The Most Respectable Profession?

[50cent1228]

firefighter/medics and armed forces

 

[Excelsior]

7. Extremely low stress job: Who here doesn't have stress at work? Then think how unstressful it would be to be a teacher. See 8 for low stress too.

That statement is so wrong.

 

[chuckywang]

President of the United States

 

[pcnerd37]

Hookers are more respectable than those in the armed forces?!?! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEPOLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Kanalua]

What about Attorney?

 

[Mallow]

We've had some good discussion in this thread... I especially thought what mugs said was interesting; I think you are very correct but they still get a lot of respect

Originally posted by: mugs
I picked fire fighter over armed forces for a few reasons.

1. Enlistment goes down during times of war. This leads me to believe that people are enlisting with the hope that they won't actually have to fight.
2. The military has to force people to stay in the military during times of war with a stop-loss order.
3. Many/most people in the military use it as a stepping stone, they don't make a career of it. It's an alternative to college for people who can't afford college, or a way to have college paid for.

Fire Fighters might not die as often as soldiers, but they don't sign up hoping there won't be any fires. There are always fires.

In the end it was a toss-up. Law enforcement officer is up there too. I have no respect for people who call cops pigs. I think that most cops are good and want to help people.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: BigJelly

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I'm voting teachers because no other professions tends to have such a strong desire to do something of value to society for so little freaking money.

Private school teacher; yes.

Public school teacher; HELL no.
What public school teachers "lack" in salary they make up in benefits.


So given all that, tack this on their salary: at least 6k for medical, 8-10k for pension (do the math for being able to retire by 55 and never have to worry about running out). Then multiply by 4/3 because of their summer off. And then you realize "underpaid" teachers are really bringing in the money. Then factor in job security and low stress of their job and then try to give me this crap that they are underpaid.

Once again: private school teachers I agree with you 100%, but completely disagree with you when it comes to public school.

FYI I went to public school and had great teachers; not a rip on them just the bullsh!t argument that public school teachers are underpaid.

Back to the topic:
I voted Armed forces. But this was tough my ranking: Armed forces, Police, Private school teachers, Doctors, Firemen, Scientists, Hookers>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Public school teachers tied with politicans

I'm a chemist but I view my self as just a regular guy doing nothing special; I'm not helping and dedicating my life for other people like the profession's listed ahead of mine.

First of all, I'd like to know the school district where you attended this type of school so I can apply for a job there.

Second, I'd put firefighters at the top of the list mainly because around here they are all volunteers who have other jobs, but put a lot of what could be free time into training.

Addressing your comments:

1. Full pension: I'd be a lot richer if I didn't need to contribute to my 401k and roth IRA that they don't have to do thanks to the tax payers.
Where is this? I pay into my own retirement, it's held out of every paycheck. A portion is matched if I am on a particular plan, but that is the same for many corporate jobs as well.

2. Retire by 55: It'd be nice to know that I could retire by 55 with their benefits in tack.
Yes, I can retire at 55, but that will be after 34 years on the job. Why shouldn't someone be able to retire after 34 years? And I can only continue to have my medical benefits if I pay for them out of my own pocket, and vision and dental are not available to retirees.

3. Medical: My company's plan is great (and I love it) but it doesn't hold a candle to what teachers get.
I have a pretty decent medical plan, but I pay for it and the premiums go up every year to two years. Last increase was 20% and I can guarantee you that I have not had a 20% increase in salary over the last 12 years combined.

4. 3 months vacation: I'd love to be able to get 3 months of extra employment on top of my salary. Christmas break, spring break, and all the extra "holidays" (that no private businesses acknowledge).
I'm not really sure what you mean by "3 months of extra employment on top of my salary". Do you mean that you think teachers are paid for that time, or do you mean that you have three months to work at another job to supplement your salary? The former is not true, you are not paid for those two and a half months, but here you can have money held out of your paycheck and then receive that during the time that school is out or you can budget for it on your own. The latter would be true, many teachers do find jobs during the summer to supplement their salaries. Also, most teachers have to attend academies, workshops, and other training during the summer months, and during your first 13 years of employment you have to attend college during the summer months for continuing education requirements to keep your certificate. That's also the time that most teachers attend college to get their Masters + credentials. You have to pay for those classes out of your own pocket, though if you are one of the first so many to apply for it, you can get some of the limited reimbursement money available for the required certification classes.

5. Make one lesson plan and set for life: Yes some things change but as I recall German lost both WW1 and WW2, 2+2 still equals 4, etc.
You must have had some pretty pathetic teachers and administrators as well. Here, teachers have to submit their lesson plans and have them checked by walk-throughs by administrators twice a week every two weeks. The requirements for what have to be included in the lesson plans changes just about every year as well.

