Is med school worth it just for emergency medicine / Passion for med school

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I love EM, it perfectly fits my adrenaline junkie personality. I know there are many jobs out there for this personality type, but I also am attracted to EM for the intellectual challenge and the fact that I will be saving lives. I am aware of the pros, cons, and misconceptions about EM, so I know what I would be getting into if I ever make it there.

Here's the thing. I don't love any other specialty, including internal medicine. And while I do enjoy learning, I don't particularly love biochemistry, gross anatomy or most other science courses that would be part of a medical school curriculum. Also, while I think it is extremely rewarding to save lives, it is not the primary reason I want to practice EM. When I think of being an EM doctor, what I am attracted to the most is the "rush" aspect. If I were to become an internist, I wouldn't feel like I "love" my job. I think I'd enjoy it, but that's it.

Finally, I have heard many people say that medical school and residency are not worth it if you have another passion in life. I do have another passion - accounting/economics/finance. I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

Have you shadowed an ER doctor?

Also, have you thought about being a paramedic? Less training time and you still get that rush you're looking for.

I mean it sounds like you won't be happy until you're in EM. But yes, you might want to shadow an EM doc to see if all those science classes/etc are worth it for you.

A lot of people consider med school a sacrifice, since not very many enjoy it. But you do it to end up doing what you love. It's what gets me through the subjects that may not be my favorite. I have to say though, it seems to fly by quickly even though it was a grind at times. It felt like just yesterday I was starting day 1.

Also, personally I never want to be one of those people that go 'what if?' So I give it my best shot day by day and if it still doesn't work out then I won't have any regrets. Maybe it's naive, but I'm looking forward to clinical years/residency where what I'm learning might actually be relevant. So maybe it won't be 4 years + residency worth of sacrifice for you. It could just be 2 years of having to study all the time.

This is coming from a guy who was going into EM till about 8 months ago.

If all you really want is an adrenaline "rush" then you are most likely going into the wrong specialty. You say that you know all the pros and cons, but (and no offense intended) you sound like a person who's main experience with EM is by watching George Clooney on TV.

The fact is that the vast majority of EM is primary care for the dregs of the patient population. The drug seeking, trailor-park-dwelling, 2-pack-a-day-smoking, government-check-collecting, lawsuit-seeking, with some minor, and probably psychosomatic complaint is the norm in emergency medicine.

Most of the time, you are not saving lives. Most of the time you are triaging patients with non-emergent complaints, working them up just enough to know who's service to consult. You will have the express joy of then having your clinical judgement questioned by every other physician in the hospital (not an overstatement).

Maybe 10 percent of the time you will get a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma. But in most large hospitals nowadays, there are special teams who treat these cases and the ER doc doesn't do much.

Based on your description, it sounds you're not really into medical school that much. You just like the idea (your idea) of what EM is. I don't know, that sounds like an awful lot of crud to wade through just to do something that you might not like doing in the first place.

Medical school is very hard. It is emotionally, physically, and financially draining, and I have seen more people than I like to admit realize too late that medicine isn't really for them.

If you want to lay it all on the line just for EM, you had better be absolutely sure that EM (The really EM, not the one in your mind) is what you actually want to do.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

I love EM, it perfectly fits my adrenaline junkie personality. I know there are many jobs out there for this personality type, but I also am attracted to EM for the intellectual challenge and the fact that I will be saving lives. I am aware of the pros, cons, and misconceptions about EM, so I know what I would be getting into if I ever make it there.

Here's the thing. I don't love any other specialty, including internal medicine. And while I do enjoy learning, I don't particularly love biochemistry, gross anatomy or most other science courses that would be part of a medical school curriculum. Also, while I think it is extremely rewarding to save lives, it is not the primary reason I want to practice EM. When I think of being an EM doctor, what I am attracted to the most is the "rush" aspect. If I were to become an internist, I wouldn't feel like I "love" my job. I think I'd enjoy it, but that's it.

Finally, I have heard many people say that medical school and residency are not worth it if you have another passion in life. I do have another passion - accounting/economics/finance. I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

Bolded doesn't sound like EM.

