3 ms·

It still holds true. If this were the case, the scarcity of those who have observably more skill will hold the power. But there is an expectation that med scho

It still holds true. If this were the case, the scarcity of those who have observably more skill will hold the power. But there is an expectation that med school produces doctors who are sufficiently equal in their ability (in that you should not need to worry about which doctor you end up with). That you are suggesting this is not the case is quite interesting.

jeffreyrogers 9y ago
I think there are large differences in ability between doctors even within specialties, but most doctors meet a minimum level of competence because the requirements for med school effectively filter out people who are not intelligent and conscientious enough to become doctors. If you don't think there are differences in skill between doctors just ask a friend or family member who is a doctor which doctors they would not recommend you see.
- randomdata 9y ago
  > If you don't think there are differences in skill between doctors just ask a friend or family member who is a doctor which doctors they would not recommend you see. Having friends and family who work in the medical industry, I get to hear them talk about how every new patient they take on thinks their previous doctor was the worst doctor ever. And then when you talk to the people working at the practice of the previous doctor, they tell the exact same story, except about the doctor at the other practice. You soon realize opinions don't measure much of anything.
  - jeffreyrogers 9y ago
    I think you missed what I said. I said ask a doctor about other doctors. Most doctors have a good sense of which other doctors are competent and which are not. These aren't the opinions of random people. This is particularly true of specialists.
    - randomdata 9y ago
      I did. But is that like how programmers often think everyone else is incompetent? Professionals can be just as biased as everyone else. If there are real grievances, why are they not being brought up to the board? Doctors more than anyone are ethically expected to bring incompetence to public attention. It is why we as a society consider it a good to give them an artificial market advantage that we would not consider for a cashier at Walmart.

jeffreyrogers 9y ago

I think there are large differences in ability between doctors even within specialties, but most doctors meet a minimum level of competence because the requirements for med school effectively filter out people who are not intelligent and conscientious enough to become doctors. If you don't think there are differences in skill between doctors just ask a friend or family member who is a doctor which doctors they would not recommend you see.

randomdata 9y ago
> If you don't think there are differences in skill between doctors just ask a friend or family member who is a doctor which doctors they would not recommend you see. Having friends and family who work in the medical industry, I get to hear them talk about how every new patient they take on thinks their previous doctor was the worst doctor ever. And then when you talk to the people working at the practice of the previous doctor, they tell the exact same story, except about the doctor at the other practice. You soon realize opinions don't measure much of anything.
- jeffreyrogers 9y ago
  I think you missed what I said. I said ask a doctor about other doctors. Most doctors have a good sense of which other doctors are competent and which are not. These aren't the opinions of random people. This is particularly true of specialists.
  - randomdata 9y ago
    I did. But is that like how programmers often think everyone else is incompetent? Professionals can be just as biased as everyone else. If there are real grievances, why are they not being brought up to the board? Doctors more than anyone are ethically expected to bring incompetence to public attention. It is why we as a society consider it a good to give them an artificial market advantage that we would not consider for a cashier at Walmart.