What's It Like To Be In Primary Care

In a post in KevinMD, Dr. Ed Volpintesta describes his typical day as an internist. It sounds like a nightmare. Granted he has been in practice for 35 years so no longer takes night and weekend calls, inhouse patients, pediatrics, or GYN. He doesn't come in until 8:00 AM and leaves by 4:30 PM. Doesn't sound half bad does it? But then he describes an endless parade of phone calls, pharmacy refills, geriatric medicine, grief counseling, etc... And how much of this work is actual billable work? Makes me so glad I'm an anesthesiologist. I'm sure this article will further dissuade more medical students from primary care.