Agreed with the above post, EM isn't about a rush, it's about medicine. I know you think you're confused, but it doesn't sound like medicine will be a good choice. I think you'd be surprised how often EM physicians act like an internist. It sounds like you have a television view of EM. There are many EM guys double boarding in things like critical care medicine (which is controlled by internal medicine).

Go do finance.

Originally Posted by seelee

Maybe 10 percent of the time you will get a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma. But in most large hospitals nowadays, there are special teams who treat these cases and the ER doc doesn't do much.

QFT. I like you wanted to do EM coming into school and your post essentially highlights why I have decided against it. The above is something I never considered, good point.

OP, be a paramedic or look into becoming a medic in the military.

Medicine isn't really for "adrenaline junkies." (Unless it's in your small amount of free time)

I am really just echoing what the others have said, but I just finished doing my EM rotation at a level I trauma center known for crazy happenings and I was bored out of my mind for over 75% of it. There certainly were a few cool things that occurred along the way and some major teaching points, but EM was one of the most boring rotations I have completed to date (I have completed all of my cores). If your looking for an adrenaline rush, go jump out of a plane. The high's are few and far between with EM.

I also don't mean to bash anyone doing EM, it is an important field. It is just not for me, nor do I feel like it is for adrenaline junkies.

OP,

Many people go to med school to do X specialty, at least 50% of these people end up in something different. You really don't know what you'll love. It's like asking a junior high student to chose a college major, but more complicated than that.

I would not go into medicine with an "EM or bust" mentality. How do you know you'll do well enough to match in EM? How do you know that you'll be able to find a program where you want to live?

The "adrenaline junkie" thing makes me cringe. Most people who say stuff like this end up being among the most ineffective physicians in the hospital. 1% of my job is adrenaline laced and unlike things like downhill skiing the most critical things that happen in the ED are not like sports, they are like a difficult math problem that you have to work out before someone dies. Experienced ER docs get to where things like codes are not so exciting and they are more thinking about downstream management, when to involve family, etc. Very rarely are we walking out of a room and high-fiving. It does happen, just not very often.

The things I frankly get the biggest kick out of now are the personal interactions. Yeah I like slamming in a chest tube or hitting a difficult airway but these at the end of the day are technical skills, you could easily teach a good paramedic to put in a chest tube.

Finally, if you are an adrenaline junkie, why are you interested in finance? Choosing between EM and accounting is not a typical choice, I think most of us would have ended up in business, law, or teaching.



P.S. I'm a senior EM resident.

That "adrenaline" is the feeling of perceived danger. Hopefully you are not actually doing dangerous things, but the perception that things are dangerous or out of your control gives you that rise, i.e. a roller coaster or sky diving.

Besides all the listed reasons that EM is nothing like it is portrayed, even those times where you get crazy cases, the goal of a good medical professional is to minimize those factors that take you out of control. It's the hallmark of a great paramedic or EM doc to walk into a bloody screaming mess and handle it cool calm and collected. The better you are at your job, the more that it's just a job and not something to get a rise.

Try raising wild animals or whatever Tom Cruise did at the beginning of one of the Mission Impossibles if you want a good dose of adrenaline.

OP, credentials? Why is this in allo and not pre allo? Are u a current Med student and have you done your EM clerkship?

Originally Posted by Mdard

That "adrenaline" is the feeling of perceived danger. Hopefully you are not actually doing dangerous things, but the perception that things are dangerous or out of your control gives you that rise, i.e. a roller coaster or sky diving.

Besides all the listed reasons that EM is nothing like it is portrayed, even those times where you get crazy cases, the goal of a good medical professional is to minimize those factors that take you out of control. It's the hallmark of a great paramedic or EM doc to walk into a bloody screaming mess and handle it cool calm and collected. The better you are at your job, the more that it's just a job and not something to get a rise.

Try raising wild animals or whatever Tom Cruise did at the beginning of one of the Mission Impossibles if you want a good dose of adrenaline.

