Specialties

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Wondering for the sake of argument where the interests of my nontrad brothers and sisters lie

I know there's a really good chance we'll all change our minds by that time, but right now, at this moment, what specialty would you choose?

Right now, ER, surgery of some kind, peds, anes, but my current big desire is Neonatalogy/perinatology.

Basically, anything. Keeping my mind open.

My main leanings are EM, critical, and pulm.

But me too, as far as options. Surg is definitely possible, and cardio and infectious disease sound nifty too.

We have a poll a few months ago about this very topic with many, many responses. Check our stickies at the top of the subforum, an please feel free to contribute!

FM/IM
I want to be where I do the most good... We'll see, but that's my guess... Hoping to get some extra training in psych, endo and pain management somehow...

IM/FP/Peds/Ob/Gyn

EM or Critical Care/Pulm

Right now, with my limited knowledge, I'm leaning towards Heme/Onc.

90% psych. 10% IM-to-Palliative med. But open to having my mind blown unexpectedly.

It's common mythology to wait until 3rd year to figure it out. It's also commonly believed that a male child of god--eerily reminscent of Zeus--was born of a virgin and yet had inconvenient siblings.


I'll take my chances on a bronze age Jewish lady considering her options carefully and will likewise take no abdication of myself or my destiny from the myth-making of the medical overlords.

Roll the dice accordingly to your own inclinations.

Wow! EM seems to be a pretty popular response. It is also my preliminary first choice, lol. I guess it is not surprising that from what I have heard all EM spots filled on match day which has not happened before.

There is a rather interesting thread on the EM board arguing whether or not it is a lifestyle specialty with many good viewpoints on life as an Emergency Physician. Among the many things that I am attracted to about the field is that while a large amount of cases are mundane, anything and everything can walk through the door. Others are the lack of call, and the schedule can be more conducive to family life as you are working 3 or 4 days per week.

I also wouldn't mind IM, Peds, or FM but EM is definitely tops on my list so far.

Originally Posted by curt656

Wow! EM seems to be a pretty popular response. It is also my preliminary first choice, lol. I guess it is not surprising that from what I have heard all EM spots filled on match day which has not happened before.

There is a rather interesting thread on the EM board arguing whether or not it is a lifestyle specialty with many good viewpoints on life as an Emergency Physician. Among the many things that I am attracted to about the field is that while a large amount of cases are mundane, anything and everything can walk through the door. Others are the lack of call, and the schedule can be more conducive to family life as you are working 3 or 4 days per week.

I also wouldn't mind IM, Peds, or FM but EM is definitely tops on my list so far.

EM was my primary target. But I got turned on by psych and turned off by the very real stress of having to manage the "everything that comes through that door". It's way tougher than you think. Get close enough to it to sniff the mult-tasking madness and the pressure of being The One who decide what's lurking in the dark waters of strange presentations while everyone else gets to Monday morning quarterback all your slightest mistakes. While the waiting room, the beds, and the hallways are full and the ambulances just keep coming. And you better like doing it fast and furious for whole shifts at a time.

If you can deal with that stuff and you like it. And a circadian mindscrew is a cakewalk to you. Then go for it. But just know what it smells like first. And know yourself.

EM, Gen Surgery, or IM. Who knows though, I'm so far away from that point I try not to think about it.

General Surgery, Critical Care, EM. My faves. Guess I'm just an adrenaline junkie...

Bone carpentry, of course.

Angulated fractures creep me out, cutting people is going to be an issue for me, soo I'm sticking with the officey things no EM, surg, etc pour moi!

I have over a decade of prior experience in psych but the grass is always greener...

90% sure I'll go into ID. I am keeping GI and Anes in the back of my mind but am thinking I'm not going to have the board scores. Keeping Psych and PMR in mind, too.

Originally Posted by Helen Wheels

I have over a decade of prior experience in psych but the grass is always greener...

90% sure I'll go into ID. I am keeping GI and Anes in the back of my mind but am thinking I'm not going to have the board scores. Keeping Psych and PMR in mind, too.

Interesting. What knocked down psych on your list?

Agree that ID & PM&R would be cool careers. But....butt-scoping?....no thanks, not for my 8-10 hours a day.

I'm considering

peds neuro - neurodevel disorders
adult neuro
neuro rad
or maybe just peds
I might consider ID also cause it seems it could be most useful in global health

My interests will probably change, and a lot will also depend on Step 1 scores. so like many people keep telling me, better just focus on that for now.

Was thinking med-onc for a while, but lately I've decided I might as well go heme-onc while I'm at it

(actually, I'm still sorta unclear as to whether heme and onc are joined at the hip or whether it's just become commonplace to do both)

Originally Posted by startoverat40

I'm considering

peds neuro - neurodevel disorders
adult neuro
neuro rad
or maybe just peds
I might consider ID also cause it seems it could be most useful in global health

My interests will probably change, and a lot will also depend on Step 1 scores. so like many people keep telling me, better just focus on that for now.

