No field is more significant during the COVID pandemic than the medical profession. Being in this type of atmosphere is both stressful and rewarding. Hospitals have seen record numbers of patients because of the virus. Nurses and doctors have been asked to put themselves in danger to protect and serve the ill while being overworked and underappreciated.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t still perks to being a medical professional, though. Salaries for doctors are routinely among the highest in the nation. Medical professionals get discounts on things like homes and cars. Car insurance for healthcare professionals is often cheaper than other jobs in America.
We’ll talk about these perks that go along with being a medical pro, along with some other hidden ones that get forgotten. It should encourage those who are on the fence about this type of career to keep pushing forward and pursuing one of the most important careers in the world.
Story Stages
Financial Benefits of Medical Careers
Science and technology innovations have generated many jobs with high salaries. Creative side hustles and business startups have been rising again as the pandemic changes and forces people to pursue new types of employment.
The average salary of a medical worker is nearly $30,000 more per year than other careers in the United States. Doctors who have their own practice have always made the most money, usually more than $300,000 a year. But we want to talk about the financial benefits of being in the medical profession beyond just the salaries.
People with higher levels of education are usually one of the main groups to receive cheaper car insurance rates. Medical careers almost always require higher education, usually even master’s degrees if you are trying to advance your career. Doctors will receive even cheaper rates.
Higher education shows the insurance company that the customer is typically responsible and thoughtful. They will make more educated decisions on the road, leading to less risk for the insurance company.
Medical people have to work in such high-stress situations that driving is a breeze in comparison. If they have a great driving record, it works with their career background to show the insurance company they have a great track record of responsibility and logical thinking.
Do the driving skills of doctors and nurses deserve lower rates? It’s hard to say for sure. Many of the topics we’ve talked about here are based on research about how mature and wise medical people are on the road.
Not every doctor is a good driver, but they surely will get that type of respect until they prove otherwise. If an individual in the medical field gets into a lot of accidents and files several claims, they will see large increases in policy costs just like another person in a different career would.
This means you should continue to prove you deserved a medical discount if you receive it. Any kind of discount or savings can boost your financial situation. Medical people know about safety, so they should already realize this. It’s still good to get a reminder every once in a while, though.
Scheduling Benefits
Being a medical professional means long and stressful hours. A surgery that goes into the middle of the night is tiring. A 16-hour shift in the emergency room is also not fun. But experienced doctors and nurses get scheduling perks that aren’t present in other careers.
They won’t have to just clock in for an eight-hour shift every day. Instead, many medical pros can work a longer shift and then get four days off. This allows for a great work-life balance that they don’t get in other career paths.
Constant Learning
Many careers are stagnant. You learn how to do one particular skill, and then you never evolve after that. Being in the medical field lets you constantly improve your abilities and knowledge.
Medicine changes at a rapid pace. Doctors and nurses who study and increase their ability will enjoy the fast pace their career will move at. This stimulates the brain and makes you enjoy all the highs and lows of learning in your profession, whether you are in your first year or your 20th of being a medical professional.
Not everyone is cut out for this type of evolution, though. The constant change in how medicine works requires medical people to be willing to listen and change. This is not easy for everyone.
The job will do a great job letting you know whether you are still fit to perform on others. This means you won’t toil away like you would at a corporate job. The consequences would be too great to do so.
Tax Perks
There are many tax benefits and write-offs every doctor should look into, especially if they are running their own practice. Self-employed doctors can write off things like building space, materials, cars to drive to work, and any other item that would be paid for by a hospital.
It’s like any other freelance or contract position. You get to write off materials on your return that would normally be paid for by the employer. Freelance professionals must have a larger budget for these things, whereas people who work for an employer already have supplies available.
You Are Changing the World
This last benefit can’t be captured in a number. It can’t give you more money or allow you more tax breaks. Being a medical professional is a calling. It’s the type of job that goes into for the tremendous value it gives the rest of society. Like being a firefighter or a teacher, it’s hard to imagine going to work as a doctor or nurse and not having every day be important.
If medical folks didn’t come to work, especially during the pandemic, imagine the horrors of not having people to take care of us when we need emergency assistance. Being a doctor or nurse is knowing you are changing lives every time you drive into the office.
This is a huge responsibility, but it gives tremendous rewards to your self-esteem and allows you to have a purpose that many others are lacking. As the world continues to get better during these unprecedented times, knowing you are part of the reason it is happening has to feel incredible.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, USInsuranceAgents.com. He wants to help doctors and nurses understand the benefits of their job as it relates to car insurance discounts.
