Why did Dean leave medicine?

[Bread and Circus]

Being a primary care physician myself, I have my theories...

But I want to know from the the Dean supporters why Dean
left medicine.

Thanks.

[RogueTrooper]

1. Because he became the Govenor of Vermont

That position is a full time job. He had no choice but to leave his practice.

[stickdog]

2. He was Lt. Governor (a part-time job) when the Governor died.

Fit your theories?

[ima_sinnic]

3. but something motivated him to start getting into politics

in the first place.
He was motivated to plant the seeds of a second career at some point. I don't really know why but someone else can explain it--

[mandyky]

4. His political life began with a bike path

shortly after he moved to VT.

He also worked on Carter and Gephardt's presidential campaign.

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Third career, actually, I think,

Wasn't he an investment banker or something before med school?

You guys are right--he hasn't figured out what he wants to do when he grows up.

[dsc]

26. He was still a doctor

as LT gov. He had been recruited to run for gov and turned them down. Had the gov not died he would still be a practicing doctor.

[Bread and Circus]

7. no, I want to know what motivated him to change careers...

he didn't just "stumble" into being lt. gov....

I would expect a more thoughtful response.

[maddezmom]

8. no idea

maybe it was something he'd thought about doing before he even got into medicine.

[Atlant]

11. Here's a semi-quote...

He has explained how, as a doctor, he was able to help one person
at a time. As Governor of Vermont, he was able to help hundreds of
thousands at a time. As President, he will be able to help
billions of people.

Does this explanation suit your expectations?

Atlant

[Bread and Circus]

24. Yeah, that does. Thanks.

[Atlant]

29. You're welcome. (NT)

[NicoleM]

14. He didn't change careers until he became governor.

He was still able to practice medicine as a member of the legislature and as Lt. Gov. IIRC, he was with a patient when he found out that the governor had died. I don't know if he would have eventually run for governor if he hadn't inherited the job.

[RogueTrooper]

15. He had planned to run for Gov in 92

He had already spoken to some consultants about working with him on his first gubernatorial.

[Padraig18]

22. My hypothesis:

I suspect that he had a desire to help people, and thought he could do *more* of it by entering the political arena. I don't know how things are everywhere in the US, but out here in 'the sticks' we have doctors that serve on school boards, community-college boards, on city councils and county boards, in the State Legislature and we even have one emergency-room physician running for Congress (http://www.davidgillforcongress.com).

Again, I don't *know* that this is his reason, but I suspect it probably is, or something close, familydoctor. :)

[dsc]

27. yes he did

unless you are accusing him of having murdered his predecessor.

[max2000]

5. Question why Bill Frist left medicine...

Most of us wish he stay'd in his old profession.

[Bread and Circus]

6. except maybe his patients...

LOL

[izzie]

9. More of a draw than being a doctor.

Maybe sick people made him to up-set. Who knows.

[Gman]

12. Something about a one-armed man

[Armstead]

13. Because he's really Dr. Evil?

Or perhaps he originally got into politics as an avocation, and simply decided that he preferred public office to medicine.

[jonnyblitz]

16. hehe

I keep re-checking this thread to see the expected sinister reason the originator will unveil.

[Bread and Circus]

25. Nope, it's an honest question...no boobie traps here.

[DemBones DemBones]

17. Since he's let his license expire,

doesn't that indicate pretty strongly that he has no intention of practicing again? I'm guessing that it would be very difficult for anyone that long out of med school to pass the exams required to acquire a license after letting the old one expire. And perhaps he would have to take courses, as well. That's the case for teachers who let a license expire.

Also, when he rushes to help people (recently, a man who apparently had a seizure), is he putting himself in danger of being sued for practicing medicine without a license? I know M.D.s with current licenses don't all believe in being good Samaritans because of the potential legal consequences.

[thinkahead]

19. he has had his license renewed

I'll have to find a link - but no, he's in no danger of being sued - he filled out the paperwork to make sure he can still render assistance. I remember reading about it in the story about him rendering assistance to a campaign contributer who fell to the ground having a seizure.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. I read that he let it expire.

Conflicting sources. :shrug:

I must have read it before the incident of the man having a seizure because I wondered at the time what his legal situation was.

[maddezmom]

20. when did his license expire? n/t

[dsc]

28. and your link of this is?

I have never seen this so I want a link.

[HuckleB]

18. He's not the first to leave medicine for politics, and he won't be the...

last. This is a non-issue.

[TeacherCreature]

21. How would they know and why would you ask?

I sincerely doubt it is any of your business why he left medicine. Some people like to change careers. Apparently VT has not yet made a law against that.

[Atlant]

31. Here's the explanation Dr. Dean offers...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=17116&mesg_id=17183&page=

Atlant

[eyesroll]

30. I used to teach high school, and I get that sort of question a lot

It's weird -- nobody except poetntial employers and family members asks why someone leaves accounting, or food service, or plumbing. Transition into or out of those fields are seen as normal career changes, or are automatically assumed to be because of boredom, pay, manual labor, etc.

But teaching? (Or medicine.) The only excuse a woman has for leaving is child-rearing. Men have no excuse. Instead, they get: What HAPPENED? Wasn't that your CALLING? Couldn't CUT IT? (I'm not suggesting you're accusing Dean of that, but people do.)

In my case, I got laid off late in the summer. I would have quit eventually. It wasn't worth it. I got a desk thrown at me once. I had veteran staff members turning me in to the administration for asking too many questions. Parents threatening me, the union not backing me at all (it was a weak, crap union), the city against us because we dared to ask for more than a 1% raise for people at the top of the scale. You get the idea. I get a lot more questions for leaving teaching -- for hating it, no less -- than I would if I left my current career (trade-magazine editor).

They say Gen Xers will have something like 14 jobs in 5-7 different fields during their adult life. I woner what the number is for boomers (like Dean).