It's a generally fine notion to take things each in their own good time. Why this script fails so miserably is because you don't have time. Much less good time for each. Some you have to seek out on your own initiative or not at all.

Investigate, investigate, investigate. Were you too wager 300 large on a particular stock--to say nothing of doing something day in and day out till your dead--you would dig hard for details an insight. Many don't even know why they really went to medical school. Thinking of only the next turn in the maze--like the mcat, the step, and so on.. Take their inane pitter patter for advice if you wish.

Or manage your career like it's a billion dollar hedge fund with you as it's manager. That's what I aim to do.

Additionally, consider that strong departments with good teaching that give a really good experience to rotating students are known to be factors in increasing the amount of students from a particular school that enter the match in that specialty.

What does this mean? It means that our experiences are limited from the time we decide on medicine to the time we begin a residency and are mated to it for life with few exceptions.

It means that I await the above posters answer to my question about why s/he decided against a career in psych. One of the thousands of accounts and data points I will pour into my gestalt for career selection.

This thing takes people for rides. Drops them off outside of vegas on an empty highway. Broke, busted, and beat up. Not being that guy means waking the F up and paying attention. The studying is just the point A to B. Not the Z. Not even close.

Additional, additionally.

Let's say you're like Chip N Sawbones--and with a name like that what else could you do but ortho--and working with your hands is just something you have to do. And the art of reconstructing a human form is right up your alley.

Well then you know from go what game your in. You think it's easy to get a 240? Easy to honor? Easy to impress the surgeon in your department that your the guy that gets the ortho stamp of badassery? No. It ain't. You go hard all the way. You publish ortho research in your summer. You go meet as many people in the field as you can. You start prepping for boards like your life depends on it.

And then you take your shot. It's a 4 year rock and roll gig. And knowing and getting after it is key. Where do you think you're gonna get the extra juice to out-compete the best students in the country from unless you know why you're doing it.

And how are you gonna know to get after it. Unless guided by some insight and experience. That was in essence the spirit of investigation. Left over from a period when he had more time on his hands than he would as a confused and undecided 3rd year medical student.

In some sense this mythos is a liberal leftover from undergrad where we can all arrive at some mystical ivory tower place where we all talk to the wizard and find out our true identity.

Good luck with that.

Originally Posted by Abider

Interesting. What knocked down psych on your list?

Partly a desire to do something different with the last half of my life. Partly the fact that I dislike the involuntary aspects of psychiatry. I am a Libertarian and have philosophical conflicts with some aspects of involuntary treatment. I already miss talking to psych patients, though, since I had to quit my job to go to med school.

Agree that ID & PM&R would be cool careers. But....butt-scoping?....no thanks, not for my 8-10 hours a day.

What I like about GI is the variety - you could see inpatients, outpatients, do scoping part of the week. Also with the scoping I like that you can go in and get answers and even fix some things.

Originally Posted by Helen Wheels

Partly a desire to do something different with the last half of my life. Partly the fact that I dislike the involuntary aspects of psychiatry. I am a Libertarian and have philosophical conflicts with some aspects of involuntary treatment. I already miss talking to psych patients, though, since I had to quit my job to go to med school.




What I like about GI is the variety - you could see inpatients, outpatients, do scoping part of the week. Also with the scoping I like that you can go in and get answers and even fix some things.

Cool thanks. I'll look out for how I feel about that. I'm libertarianish too. Something I've wondered about that you've now sensitized me to the need to investigate.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Abider

EM was my primary target. But I got turned on by psych and turned off by the very real stress of having to manage the "everything that comes through that door". It's way tougher than you think. Get close enough to it to sniff the mult-tasking madness and the pressure of being The One who decide what's lurking in the dark waters of strange presentations while everyone else gets to Monday morning quarterback all your slightest mistakes. While the waiting room, the beds, and the hallways are full and the ambulances just keep coming. And you better like doing it fast and furious for whole shifts at a time.

If you can deal with that stuff and you like it. And a circadian mindscrew is a cakewalk to you. Then go for it. But just know what it smells like first. And know yourself.

Thank you for this! I really appreciate your perspective. Of course, I realize everything can change if and when I dive in. I have done some volunteering in an ER, and have seen a lot of what you are talking about. I admit that volunteering in an ER and working in one are two completely different animals, but it is some of what you are talking about that excites me about the field. I feel like I thrive under pressure and welcome the challenge.I like that you are constantly on the go as it makes the day go by faster. I also accept that we all often have distorted views about what we think of ourselves and our capabilities. I could very well be in for a reality check. If so, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by Abider

It's a generally fine notion to take things each in their own good time. Why this script fails so miserably is because you don't have time. Much less good time for each. Some you have to seek out on your own initiative or not at all.

