Every year, about 20,000 Americans become medical students. Becoming a doctor of any kind is no easy feat. To be in the medical field, students often pay upwards of $50,000 per year, sometimes acquiring over $170,000 in student loan debt by the time they’re degreed. For some, the cost can be much higher. In addition to that high dollar amount, the time it takes to achieve a medical license is years longer than many other career paths. Needless to say, jeopardizing or even losing your medical license could be one of the most devastating things to happen to you. That’s why, if at all possible, the following four things should be avoided at all costs!
1. Abusing Substances
Unfortunately, addiction in the healthcare industry isn’t entirely uncommon. Doctors and nurses experience some of the highest addiction rates, with over 100,000 various health professionals suffering from some form of substance abuse. Part of the reason may be the “easier access” to drugs such as Oxycodone or Fentanyl. If you struggle with addictive behaviors, know that over 70% of healthcare professionals who receive ongoing treatment have a much lower relapse rate. After 5 years, 71% of those who receive ongoing monitoring are sober, employed, and still have their medical licenses.
2. Medical Malpractice
In 2012, there was an average medical malpractice payout every 43 minutes. This frequency resulted in over $3 billion spent on medical malpractice in that year alone! Medical malpractice happens for several reasons—such as complacency, blatant wrong-doing, “tunnel vision” on the job, and many other errors concerning a patient’s treatment by a healthcare professional.
3. Unethical Practices
Those in the medical field need to be ethical in treating all races, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities. For example, occupational therapists deal with disabled, mentally, or physically impaired people and struggle with daily living. While it may be difficult to manage, it’s essential to treat each individual with care and compassion to avoid needing the services of an occupational therapist lawyer. The same could be said for doctors in any field.
4. Fraud of Any Kind
Healthcare fraud is another all-too-common issue in the US, even though it’s easily avoided with transparency and good ethics! In 2018 alone, an astounding $3.6 trillion was spent on healthcare, but unfortunately, many of those claims were fraudulent. Even in small numbers, the impact of fraud in healthcare is overwhelming and costly—and not just financially. Fraud can tarnish or even ruin the integrity and value of the entire healthcare system at large.
Keep Your Medical License! Avoid These Four Mistakes
After all the money, time, care, and attention that went into receiving your medical degree, these four slips are not worth it! When you’re in the medical field, patients expect you to be honest, ethical, and helpful—no matter what. Treat your medical license like the precious thing that it is by avoiding these bad practices. We hope this piece gave you some perspective. For more advice and insight into a wide range of topics like this, keep scrolling our page and coming back often!