Well said. If I'm having an MI or just got out of a car wreck I don't want my EM doc to be getting a rise out of the situation, I want him or her completely cool and collected, assessing the situation dispassionately and delivering optimal care efficiently.

I don't know where all of you guys rotated or when, but at our program, we get a good amount of really sick people. Plus most of the sniffles and back pain go to the mid level pod. I would say in our physician pods, we have a 30% admit rate of some really sick people. Plus we get a constant stream of trauma. I don't know what your schools are like but our ED is pretty nice.

Originally Posted by Mdard

Try raising wild animals or whatever Tom Cruise did at the beginning of one of the Mission Impossibles if you want a good dose of adrenaline.

He was in Russian prison at the beginning of Ghost Protocol...do not recommend.

Anyway, to beat a dead horse, EM is usually IM for the poor and/or overconcerned parents. Lots of asthma, people running out of their medications, children with the common cold.

Even when there is some trauma, it's usually boring. During one ER shift we had a guy with a head laceration from being pistol whipped. After an H and P that included a full neuro exam, I got to irrigate his wound for 20 minutes before stapling it together in 2 mins.

Basically, to be an EM doc, you need to know a lot of what the IM docs know, except when things actually get exciting diagnostically, you have to hand your patient over to IM.

Hey guys. Thanks, I appreciate all your responses.

I'm not imagining EM to be like it is on T.V., and I have shadowed in the ER. When I say the "rush" aspect, I meant to say the uncertainty involved, sort of like, not knowing what to expect. And perhaps I'm naive, but I like the idea of strange cases coming in, whether it be drug addicts, alcoholics, or other weird cases. And I know that 90% of the time it's repetitive stuff - abdominal pain, chest pain, back pain. But then you randomly get a trauma out of the blue, and totally without expectation. That's what I like about it - the "not knowing what you're gonna get" thing.

Also, what do you guys think of the "if you have another interest in life, go for that, don't go for med school" thing? Would you say that is true? Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

Hey guys. Thanks, I appreciate all your responses.

I'm not imagining EM to be like it is on T.V., and I have shadowed in the ER. When I say the "rush" aspect, I meant to say the uncertainty involved, sort of like, not knowing what to expect. And perhaps I'm naive, but I like the idea of strange cases coming in, whether it be drug addicts, alcoholics, or other weird cases. And I know that 90% of the time it's repetitive stuff - abdominal pain, chest pain, back pain. But then you randomly get a trauma out of the blue, and totally without expectation. That's what I like about it - the "not knowing what you're gonna get" thing.

Also, what do you guys think of the "if you have another interest in life, go for that, don't go for med school" thing? Would you say that is true? Thanks again.

Yep. If there's another career that's pulling at you and still looks attractive, give it a shot. Med school will still be here if it doesn't work out.

And "strange cases like drug addicts, alcoholics..." will be fun for a week or two, max.

Also, what do you guys think of the "if you have another interest in life, go for that, don't go for med school" thing?

I think that's generally pretty decent advice. As someone who enjoyed other things before med school, I probably wouldn't travel this path again, knowing what I know now. That's not to say that I don't like medicine a lot - I do - but the sacrifices you have to make along the way are extreme.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

I think that's generally pretty decent advice. As someone who enjoyed other things before med school, I probably wouldn't travel this path again, knowing what I know now. That's not to say that I don't like medicine a lot - I do - but the sacrifices you have to make along the way are extreme.

I don't think I would do it again, but every time I think that I realize I have no idea what I'd be doing right now instead. Doing any of the things I'm really interested in as a career would be a massive gamble, and I'm not a gambler.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

I love EM, it perfectly fits my adrenaline junkie personality. I know there are many jobs out there for this personality type, but I also am attracted to EM for the intellectual challenge and the fact that I will be saving lives. I am aware of the pros, cons, and misconceptions about EM, so I know what I would be getting into if I ever make it there.

