Med Twitter dust up

[PacificRunner]

https://twitter.com/dglaucomflecken/status/1489695395181563907?s=21

I found this Glaucomflecken/WCI exchange on Twitter fascinating. First, it felt like two unrelated internet worlds colliding - my favorite financial source and favorite med humor. I do think Glaucomflecken clearly instigated it; he did use WCI’s slogan, after all. However, WCI’s response was a little tone deaf and a bit aggressive and he seems to have admitted as much. That may be the norm on anonymous websites like Bogleheads forum, but glaucomflecken’s following is too loyal. Also, comedy usually wins.

That being said, although glaucomflecken was dealt some extraordinary obstacles in life (of which he has turned lemons into lemonade), he missing the mark on the WCI mantra. Dahle is pro-resident and physician wellbeing, just is glaucomflecken is. I really hope glaucomflecken comes to the WCI podcast.

[wideopenspaces]

This really makes me wish I could figure out Twitter . . . 🤔

[VagabondMD]

I disagree with the criticism of WCI being tone deaf and am disappointed that he was forced into an apology. It comes down to the fact that "living like a resident" (in terms of lifestyle and creature comforts, not hours in the Hospital) is not a bad thing, and should not be degraded. I had as much fun during residency as any period in my life, maybe more.

Both men are great ambassadors of medicine, but apparently DrG has a much larger audience and had more supporters in the mini-feud.

[burritos]

I've had 3 over the handle bar mountain bike crashes landing on my head(one during residency and 2 as an attending) and one front seat(taxi didn't have a seat belt/cheap arse NYC driving service)head on collision with another car where my skull smashed into to the windshield(med student). I still save like a miser. Fortunately/or unfortunately, wife spends like a drunken sailor(probably an exaggeration).

[PhysicianOnFIRE]

I didn't know Glaucomflocken's back story (I do know), and I responded politely to the tweet, which mischaracterized Jim's advice, correcting the assertion that it's not possible to enjoy life while living like a resident or student, etc... I just about got my head bitten off from a fan of his.

https://twitter.com/PhysicianOnFIRE/status/1489751067126599685

But that's Twitter. Gotta have thick skin and all.

[burritos]

I disagree with the criticism of WCI being tone deaf and am disappointed that he was forced into an apology. It comes down to the fact that "living like a resident" (in terms of lifestyle and creature comforts, not hours in the Hospital) is not a bad thing, and should not be degraded. I had as much fun during residency as any period in my life, maybe more.

Both men are great ambassadors of medicine, but apparently DrG has a much larger audience and had more supporters in the mini-feud.

I don't think anyone here really cares if other doctors or everyone else for all that matter lives paycheck to paycheck to assuage their FOMO and YOLO bias(though likely that bias is shaped by media/advertising more than anything else). Drives the economy and allows the tortoise to win the race.

[Turf Doc]

The more fun apology was when an african american med student was insulted that WCI implied they should have known they werent going to get paid much as a resident. It was spun as a racial thing when really i just saw it as punching down - i'd save the tough love for a doctor who already makes a high income, not someone whose clearly stressed out and only a trainee, regardless of race.

[doctorbone]

I’m glad I don’t follow twitter.

[PacificRunner]

I disagree with the criticism of WCI being tone deaf and am disappointed that he was forced into an apology. It comes down to the fact that "living like a resident" (in terms of lifestyle and creature comforts, not hours in the Hospital) is not a bad thing, and should not be degraded. I had as much fun during residency as any period in my life, maybe more.

If not tone deaf, certainly aggressive. Given Glaucomflecken’s life experiences, that counts for something. No question that I’d prioritize things differently if I came as close to death as him. Nonetheless, there are more effective ways to get the point across than internet bashing - on both sides. I propose a joust.

[PacificRunner]

I didn't know Glaucomflocken's back story (I do know), and I responded politely to the tweet, which mischaracterized Jim's advice, correcting the assertion that it's not possible to enjoy life while living like a resident or student, etc... I just about got my head bitten off from a fan of his.

https://twitter.com/PhysicianOnFIRE/status/1489751067126599685

But that's Twitter. Gotta have thick skin and all.

You brought in the closer - Keanu.

[HikingDO]

I forgot why I wasn’t on Twitter, then I read the Twitter thread, and suddenly it all came back to me why I’m not on it….

[CordMcNally]

Will uses his near death experience and cancer as a source for quite a bit of his material and pokes fun of it a lot. I'm confused why Jim apologized, to be honest. Granted, you had to know going into that thread you probably weren't going to find a lot of physicians that follow the WCI financial path and would get a lot of push back. Will's experience is unfortunate but it is still the exception and not the rule. There is certainly a happy medium between living in the now and setting yourself up for a better financial future. Nonetheless, I'm not sure what the apology was for except to appease somewhat of a mob mentality against Jim's comments that he had to have known was coming. Med Twitter is soft.

[TheDangerZone]

This really makes me wish I could figure out Twitter . . . 🤔

Yeah I wasn't even able to find WCI's response on the original tweet that was posted after scrolling down and reading a ton of replies. I never figured out Twitter and at this point, I'm afraid it's too late. I'm mid 30s for reference.

[Brains428]

Twitter, like any social media, can be great if you have enough awareness to know when the algos are feeding you crap. They are amplified reflections of our own interests, which is why it can be negative to the non-self aware.

Lots of free med ed on there.

As for the WCI vs Glaucomflecken exchange- it's not surprising. More follow the spend now worry later mantra. If that wasn't the case, then WCI and the FI movement wouldn't have an audience.

I think there is a connection between physician finance and burnout, which isn't a new concept. A lot of people don't realize the burnout is partially from a lack of ability to escape the job because of inflated lifestyle/insurmountable debt.

[Hawkeye225]

I didn't read the entire thread but understand the typical Twitter vitriol. After going through a prolonged contentious disability claim very unsure if I was going to survive the completely unexpected medical issue a few years, I see both sides. My medical problem (now resolved hopefully but always in the back of my mind) changed how I looked at life including finances. Nuance.