6. Job security: Part of the reason our schools keep falling behind is that we can't fire the worthless teachers.
I'll agree with you here in that I've seen some pretty poor excuses for teachers keeping their jobs because there's a long process in place to get rid of them, but it is possible to get rid of them and when it doesn't happen it's usually because the administration doesn't want to go through the process and paperwork. But the job security safety nets were put in place for a good reason historically. Used to be that may teaching jobs were given out or taken away because they were, and still are, controlled by politicians. Teachers were told that if they wanted to keep their jobs they had to vote a particular way and it wasn't even done in secret, it was all completely legal, and still would be if the process was not changed to the way it is now.

7. Extremely low stress job: Who here doesn't have stress at work? Then think how unstressful it would be to be a teacher. See 8 for low stress too.
Are you kidding me, and everyone else here for that matter, that ever attended a public high school?

8. 5-10 minute breaks between classes, plus lunch break, and 1 free class period Remember high school? Teachers didn't come to you, you wen to their class room. So between classes they get breaks. Teach 8 classes and get 5 minutes for students to get to class is 35 extra minutes plus a free class and you get 80 break minutes a day (not even including lunch break). How many people get 80 minutes of paid, non-lunch break time a day?
Here it is 4 minutes between classes and during that time I have to change the lesson plan and essential question that I'm required to have on the board for the different class that I teach each period (except between 4th and 5th) and then I'm required to go stand in the hallway to monitor the students. Four of those times so far this school year I've had to break up fights in the hallway during my non-stressful break. We get a 30 minute lunch, but because we don't have enough teachers, we have to either volunteer to give up our lunch break to supervise students on theirs (the only good thing about this is that you're less likely to be called on to cover for an absent teacher during your planning period), or you can have the lunch break and volunteer for morning or evening duty (supervising students during their breakfast or as they are getting on the buses at the end of the day). How many jobs do you know where you are asked to give up your lunch break every day for the whole year? We do get a 45 minute planning period during one class period a day to do lesson plans and for parent-teacher meetings, but a lot of the time we are asked to volunteer to cover a class for an absent teacher during that time.

Oh, and the part about the retirement never running out. We have two different plans here, one is a state plan and it shouldn't run out, but do you really think we can trust the politicians to make sure of that, or to not cut benefits drastically because of their wasteful practices in other areas? The other plan is a private one and you gain or lose depending on your portfolio, so nothing is guaranteed either way.

Once again, where is this school district you speak of, and are they hiring?

 

[JS80]

ENTREPRENEUR

/THREAD

 

[JS80]

i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

I separate surgeon and doctor.

All surgeons are doctors but not all doctors are surgeons.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

I separate surgeon and doctor.

even though both go to medical school?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

I separate surgeon and doctor.

even though both go to medical school?

Being a surgeon takes 100x more skill than being a general physician.

What the fvck is your point? CEO of a $12 million company is not the same caliber than a CEO of a $10 billion company even though both have MBAs.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

I separate surgeon and doctor.

even though both go to medical school?

Being a surgeon takes 100x more skill than being a general physician.

What the fvck is your point? CEO of a $12 million company is not the same caliber than a CEO of a $10 billion company even though both have MBAs.

why do you say being a surgeon takes more skill than any other speciality? Many doctors see surgeons as body mechanics. It takes quite a lot of skill and knowledge to be able to diagnose and outline treatment for a patient. surgeons just get told waht the problem is and start hacking away. and your rant is against artificially low physician levels, which applies to surgeons as well. Not to mention the AMA includes surgeons as well. Also, most clinical research is done by regular physicians rather than surgeons.

so is your only rant that doctors other than surgeons are not skilled enough to be respected?

 

[eits]

i voted teacher

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Mallow

Originally posted by: PottedMeat
Why chemical engineer in particular?

I wonder who will vote for Car Salesman?

Believe it or not but historically chem engineers have been very highly respected. Not sure why, is it the hardest mainstream engineering major b/c it's actually a lot of chemistry? Unlike EE, Nuclear, Mechanical which are classic engineering disciplines? No clue

Nuclear engineering is a classic engineering discipline?

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Mallow

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Doctor, teacher, and law enforcement all come to mind. The only reason I wouldn't pick doctor is because such a huge salary comes with it. Not that they don't deserve it, but it means people could become a doctor for the pay instead of the cause. That isn't true of the other two.

You bring up a good point, but on average the caliber of person who enters the medical profession is higher than the other two.