Here's the thing. I don't love any other specialty, including internal medicine. And while I do enjoy learning, I don't particularly love biochemistry, gross anatomy or most other science courses that would be part of a medical school curriculum. Also, while I think it is extremely rewarding to save lives, it is not the primary reason I want to practice EM. When I think of being an EM doctor, what I am attracted to the most is the "rush" aspect. If I were to become an internist, I wouldn't feel like I "love" my job. I think I'd enjoy it, but that's it.

Finally, I have heard many people say that medical school and residency are not worth it if you have another passion in life. I do have another passion - accounting/economics/finance. I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

Why don't you do surgery instead

Originally Posted by Smiths11

I love EM, it perfectly fits my adrenaline junkie personality. I know there are many jobs out there for this personality type, but I also am attracted to EM for the intellectual challenge and the fact that I will be saving lives. I am aware of the pros, cons, and misconceptions about EM, so I know what I would be getting into if I ever make it there.

Here's the thing. I don't love any other specialty, including internal medicine. And while I do enjoy learning, I don't particularly love biochemistry, gross anatomy or most other science courses that would be part of a medical school curriculum. Also, while I think it is extremely rewarding to save lives, it is not the primary reason I want to practice EM. When I think of being an EM doctor, what I am attracted to the most is the "rush" aspect. If I were to become an internist, I wouldn't feel like I "love" my job. I think I'd enjoy it, but that's it.

Finally, I have heard many people say that medical school and residency are not worth it if you have another passion in life. I do have another passion - accounting/economics/finance. I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

You sound like a Pre-med, which I am not holding against you. As a pre-med, one may believe that being an 'adrenaline junkie' or whatever is the type of personality for being an EM doctor sadly portrayed by some TV shows.

To really learn about EM, volunteer in the Emergency room of a hospital and/or shadow an ER physician.

But as above posters have mentioned, you will be dealing with a lot of silly complaints a lot of the time but if you after shadowing/volunteering you feel like you like it, then go for it.

Hope this helps

P.S. Having a 'passion for med school' is one thing. Going and experiencing it is a whole other thing. Just make sure you are making an informed decision.

Originally Posted by seelee

This is coming from a guy who was going into EM till about 8 months ago.

If all you really want is an adrenaline "rush" then you are most likely going into the wrong specialty. You say that you know all the pros and cons, but (and no offense intended) you sound like a person who's main experience with EM is by watching George Clooney on TV.

The fact is that the vast majority of EM is primary care for the dregs of the patient population. The drug seeking, trailor-park-dwelling, 2-pack-a-day-smoking, government-check-collecting, lawsuit-seeking, with some minor, and probably psychosomatic complaint is the norm in emergency medicine.

Most of the time, you are not saving lives. Most of the time you are triaging patients with non-emergent complaints, working them up just enough to know who's service to consult. You will have the express joy of then having your clinical judgement questioned by every other physician in the hospital (not an overstatement).

Lol. Even as a pre-med this is obvious to me. The nurses and doctors make fun of people who come in because they know they won't be able to pay. Most ER visits that I saw during shadowing weren't even real emergencies. There were a lot of old people that came in with various broken bones. The only "cool" (well, tragic) thing I saw was a chick who came in with constipation ... and it turns out she had a HUGE, cantaloupe-sized ovarian tumor growing inside of her!!! Not even an emergency, of course, but very interesting.

Originally Posted by seelee

This is coming from a guy who was going into EM till about 8 months ago.

If all you really want is an adrenaline "rush" then you are most likely going into the wrong specialty. You say that you know all the pros and cons, but (and no offense intended) you sound like a person who's main experience with EM is by watching George Clooney on TV.

The fact is that the vast majority of EM is primary care for the dregs of the patient population. The drug seeking, trailor-park-dwelling, 2-pack-a-day-smoking, government-check-collecting, lawsuit-seeking, with some minor, and probably psychosomatic complaint is the norm in emergency medicine.

Most of the time, you are not saving lives. Most of the time you are triaging patients with non-emergent complaints, working them up just enough to know who's service to consult. You will have the express joy of then having your clinical judgement questioned by every other physician in the hospital (not an overstatement).

Maybe 10 percent of the time you will get a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma. But in most large hospitals nowadays, there are special teams who treat these cases and the ER doc doesn't do much.

