Posted On: May 20, 2007, 12:59 am CDT

Posted By: Frank

I had emergency surgery performed on me by one of the doctors mentioned in this article a few years ago. I had been scheduled for a routine procedure weeks later, but I began exhibiting symptoms on Saturday afternoon which meant that something needed to be done sooner. My scheduled surgeon was not available, the mentioned doctor was on call and he spent much time on the phone with me explaining what was happening and the possibilities. Saturday night the problem accelerated and he advised me to go to the hospital, where I was admitted. The doctor operated on me early the next morning, the surgery was successful, and I healed quickly. Much of his weekend involved me and my problem.

This man is a gifted surgeon and a good doctor. Whether or not he is found at fault here, I must wonder whether something is wrong with a system where a skilled individual cannot be compensated commensurately with his talent and performance. The fact is that exceptional young men are no longer choosing medicine as a profession in the numbers they once did since they can earn much more in easier careers.