ANDREW M. FREEMAN, MD, FACC
Co-Editor in Chief
The Drought Is Over... Or Is It?
A
Purestock
s many of you in the early part of your early career
know, we have faced some of the toughest job markets
to date. When I was interviewing just 5 to 6 years ago,
many offers were rescinded when the market crashed and people
canceled their retirements. Bonuses, raises, and other benefits
were halted altogether. Finding a good job with fair pay and hours
was an amazingly lucky thing.
Based on the ACC’s latest surveys, it seems that jobs are again
on the rise and demand is increasing.
Perhaps this is due to the numbers of people who had to delay
finally being able to; maybe hospitals and practices are hiring new
personnel to handle the anticipated flood of previously-uninsured
people to health care in the face of impending “Obamacare”
changes. The increase in demand may also
represent the increased need for cardiovasLet me know what you
cular specialists who can manage complithink. Give feedback
cated conditions—whose prevalence also
on our Facebook
seem to be increasing.
group.
In any event, this seems like a good
sign. But, as with any good sign, we
should look at it with a little skepticism.
Consider the current state of medicine:
with declining reimbursements, funding
shortages in academia, increased lawsuits,
metric and measurement fever, and the
need to do more in less time, perhaps this
uptick in the job market is a marker that our profession isn’t what
it used to be.
Only time will tell. I am sure glad, however, that qualified individuals can finally, once again, be assured of a job after 10+ years
of extra schooling, debts, and training. ■
Andrew M. Freeman, MD, FACC, is the current chair of
the ACC Early Career Section Leadership Council.
CardioSource.org/CSWN
FIT_FREEMAN.indd 1
CardioSource WorldNews
1
12/13/13 1:21 PM