Based on your description, it sounds you're not really into medical school that much. You just like the idea (your idea) of what EM is. I don't know, that sounds like an awful lot of crud to wade through just to do something that you might not like doing in the first place.

Medical school is very hard. It is emotionally, physically, and financially draining, and I have seen more people than I like to admit realize too late that medicine isn't really for them.

If you want to lay it all on the line just for EM, you had better be absolutely sure that EM (The really EM, not the one in your mind) is what you actually want to do.

Good post.

Have you decided which specialty you'd like to pursue instead?

There is one more thing that you have to consider. You have shadowed for a few weeks. That means that every single thing you saw was new a "first" for you.

The first time you sew up a lac, the first abscess that you drain, the first time you see a coke-addled homeless person, those are all exciting times.

After you have done those over and over again, they stop being exciting and start being tedious work.

This isn't specific to EM either. EVERYTHING becomes tedious.

What you have to figure out is whether your job will still be bearable when the novelty has worn off.

Hey OP I have a suggestion: look in to obgyn. It was the one rotation I really felt like I got that rush a good number of times each day and especially on ob. Sure the reputation among some med students for that rotation is poor but the field can be a good rush on the ob wards. Biggest rush was running down 6 flights of stairs at 2 am because a woman was giving birth outside the hospital on the street! Other rushes include literally sprinting to the OR with the patient because of fetal demise. This stuff happens more times than you think and is unpredictable.

I haven't done my EM rotation yet but I second the fact that most things that happen in EM are primary care related in some way. Though the people who go into it just love the rush that does occur 10% of the time and more often in big trauma centers at night. You never know what's going to walk in the door.

Looking back on it I can say with certainty that I did not know what I was getting myself into before I came to med school. I was very dead set on surgery before starting but will be applying internal medicine. I think med school is a tough choice and I'm not entire sure why I went beyond it was what I always figured I would do and studied (got good grades forever). So it's impossible to say if you'll like it. Now I definitely cannot see myself doing anything else outside of medicine. It can be a highly rewarding field no matter what area you practice be it surgery, medicine, peds, etc.

I suggest trying to go shadow a ER doc and I would say an OB doc on the wards (if one lets you) but don't expect to really understand what is going on. Likely you'll find it boring simply because you don't have any knowledge of medicine. If you honestly cannot see yourself working in accounting I'd say do med school. It's a solid career with good stability and will always have good pay in the future (though may be a little less than it is now). You'll find something once you rotate through different fields.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

I love EM, it perfectly fits my adrenaline junkie personality. I know there are many jobs out there for this personality type, but I also am attracted to EM for the intellectual challenge and the fact that I will be saving lives. I am aware of the pros, cons, and misconceptions about EM, so I know what I would be getting into if I ever make it there.

Here's the thing. I don't love any other specialty, including internal medicine. And while I do enjoy learning, I don't particularly love biochemistry, gross anatomy or most other science courses that would be part of a medical school curriculum. Also, while I think it is extremely rewarding to save lives, it is not the primary reason I want to practice EM. When I think of being an EM doctor, what I am attracted to the most is the "rush" aspect. If I were to become an internist, I wouldn't feel like I "love" my job. I think I'd enjoy it, but that's it.

Finally, I have heard many people say that medical school and residency are not worth it if you have another passion in life. I do have another passion - accounting/economics/finance. I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

You lost me right there.

Remember, it's not your emergency!

Originally Posted by Smiths11

Hey guys. Thanks, I appreciate all your responses.

I'm not imagining EM to be like it is on T.V., and I have shadowed in the ER. When I say the "rush" aspect, I meant to say the uncertainty involved, sort of like, not knowing what to expect. And perhaps I'm naive, but I like the idea of strange cases coming in, whether it be drug addicts, alcoholics, or other weird cases. And I know that 90% of the time it's repetitive stuff - abdominal pain, chest pain, back pain. But then you randomly get a trauma out of the blue, and totally without expectation. That's what I like about it - the "not knowing what you're gonna get" thing.

