FMG的烦恼：大家说说，金钱到底有多重要？

按说眼看这白色炼狱就快结束了，烦恼应该越来越少了吧，谁知正相反。

俺在“美国医生的职业选择”一文中已经谈到，要想投身学术医学，就别想做发财的梦。俺以为俺认命了，谁知上星期两个高我一级的 fellow 竟然接受了private practice 的offer，决定放弃学术医学而跟着高薪的感觉走了。

俺们所在的这个老牌医学院自以为名气大，所以只肯付给留校的医生很低的工资，根本无法和private practice竞争，只能吸引象俺们这样的一根筋。其实这在学术医学是很常见的。那两位同事天资极高，论才能和潜力，他们当属杰出人才，本来可以成为学术界的栋梁，他们的离去是美国医学界的损失。但他们迄今已为爬藤作出了巨大牺牲，身负二十几万学生贷款，又有嗷嗷待哺的幼儿幼女，所以不得以挥泪告别这象牙塔。多年来俺那大名鼎鼎的科主任频频呼吁医学界对人才断档的危机采取行动，要求增加工资福利待遇以挽留人才，可是等到医学界行动起来的时候，恐怕人才早已流失殆尽了。

两个同事的选择对俺科，特别是对俺本人震动很大。相信这绝对不是个案，只是学术界人才流失的一个缩影。现在轮到俺做选择了。

感谢伟大祖国，俺不欠一分钱的学生贷款，一颗又红又亮的心向着临床科研，又可以留在名牌医学院站在巨人的肩膀上，照说俺可以心甘情愿拿着那只有三分之一的年薪而为自己的理想而奋斗了吧？可俺这人就是俗，俗透了，自从那两位同事决定离开之后，俺越想那将要失去的三分之二（大约二十多万元）心里越不舒服。

这边，我听见Fiddler on the Roof 里一身疲惫的Tevye在做真诚的祷告：
"Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor, but it's no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"

那边，Gwen Stephanie 在向我搔首弄姿：
If I were a rich girl，啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦。。。。。。
No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end
Think what that money could bring，if I were a wealthy girl…

If I were a rich girl，啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦。。。。。。

是呀，俺喜欢歌剧音乐会演唱会百老汇，可哪张票不要几百元？俺喜欢旅游，可哪次旅游不花费几千元？俺不追求过于奢侈的品牌，可俺喜欢肩挎Coach 脚蹬Dansko 外面Banana Republic里面Victoria Secrete；感谢上帝俺不喜欢珠宝首饰，可俺喜欢名表；俺小提琴拉的稀松，可俺喜欢收集名琴；俺没有很多存款，可俺喜欢投资冒险；俺不喜欢很大的房子，但俺想要3-car车库；俺有了一只miniature schnauzer，可俺还想给这孤独的狗狗再买个相同血统的老婆让他们养几个纯种宝宝。。。。。。这哪哪不需要钱呢？哎呀呀，欲壑难填哪！

男朋友支持俺留在学术界，他说钱再多也没有个够，重要的是自己应该有理想有成就感。可是在这个社会里，光有理想顶用吗？没钱恐怕成就感也会打折扣。这几年住院医fellow一路下来俺的穷得叮当响，工资仅够温饱，全靠男朋友资助俺这小日子才能过得有滋有味儿。这下快见到钱了，俺能不产生非分之想吗?

各位乡亲们，千万别骂俺无病呻吟，每年二十几万元的损失对谁也不是个小数目，在金钱和理想之间挣扎是很痛苦的。设身处地想一想，如果您处在俺的位置您会作出什么样的选择呢？

 

[guo5598]

Since 200k is about 2/3, I figure you can make 100k now which is very good for a lot of people. However you have too many place to spend what you make and that 100k may not be enough for a while, but eventually you can have what you mention in the article, just take some years, right? Plus you BF is going to continue supporting your life style so there are no real difficults. I also find the waiting/evaluation process is fun, after you got what you want life is boring again.

And I suume you can get out any time if you want but not vice versa, so stay where you are and do what you want is more fun than that $200k which you can get if you change your mind any time, yes?

200k extras is a lot of money for a year, Gee I really have to talk to my daughter to the medical field, but she want to be a artist now.

[luckyal]

呻吟的好。不过，fellow出来后不是赚更多钱吗？所谓后劲更足。