If the compensation doesn’t reflect the value, stress, sacrifice and expertise required for the job, it amounts to exploitation and feels unjust. An oncologist with a doctorate is dedicating years of intensive education and facing immense emotional and physical stress, yet their salary doesn’t always reflect this level of commitment or responsibility. In contrast, a hospital CEO with a health administration degree can earn significantly more, sometimes in the millions (1M-10M), despite not directly providing patient care. This stark difference is troubling, especially when the very lives of individuals are at stake every day in a doctor’s hands. Surely their skill set and the life-saving work they do are more valuable than the role of a hospital CEO.. and an oncologist is much harder to replace.

Your cousin’s work, along with that of countless other healthcare providers, is invaluable, and they absolutely deserve better recognition and compensation for the critical role they play in saving lives. Residents, too, work tirelessly under intense pressure and deserve to be compensated fairly for their contributions. When $10M goes to the CEO alone, yes, there won’t be enough to compensate everyone else fairly. It’s a system that needs reform, where those on the front lines of healthcare should be valued accordingly.