The question of employment options is becoming a more frequent one for physicians today. Most of us who have a vision for evangelism in the office want to be relational, even intentional, and we cherish appointment times that are a little longer and schedules that are a little more flexible. Working for someone else changes your ability to present to patients your impression of Christ. A good number of us believe being a Christian physician does mean providing free care to the truly poor as outlined in Scripture. Perhaps the common spiritual language for our patients need not be free medicine but a true expression of love, empathy, concern and other Christlike characteristics.
Many physicians are employees, and many truly enjoy the jobs they are in.
In fact, there may be some real advantages to working for someone else. God calls us to be financially responsible. By working for someone else, you don't assume the huge debt of starting a new practice or further compound the mounting loans from undergraduate and medical schools. Also, by not feeling tied to a practice, you have more freedom to follow God's leading when life goes a different direction or when a medical missions opportunity presents itself. Also, physicians can now establish a more balanced lifewhere doing so used to be next to impossible.