There are bad people in all professions but if you are going to commit to a minimum of 11 years education and living like a student after high school for being a doctor, believe me, money can not be the only driving factor. It is just too long of a road and the sacrifices too great for those kind of motivations; additionally the money is actually decreasing a lot these days.

10 years is the average to get your PhD after high school

And are you suggesting that remaining in college for 10 years is a bad idea? College is awesome!

 

[Twinpeaksr]

Wow, just shows how opinionated people are, usually the most vocal are the least informed.

I respect anyone who does their job to or past the level it should be done at. I don't care if you are a surgeon or a janitor, if you do your job well and faithfully everyday, I believe you deserve the most respect.

Every profession has people that fail to live up to that job, doctors who are unethical, kitchen workers who do stuff to others food, lawyers who advertise on how to extract money from others. But I prefer to look at those who are truly under-appreciated, I have janitors at work who I respect more than the Upper level Managers because unlike the managers, I can trust they will keep things clean and empty the garbage.

So maybe you should appreciate those who do the job right, rather than banish a profession because of the few that do it wrong.

 

[bennylong]

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

Agreed. 3 months ago, I went to see the Doctor to get a vaccine shots and I got charged $900 for the visit. WTF? WTF??? $900 for the visit???? Thank god for the health insurance because I would have blew up if I had to pay $900 for a doctor visit when all he did was ask me a few question and had the nurse take my blood pressure.

 

[dr150]

Where's:

Male Porn Star?

Astronaut?

Professor?

 

[dr150]

Originally posted by: Flyback
Mathematicians and scientists get my vote for #1

I'd put paramedics pretty high seeing as how I worked a summer in security at a hospital and got to talk with them lots (while they loaded up after bringing someone in). Really extremely cool people--lots of fun and very upbeat in addition to the work they do. Not one of them was ever rude despite the security policies I enforced on them (on bringing people in). Very polite, grounded, upbeat and fun people who do a hell of a job and deal with lots of crap.

I rate lawyers, politicians, insurance agents and bankers below tow-truck drivers

What did a tow truck driver ever do toy you?

 

[krunchykrome]

Why isn't "accountant or CPA" up there?

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: JS80
i can't believe so many of you voted for doctors. doctors are leeches to society and THEY are the cause of such high healthcare costs. The doctor's union, aka the AMA, artificially keeps the supply of doctors LOW by restricting the number of medical schools in order to protect their careers.

Doctors throughout history have made humans worse off, and it is only recently that advances in medical technology that we are able to fix our bodies and extend our lives. very very few doctors have anything to do with these advancements. Most of the advancements are from Chemical Engineers and Research scientists who invent new fascinating drugs and Surgeons and Inventors that invent machines that do extraordinary work. And it's the entrepreneur and investor that conducts the orchestra and organizes the structure that allows new advances in technology to be introduced to society.

Doctors are nothing but wannabe-gods who are no better than the Teamsters and UAW workers that are failing America. So please take doctor off the list. If anything, replace him with Surgeon or Chemical Engineer.

you do realize a surgeon is a doctor right?

I separate surgeon and doctor.

even though both go to medical school?

Being a surgeon takes 100x more skill than being a general physician.

What the fvck is your point? CEO of a $12 million company is not the same caliber than a CEO of a $10 billion company even though both have MBAs.

why do you say being a surgeon takes more skill than any other speciality? Many doctors see surgeons as body mechanics. It takes quite a lot of skill and knowledge to be able to diagnose and outline treatment for a patient. surgeons just get told waht the problem is and start hacking away. and your rant is against artificially low physician levels, which applies to surgeons as well. Not to mention the AMA includes surgeons as well. Also, most clinical research is done by regular physicians rather than surgeons.

so is your only rant that doctors other than surgeons are not skilled enough to be respected?

First off I cant believe no one said nurses in all of this long thread. *shrug*

Anyways, JS80 have you ever been at a decent teaching hospital? Generally the doctors there are of much higher quality. And to be honest surgeons aren't all that special. It's the sub-specialties that there are the crazy good doctors. And maybe I'm biased I work in a teaching hospital and I personally know plenty of well published, well recognized doctors who are anything BUT cocky, wanna-be God types. It's the bad apples that gives the whole crop a bad name. And honestly if anything some surgeons are the cockiest SOB's around. Seriously we have a couple and every time you have to work with them they make you wanna gouge your eyes and ears out with a dull spoon

 

[DaShen]

Doctor by far
Lawyers are respectable too, but they have negative connotations to their profession too.

 

[Alprazolam]

Originally posted by: DaShen
Doctor by far
Lawyers are respectable too, but they have negative connotations to their profession too.

Lawyers are on the TOP of the Least RESPECTABLE Profession.