to think that doctors shouldn't go on strike over pension changes

[starwarrior]

Why shouldn't they just suck it up like the rest of us?

What scotch said.

monkymoma i don't understand what you mean. What do you mean by 'the whole faff'?

Mirry, you are just picking nits now . Of course on the other hand, any Dr of Medicine will tell you PhD stands for Pretend hospital doctor

Do public health doctors vote Conservative? I thought that was mainly private doctors.

you said that they weren't the only grads who have to move around after graduation before being able to settle, that's a faff, its okay if you're young with no ties, but the extra couple of years means that doctors are more likely to have to drag partners and families with them or have a lond distance thing with their partners and kids

Novack, I can assure you, most of the Dr's I know are staunch Labour supporters.... but then again I live in Scotland where conservative voters are almost as rare as hens teeth.

SCOTCHandWRY if you really think that you are certainly not any doctor I know.

you know how your GP votes Mirry? I have never asked my GP nor has he expressed any poltical opinions to me

Scotland is a special case since they have not really voted conservative since the Poll tax and even then there were only 10 cons north of the border. Without scottish labour seats Blair would never have seen the light of day so we'd never have got into this mess.

Soverylucky, I'm not going to argue with you. Just become a bit better informed about what it takes to get a PhD and who deserves and doesn't 'deserve' the title. It's not a merit mark you know.

I think the majority of public workers don't vote Conservative. Those that do probably keep quiet about it. And Mr Cameron is determined to keep it that way

monkeymoma -I haven't mentioned voting. i think you need to ask someone else.

'Well even if they lose the respect of the public what difference does it make?'

As a teacher, I agree. How does worrying about what the DM thinks about my job and me change anything?. Teachers have lost the respect of the public, but when we had it, it made little difference to our T&C and didn't stop all sorts of crap being dumped on us.

orangenadlemons

Im sure you right after as they would be like turkeys voting for christmas if they voted con. And fee if any public service workers want off the gravy train.

Mirry, sorry, too many posts... if I really think what? If referring to Labour supporting GP's yes, very few of the GP's I know (dozens) have any Conservative leanings, but as I said, I am in Scotland, and also in a very deprived area where these GP's have CHOSEN to work, so maybe that attracts left-wing of the profession anyway.

I am well aware of the work involved in gaining a PhD, I have seen a number of people go through the process (close relatives and friends), and it is tough but not harder (or easier) than med school - just different pressures.

well said krumbum and lyndie

Scotchnd Awry - yes comments are out of sinc - i was refering to the pretent doctor comment

I am an academic; DH is a doctor. He's not in the BMA and is currently employed by the army, so he's not striking anyhow.
But - my point. Both of us have the title 'Dr'. Do I expect to be paid the same as him? No, although we have trained for comparable amounts of time. Because I:
a) don't risk people's lives if I have a 'bad day at the office'
b) don't pay nearly £2000 per year in insurance, £700 in professional fees and memberships and close to £1000 per year for continuing professional development
c) don't get sworn at, threatened, abused and stressed to high heaven every day of my working life
d) don't have such an amazing capacity to improve and extend people's quality of life, relieve their suffering and support them at their most vulnerable.

Do I think that either of us 'deserves' the title Dr more than the other? Nope. Do I think that his job is more vital than mine? Of course - what kind of person could argue otherwise?

Mosman What part of "this is not a doctor pension, this is an NHS pension" did you miss? I'm sure a part time HCA will thank you for your sarcasm. But hey ho, you Daily Fail away...

Mirry2 the title DR is a courtesy title for most medics who would be the first to admit it. The only people who have EARNED the title Dr by examination are those with a PhD, DPhil or MD

Mirry2 - how are you defining medic? Surely most people would say that's the same thing as a medical doctor. They've earned that title by passing exams through at least 5 years of medical school. And in order to become consultants, they have to do years of post-graduate training (at least 2 before speciality training, and then typically at least 5 years speciality training), and pass many more exams on the way. I'd consider them more worthy of the title doctor than someone with a PhD.

Conditions of service may well be worse for university academics, but medical doctors have a lot more responsibility. Most doctors don't earn anywhere near as much as most people think they do, and they don't have the job security that people think they do either.