Also, what do you guys think of the "if you have another interest in life, go for that, don't go for med school" thing? Would you say that is true? Thanks again.

Yeah managing the airway while trauma surgery runs the trauma is fun huh?

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Yeah managing the airway while trauma surgery runs the trauma is fun huh?

You don't necessarily get to even do that. I recall several traumas of super obese patients that have needed anesthesia to do the airway. Between them and trauma surg, the EM docs have little room around the gurney...

Originally Posted by colbgw02

You lost me right there.

Its a tough job those ER guys/gals do and I wouldnt want to be the one doing it, but I did lol at that statement too.

OP, that type of thinking would usually be found in more of Internal Medicine specialty. I wanted similar things - critical thinking, occasional emergencies - Thats why I'm going into Cards with possibly Interventional. Lots of critical thinking, and occasional adrenaline rush with treating dangerous rhythms or go interventional and treat STEMIs. But most of the time its not an adrenaline rush at all.

Originally Posted by seelee

This is coming from a guy who was going into EM till about 8 months ago.

If all you really want is an adrenaline "rush" then you are most likely going into the wrong specialty. You say that you know all the pros and cons, but (and no offense intended) you sound like a person who's main experience with EM is by watching George Clooney on TV.

The fact is that the vast majority of EM is primary care for the dregs of the patient population. The drug seeking, trailor-park-dwelling, 2-pack-a-day-smoking, government-check-collecting, lawsuit-seeking, with some minor, and probably psychosomatic complaint is the norm in emergency medicine.

Most of the time, you are not saving lives. Most of the time you are triaging patients with non-emergent complaints, working them up just enough to know who's service to consult. You will have the express joy of then having your clinical judgement questioned by every other physician in the hospital (not an overstatement).

Maybe 10 percent of the time you will get a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma. But in most large hospitals nowadays, there are special teams who treat these cases and the ER doc doesn't do much.

Based on your description, it sounds you're not really into medical school that much. You just like the idea (your idea) of what EM is. I don't know, that sounds like an awful lot of crud to wade through just to do something that you might not like doing in the first place.

Medical school is very hard. It is emotionally, physically, and financially draining, and I have seen more people than I like to admit realize too late that medicine isn't really for them.

If you want to lay it all on the line just for EM, you had better be absolutely sure that EM (The really EM, not the one in your mind) is what you actually want to do.

Agree completely.

Originally Posted by colbgw02

You lost me right there.

Says the radiologist. Why don't you get back to writing evasive statements in your reports that say a whole lot of nothing or let Nighthawk do the reads for you.

Why don't you look into surgery?

Whatever your job is, you will spend a huge chunk of your waking hours doing it for the rest of your life. Pick whatever job you think you'll enjoy most, find most rewarding, and have the most fun at. Med school is only four years. The rest of your life is *the rest of your life*. You don't want to avoid a job you'll enjoy more over the course of 40 years because you don't want to spend 4 years in medical school.

However medical school is so expensive that once you start, there's little chance to turn back.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

Hey guys. Thanks, I appreciate all your responses.

I'm not imagining EM to be like it is on T.V., and I have shadowed in the ER. When I say the "rush" aspect, I meant to say the uncertainty involved, sort of like, not knowing what to expect. And perhaps I'm naive, but I like the idea of strange cases coming in, whether it be drug addicts, alcoholics, or other weird cases. And I know that 90% of the time it's repetitive stuff - abdominal pain, chest pain, back pain. But then you randomly get a trauma out of the blue, and totally without expectation. That's what I like about it - the "not knowing what you're gonna get" thing.

Also, what do you guys think of the "if you have another interest in life, go for that, don't go for med school" thing? Would you say that is true? Thanks again.

The more you say, the more it sounds like you want to be a Paramedic. You actually usually know what is coming your way in the ED. I work in EMS on the weekend, and am the cardiology tech in the ED once a month in my full-time job. EMS will always give the receiving hospital a heads up if there is a STEMI/Trauma/Stork pt on the way and the corresponding specialist will be there waiting. Also, traumas are usually pretty damn boring. 8/10 patients are just blunt trauma, get a head to toe, CT, etc, and no require no real life-saving interventions. STEMIs will be managed by cards. Your main unstable pts that you will save will be respiratory - which will come in via EMS most likely and who will already have called in and started managing the pt.

