[orbifold]

Its not a US thing, other countries such as Germany deal with it by making their hospital doctors work insane hours (manditatory 24 hour shifts on weekends from time to time (400-600€ extra for that unless you are in training, then you just have to do it), one assistant doctor for a psych ward over night) and by introducing collective bargaining. So regardless of whether you are a heart surgeon or a dermatologist you will be paid based on seniority and rank not individual performance. Unions in have for the most part colluded with industry, resulting in an inflation adjusted decrease in average salary over the last 30 years. Paperwork takes up the majority of time for a station doctor, they do a few rounds a day and the rest is spent booking treatments and billing for their patients in their internal 80-90s IT infrastructure.

[bookofjoe]

>It's not a US thing, other countries such as Germany deal with it by making their hospital doctors work insane hours (mandatory 24-hour shifts on weekends from time to time (400-600€ extra for that unless you are in training, then you just have to do it), one assistant doctor for a psych ward overnight)

In fact, it IS "a US thing": • Most major teaching hospitals mandate 24-hour weekend shifts for residents; • One "assistant" aka resident doctor for a psych ward overnight is standard

Retired neurosurgical anesthesiologist here who's been there and done that many, many times....