Doctors ain't doctors

As a GP, I've generally got better things to do than worry about the plight of surgeons, although polishing the Merc must be kind of tough at times. But in recent weeks, I've found myself in sympathy with College of Surgeons president, Dr Russell Stitz, currently in a stoush with the ACCC over surgical trainee numbers.
It's all too easy for the ACCC to assume the worst of doctors; I guess surgeons, not exactly renowned for their compassion, are easy targets. But it seems a bit stiff to accuse the College of Surgeons of being so greedy it'd limit trainee places just to maintain surgeon's high incomes.
To be honest, I've no idea whether the claim has any truth, but it seems a bit simplistic.
Even the public know there's insufficient operations going on in our hospitals to meet patient demand - headline newspaper stories of long waiting lists, closed beds and nursing shortages are commonplace - let alone provide a flood of new trainees with enough cases to become adept in their art.

Like most people, if I'm going to have an operation, I'd like a surgeon who's got lots of procedures under their belt, not one who's been to the 'see one, do one, teach one' school of surgery.
It's convenient for state governments to deflect blame for long waiting lists onto surgeons, but most surgical training takes place in public hospitals run by the states, and for their part, surgeons complain that hospital bureaucrats constantly cancel or cut short their lists.
Meanwhile some universities, such as Melbourne University, have their eyes on the fries, perhaps in conjunction with state governments, and I'm sure the Feds are watching closely, as it will be their Medicare dollars paying for any increases in surgical procedures.
Maybe it's time the ACCC took off it's 'doctors are greedy bastards' glasses.
If you're running a burger bar, I guess it's pretty much about making money, and a rival shop opening across the road might well influence your customer service and prices.
But doctors arent burgers, and more competition doesn't always mean better quality. Sure, surgeons want to make a good living, but their claims that there's a finite number of training places to train surgeons well makes sense.
It's also hardly greedy to willingly train those who in a year or two will be your direct competitors, yet this is precisely what surgeons, and other doctors, are asked to do.