January 24, 2009 from the WHO website at http://www.who.int/whr/2004/annex/country/.

[2] Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. Retrieved January 21, 2009 from the NASA website at http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/.

[3] The product line (!) of the State Enterprise called “Production Association Southern Machine-Building Plant named after A. M. Makarov.” Retrieved from the Yuzhmash website at http://www.yuzhmash.com/index_en.htm. Also Wikipedia’s entry notes that:
The company has been the key missile producer for Soviet ICBM and space exploration programs. Yuzhmash launch systems included:
• the R-5M - the Soviet Union's first nuclear armed missile
• the R-12 Dvina theatre ballistic missile
• the R-14 Chusovaya theatre ballistic missile
• the R-16 - the first Soviet ICBM
• the R-36 ICBM (converted to Dnepr rocket)

[4] The medical note is called a "spravka." Refer to this entry from a Christian medical missionary's blog.

A HEALTHCARE-RELATED CAREER OR NOT? THINKING DEFENSIVELY...

The current economic and financial crisis made me think about careers. If I were a high school or college student should I consider a healthcare-related career? And if not, what other industries look promising?

Four reasons come to mind:

First, a career in healthcare is recession-resistant. For at least the next 15 to 20 years, as baby boomers age, the demand for physicians, nurses, and all the other allied healthcare professions will be strong.

Second, this is a rewarding career if you enjoy the feeling of satisfaction when you help someone.

Third, all healthcare professions pay well. Physicians are typically at the top of the pyramid. They earn the most money but they also work the hardest and they have to commit to a lifetime of learning. As with most things, your compensation is proportionate to your skills and ambition.

Fourth, healthcare offers many choices.

WHAT RECESSION-RESISTANT MEANS & WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The following chart, created by a prestigious consulting firm, shows how different industries have performed during recessions. Any industry connected with those activities that show an increase in spending is more resistant to recession than average.

(You can enlarge the image by clicking on it. To return to this page, click on the left arrow of your browser or press the “Backspace” button on your keyboard.)

These are the five activities that show a spending increase during tough times:

1. Education
2. Reading
3. Personal Insurance
4. Healthcare
5. Food at home (as opposed to dining out)

A recession-resistant job is important because it provides you with that extra margin of security during tough times.



MORE INFORMATION

Office of Science Education (OSE)

The OSE is a section of the National Institute of Health. This links you to an excellent base for exploring various science-based careers.

The webpage offers a well-designed career finder tool. It sifts through 128 possibilities and creates a list of jobs for you to explore based on your interests and skills. This is a comprehensive tool that isn’t limited to healthcare professions.

1. Architecture & Engineering
2. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media
3. Business & Financial Operations
4. Community & Social Services
5. Computer & Mathematical
6. Education, Training, & Library
7. Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
8. Healthcare Support
9. Installation, Maintenance, & Repair
10. Legal
11. Life, Physical, & Social Science
12. Management
13. Office & Administrative Support
14. Personal Care & Service
15. Production
16. Sales & Related
17. Transportation & Material Moving

Health Professions Network

This is a group of health care professionals who represent the diverse specialties of allied health professions, including provider organizations, educators, accreditors, credentialing agencies and administrators. Jump directly to this specific page: Students Interested in Health Care Careers.

Their website contains a comprehensive list of links to healthcare-related organizations at this page.

National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions

The is an organization of over 900 health professions advisors at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Their website also contains a comprehensive list of links to healthcare-related organizations at this page.

Health Opportunities for Today and Tomorrow (MHOTT)

This site is aimed at high school students. Although the site was created and is maintained by the Michigan Health Council, its information is useful for any high school student.

The last site, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), belongs to a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. (That means financial aid!) HOSA's goals are to promote career opportunities in healthcare and, in doing so, enhance the delivery of quality healthcare to all people.

Since the site is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, it also links to other websites focused on other industries. This will link you to Career Voyages, a site for these industries:

1. Advanced Manufacturing
2. Aerospace
3. Automotive
4. Business
5. Construction
6. Education
7. Energy
8. Financial Services
9. Health Care
10. Homeland Security
11. Hospitality
12. Information Technology
13. Retail
14. Transportation

This site has a section for people changing careers. Quoting from this page:

In today’s world, there are never any guarantees, but some careful planning may help ensure that you make choices that can give you more security for your future.

If you have already been in the workforce for some time, you probably already know that it is always changing. You know how important it is to know what’s around the bend. Career Voyages is here to try and help you do that.

Those industries above were chosen since they are expected to either need the most employees or are evolving and creating new jobs.

In short, these industries were selected for three reasons:

1. they are projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy or affect the growth of other industries;
2. they are existing or emerging businesses being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skills from workers;
3. they are economically vital to the overall health of the American economy.

Go ahead and explore.

Invest in your future by spending some time planning for it. Makes sense, right?

Good luck!