So, I'm an MSIII with a preliminary interest in IM. What were some specific reasons that you guys/gals chose IM for residency???

Thanks,

cf

So, I'm an MSIII with a preliminary interest in IM. What were some specific reasons that you guys/gals chose IM for residency???

Thanks,

cf

MS IV, applying to IM.

This was a hard decision for me actually (FM vs IM anyway). I realized that I want to be a generalist (what! i know) and liked a little bit of everything...except OB. I am pretty sure I will do primary care so many people said "go FM for the flexibility and 'easier' training". But I decided to go with IM because I loath OB, want to be a 'specialist' in adult medicine, want to take care of sick patients in the hospital, high demand, intellectual stimulation, and the option to sub-specialize later down the road if I choose.

To each his own though. Good luck.

So, I'm an MSIII with a preliminary interest in IM. What were some specific reasons that you guys/gals chose IM for residency???

Thanks,

cf

Great question, what other specialties are you thinking about?

Medicine is a very flexible specialty as I'm sure you know. I chose IM because it has a large amount of patient contact, involves a lot of thinking and reasoning, has specialties that allow me to explore basic science topics, and involves the aspects of patient care that I most enjoyed during my third year. If you list some other specialties you're considering perhaps I can compare and contrast them.

Another MSIV, applying in IM.

I chose it for many of the same reasons mentioned by iatrosB and medikit:

- Lots of patient contact
- Complex patients/cases -> intellectual stimulation
- Broad knowledge base needed (even in many of the specialties)
- Lots of options after residency (PC, hospital medicine, fellowships, etc)
- Loved my 3rd/4th year IM rotations (both the medicine and the people)

I'm also a MSIV applying to IM residencies.

I chose IM for a lot of the same reasons listed above too, and like iatrosB I was torn between FM and IM for a while. Finally I decided on IM because:

-I don't like pedi patients (or their parents)
-I like women's health but not OB
-IM is generally more of a university based/academic residency training
-IM is broad enough to self-style you training (traditional categorical tracks, primary care tracks, geriatrics tracks, women's health tracks, physician-scientist tracks, hospitalist tracks, not to mention the multitude of fellowships afterwards)
-IM is also broad enough to allow for great flexibility in future practice with a strong academic background to support it
-IM is the backbone of many teaching institutions
-IM welcomes thought, generally any ideas about a diagnosis/txt are welcomed if well thought out and supported (unlike other specialties *cough* surgery *cough*)
-The most complex cases and puzzles in the hospital fall on you
-Every day you are doing what people think of when they think of "my doctor"
-In my experience IM doctors have the most dry wit (their sense of humor/personality meshes best with mine)

There are other reasons too...but I don't want to make the list too long! Good luck deciding!

-In my experience IM doctors have the most dry wit (their sense of humor/personality meshes best with mine)


You know that's funny because this can be a deal breaker for a lot of people.

And really the FM folks are very different from the IM folks even though the do much of the same work.