On an Ambulance, it's high speed, low drag, and you never really know what you are walking into. You are the one that usually saves that persons life.

Originally Posted by Packman2003

On an Ambulance, it's high speed, low drag, and you never really know what you are walking into. You are the one that usually saves that persons life.

I mostly disagree with this statement. You, being a premed, probably dont really understand everything that goes into being a EM physician. To you it may seem simple that EMS responds to the chest pain, trauma, cardiac arrest, etc and as the one that is going to save the cardiac arrest that needs rapid defibrillation out of his v-tach/v-fib. But EMS is not going to save the septic nursing home patient, the person with a PE, tension pneumo, the person with bacterial meningitis, the peds patient with the atypical appendicitis presentation, the unusual presenting MI, the ruptured ectopic, etc. All these are potentially life threatening conditions that are recognized and diagnosed by the ED physician. Having worked in EMS and the ED for many years prior to med school I now understand the limits of EMS and how much you really dont know. Also, realized how much thinking goes on in EM physician's heads with every patient. Sure, they are not going fix the person's STEMI because they are not interventional cardiologist, but they are going to be able to recognize that subtle presentation of a MI and not send them home to possibly die.

To me the exciting parts of EMS were trauma and full arrests. Those are both places where EMS plays a HUGE impact on patient outcomes, but do not try and say that EMS is usually the people saving the patient's life. There is so much more to it than that.

That is true. I guess I just got going on my EMS pedestal. What I mean is, when the **** hits the fan, what you do in that first 10 minutes to an hour can make or break that pts survival. The point of my post is that EMS provides what the OP seems to desire better than the ED.

Originally Posted by sylvanthus

Says the radiologist. Why don't you get back to writing evasive statements in your reports that say a whole lot of nothing or let Nighthawk do the reads for you.

Originally Posted by sylvanthus

Says the radiologist. Why don't you get back to writing evasive statements in your reports that say a whole lot of nothing or let Nighthawk do the reads for you.

I lol'ed.

Why don't you go back to being the "witch" doctor and figure out "which" doctor to call for every patient rolling through the ED.

See that was fun right? FYI, I think ED docs are extremely important as are every specialty. But it is not okay to **** on other specialties like you know what they are about as a med student.

The rads resident said what he said because overnight the ED studies keep him busy constantly due to the knee jerk imaging.

I see, so it is ok to **** on other specialties once you become a resident/attending? That is some awesome logic right there.

Originally Posted by Smiths11

I am more attracted to EM than I am to these subjects, however. So are the 4 years school + 3-4 years residency worth it if I do have this other passion, even though it's not as strong of a passion as EM?

Please don't mock me or get angry. I am seriously confused about this and it is making me really scared. I see people that have a passion and know exactly what to do with their life, and that's phenomenal. But having more than one passion seems like a curse.

Thanks for all your help.

Why don't you consider training to become a PA? They work EM and often have a lot of flexibility. Those who get in at a place that runs on shift work are often able to arrange their schedules so that they can have something like 45 days off or something. They can also work more and earn more.

The biggest benefit of this route for you would be the fact that if you decide down the line that you want some variation in your life, you can just switch fields and need only on-the-job training. Very few are restricted. Anesthesia require additional schooling but that's about it.

Originally Posted by ColeMine

Why don't you consider training to become a PA? They work EM and often have a lot of flexibility. Those who get in at a place that runs on shift work are often able to arrange their schedules so that they can have something like 45 days off or something. They can also work more and earn more.

The biggest benefit of this route for you would be the fact that if you decide down the line that you want some variation in your life, you can just switch fields and need only on-the-job training. Very few are restricted. Anesthesia require additional schooling but that's about it.

I'll never understand people on the allopathic forum recommending PA school or nursing. It's like you're in officer candidate school recommending someone enlist.