Self—employed private doctors who charge a fee each patient’s visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most doctors have contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital，which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities (operation room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or a government agency. Others are operated by religious orders (教会)or other non—profit groups. Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried doctors may work as hospital staff (员工)members, or residents, who are often still in training . They may teach in medical schools, or be hired by corporations to care for their workers to work for the government’s Public Health Service. Doctors are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $100,000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Doctors list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a doctor in the United States. Most would—be doctors first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $20,000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Then they attend medical school for four years. Tuition(学费)alone can more than $10,000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young doctors are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency(实习阶段) in hospital, the first year as an assistant. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low. Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several doctors will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying e  quipment. These doctors also take care of each other’s patients in emergencies.Doctors work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite practiced many times, still involve risk. It is understandable that doctors want to be well—paid for making  decisions which can mean the difference between life and death.小题1:According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by .
|
ponsibility