You analyze too much already. The world does not work that way. You should know. No point justifying.
If money is your main attraction, you should never be a researcher.
Between a researcher and a doctor, definitely I would say a doctor gets more recognition by the public and more respected also. That's natural cos they are the ones who deal with patients directly.
Tell me, between an Formula 1 driver and a Ferrari engineer who designed some top notch engine, which one gets more money and recognition? Of course the driver. Between a Hollywood actor and director, which one gets more recognition and adulation? Of course the actor.
Doctors are also human beings. And money is an attractive devil. Everyone wants money. Look at how many other fellow doctors support Susan Lim. Why? Cos they also want money.
Even the ex Prime Minister of Singapore's wife asserted bluntly that TT Durai's $600,000 salary was peanuts. Why? Cos she also wants money so needed justification that the amount is nothing to her.
Obviously u didn't understand the stance....Researchers are not after fame. and did i ever mention that this was my opinion alone or have i mentioned how much we should be getting? Please do not just assume.
there's a very fine line between the great disparity of salary scales across various disciplines and that is normal. However, within the same umbrella, there should be a more equal and balanced salary scale.
Lets take you on your Hollywood scenario. The actor gets more money than the director, but a successful film is also widely recognized as the whole team effort, esp the directors vision/cinematography eg. Tim burton, Steven spielberg, Tom hanks etc..... AND the directors do not get THAT little in terms of salary scale disparities.
Very simple put, no director, no actor, no film.
synonymously, no researchers, no drugs, no cure...... (not that all are 10000% perfect yet).
if Singapore really wants to be a true cutting edge Biomedical hub in this region or the world, she has to learn to break away from her past practices and start learning to give decent and fair p(l)aying fields for both researchers and medical doctors. Within these 2 branches, each will need to respect and ACKNOWLEDGE the unique contributions of each discipline...and when you have a similar payscale for both disciplines, you will naturally attract people who will be real to themselves and their passion, i.e. true interest in rendering public health services or true interest in discovering new genes/drugs.
Right now there's a huge number of people who want to become doctors solely because they know that in Singapore, doctors can charge like crazy and get rich...esp in private practise. Even in general hospitals, the amount they earn, the perks will be more or less allow them to be rather comfortable in life.
There's a small and slowly increasing amount of people who first initially thought that research was their cup of tea because they were really passionate (for eg) about trying to find the next step in understanding cancer and discovering new forms of drugs, only to find out that they'll just be another work horse and these talented people are leaving (some already left) the field. Such real life stories will never be covered in the papers in Singapore. So as more and more such LOCAL TALENTS leave the field, we try to fill the void with FOREIGN TALENTS (which we could have paid well too to retain our own talents), and it is no wonder that most Singaporeans shun away from really pursuing their interest in research.
So, if you're not within the same field, please do not jump into assumptions that people like me analyze too much.
