In an interview with 60 Minutes about the rising cost of (voluntarily) going to medical school, a med school student pointedly explained that free tuition would help him be a better doctor because he wouldn’t have the added pressure of…well, paying for it.
‘Medical student Joe Babinski believes free tuition will help him to become a better doctor, because he ‘can focus on learning the medicine and being good at it,’ instead of having to work through school,” 60 Minutes teased the interview in a tweet.
Medical student Joe Babinski believes free tuition will help him to become a better doctor, because he “can focus on learning the medicine and being good at it,” instead of having to work through school. https://t.co/VJdd3v79Rc pic.twitter.com/OBcPIq7mK0
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 7, 2019
In the clip, Babinski's referring to a new initiative from the NYU School of Medicine, who recently announced they're going "tuition-free" through private donations. The school says they currently have about $450 million of the $600 million they need to fully fund the program).
“Do you think [the free tuition] is going to make you a better doctor?” CBS' Lesley Stahl asked Babinski.
“I think without a doubt it’ll make me a better doctor,” Babinski responded. “For one, I won’t be working while I’m in school. I can focus on learning the medicine and being good at it.”
“And that pressure isn’t on your shoulders," Stahl continued.
“There’s none," Babinski answered.
Twitter was quick to point out the obvious fallacies in Babinski’s claim…with a healthy amount of snark, of course.
I’m cool with it. As long as he agrees to work for free. Then there’s no added pressure or stress on his patients.
— Brian McKeon (@Bbbmckeon) April 8, 2019
By this logic, everything in life should be free so we can focus on living well instead of having to, you know, pay for stuff. pic.twitter.com/0PrHoUDAY5
— Brittany Hughes (@RealBrittHughes) April 8, 2019
Yeah it was hard for me to work to pay for college and focus on school, so I looked at my options: take out lots of loans or join the military, and here I am waiting to leave for boot camp. Grow up.
— Ravil Biktaguirov 🇺🇸 (@realRavilB) April 8, 2019
Yeah if I didn’t have to pay my mortgage I’d be a much better homeowner too!! Yard of the month every month!
— CW (@decommit16) April 8, 2019
I could focus way more at work if I didn't have that pesky mortgage.
— Steven Rothwell (@ScubaShneve) April 8, 2019