Opinion

Low pay, lack of respect explains why fewer doctors want to be FPs

LETTER — Posted May 2, 2005

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Regarding "Family medicine sees 8th consecutive year of Match losses" (Article, April 4): There is no question that the main reason for continued Match losses of family physicians is money. While working longer hours, the yearly income continues to be at the lowest level of all other groups of physicians.

Then, add the disparaging attitude of medical school professors and many specialists toward the lowly FP, and the reason becomes more evident.

Intelligent people become physicians and they head toward the more rewarding areas. The way to correct this drift away from family practice is simple.

Walter H. Daniels, MD, Morgan City, La.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/05/02/edlt0502.htm.

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