Investigate, investigate, investigate. Were you too wager 300 large on a particular stock--to say nothing of doing something day in and day out till your dead--you would dig hard for details an insight. Many don't even know why they really went to medical school. Thinking of only the next turn in the maze--like the mcat, the step, and so on.. Take their inane pitter patter for advice if you wish.

Or manage your career like it's a billion dollar hedge fund with you as it's manager. That's what I aim to do.

Yes I see what you mean. I plan to join the NIG, and participate in the community clinics. Others have also said not to take part in any EC activities until I have taken a few exams, to make sure I'm in the rhythm for classes and exams, then figure out how to use any extra time.

Originally Posted by curt656

Thank you for this! I really appreciate your perspective. Of course, I realize everything can change if and when I dive in. I have done some volunteering in an ER, and have seen a lot of what you are talking about. I admit that volunteering in an ER and working in one are two completely different animals, but it is some of what you are talking about that excites me about the field. I feel like I thrive under pressure and welcome the challenge.I like that you are constantly on the go as it makes the day go by faster. I also accept that we all often have distorted views about what we think of ourselves and our capabilities. I could very well be in for a reality check. If so, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Thanks again!

Yeah man. You're onto something that fits your proclivities. That's great. Take that and run with it. Keep poking at it and turning it over in your mind. And pick some other interesting things and compare and contrast them. And just keep adding to those files. And then clerkships will be truth confirming or challenging cross-examinations. And not just passive sychophantic affairs. I'm at it too. I just can't stand hearing that people should wait for revelation. Fine if that happens, but you do't go hunting for burning bushes as a rational career searching technique. I hate that that bill of goods is so inexplicably marketable here.

I am going in with an open mind, but I do have my likes and dislikes.

I'm very sure that I don't want: IM and its subs, FP, Ped, Derm, Rad, Uro, Ob/Gyn, and Path

I always fantasize about:

EM: love every aspect of it (fast pace, different animals, instant results, flexibility, and residency length)

Ortho: happy patients, instant results, aggressive approach to fix problems, and off course prestige

ENT: Interesting anatomy, balanced mixture of medicine and surgery, cool toys, happy patients, lots of bread and butter, many selective procedures

General Surgery: many options to subspecialize in other cool areas (CT and Vascular), hold people's internal organs, fast results, comprehensive knowledge of medicine and surgery

Gas: get to play pilot (no need to fly the plane, but always ready when something goes wrong), great knowledge of many organ systems (cardiac, pulm, etc), opportunity to subspecialize in cool areas (sleep and pain), relatively short residency, plus you get to post with the cool guys at the Anesthesiology forums (Blade, Jet, and others)


I also love the nervous system, but not sure if I could do neuro as a career...too slow for me.

At the end, I'm still a pre-med and will most likely have different points of view once I start my rotations.

OB/GYN, hopefully continuing into maternal/fetal medicine

Originally Posted by LingoLaine

OB/GYN, hopefully continuing into maternal/fetal medicine

I recently discovered this specialty! I had a baby last May, and while I was pregnant I had PIH. I had to see a MFM specialist to monitor my amniotic fluid levels. She was great! The experience actually made me consider this, too.

Yeah maternal-fetal medicine is interesting. Very fascinating for me academically, though a tough demanding field with lots of surgery and intense situations. Something to weigh. I couldn't do it. But I definitely respect it.

My experience with my personal maternal/fetal medicine specialist is the reason I decided to go to medical school. Through some really harrowing experiences, he was fabulous and I found myself wanting to BE him.

34yo 4th year medstudent. I was an EMT before medschool and always leaned toward EM. Did not match into EM in the 2012 match. Scrambled into anesthesiology.

Definitely a change in gears:-)

Allergy and Immunology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Neurology, and straight up IM/FM. Maybe radiology because of all the cool imaging tools. Definitely not surgery or pathology.

Neurology or psychiatry. I'm open minded if it comes to finding out something else is my passion.

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Going to keep an open mind... But given my interests and limited knowledge and exposure I'm currently leaning towards anesthesiology, radiology, EM. I like variety, and I like cool toys and computers. Talk of less and less call for radiologists and using lower-trained folks instead has me concerned about it as a career path, though.

Med/Peds combined, with a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care just thereafter.

The fellowship is something I could live without. I want to specialize in Med/Peds though, no question.

(I can imagine a scenario wherein I would go ENT, I suppose. My undergrad study in SLP has implanted a seed of interest there, as well. It's a crazy-long residency though!)