The artificial limiting of supply of physicians is terrible for consumers - it drives up costs and results in foregoing of care because people cannot afford treatment. I understand that physicians sacrifice a LOT during training, and so can expect high wages in return. I also understand that many physicians give away tens of thousands of dollars of free care every year.
But I think the answer is to amateurize the medical profession. "Amateurize" means to use algorithms and tools to reduce complicated activities into bite-sized pieces that are easier to learn. Henry Ford amateurized automobile manufacturing.
This would enable doctors to begin their careers faster and with less debt, and would enable more people to become doctors because the skills and aptitudes required to become a doctor would be reduced.
Doctors now are still in the craftsman mindset, much like a carriage maker in 1910. I believe most doctors could be reduced to technicians much like CRNAs or PAs without affecting health outcomes. There would still need to be a core of highly trained physicians as there are now, to do research and bridge the knowledge gaps between the technicians, and perhaps this core could be the same size as the current yearly crop of MDs.
But does a family practice doctor need 8 years of post-high school education and 3 years of residency to do routine diagnoses when the most likely course of action is, "Eat less and exercise more"? I don't think so.
But I think the answer is to amateurize the medical profession. "Amateurize" means to use algorithms and tools to reduce complicated activities into bite-sized pieces that are easier to learn. Henry Ford amateurized automobile manufacturing.
This would enable doctors to begin their careers faster and with less debt, and would enable more people to become doctors because the skills and aptitudes required to become a doctor would be reduced.
Doctors now are still in the craftsman mindset, much like a carriage maker in 1910. I believe most doctors could be reduced to technicians much like CRNAs or PAs without affecting health outcomes. There would still need to be a core of highly trained physicians as there are now, to do research and bridge the knowledge gaps between the technicians, and perhaps this core could be the same size as the current yearly crop of MDs.
But does a family practice doctor need 8 years of post-high school education and 3 years of residency to do routine diagnoses when the most likely course of action is, "Eat less and exercise more"? I don't think so.