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- Nov 27, 2009
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I apologize if Im in the wrong place for this thread.. Im an indecisive 4th year student trying to decide between these two very different specialties and Im interested to know what other people think as Ive talked to friends and family and still haven't made up my mind...
I found out pretty quick into 3rd year that I was more interested in med than surgery and I really hated long term follow up/care and office based work.... I much prefer being in the hospital... Ive narrowed my choices down to ER and rads
With that being said, I like the two specialties for the variety of cases you see which make it anything but monotonous... I also like the independence you have when on the job and the fact that there's no call (very little for rads) and you have alot of free time for things outside of medicine...
Im kinda a nerd, I honestly liked the preclinical courses and being in lecture at my school and learning about all aspects of medicine while the rest of my classmates dreaded it... With this said, Im a cerebral person and I want a job that involves a lot of mental stimulation and I know that radiology offers that while ER lacks it at times.... I also don't mind not seeing patients... and on all my other rotations, Ive spent a lot of time looking at images
Im on ER now and I was kinda disappointed when I first started by the number of drug seekers and patients using the ED for runny noses/pcp issues... I do however like the challenge of working up an abdominal pain case for example and knowing just by the H and P that the patients has appendicitis... I like the procedures and the fact that ER docs have to know a little (or a lot) about EVERYTHING in medicine... I also enjoy the trauma aspect and the adrenaline rush of being involved in a code...
Outside of medicine, I have many interest and I want a job that allows me to enjoy them... I love traveling and I like the idea of being able to work abroad (for mission work, or otherwise).... I did a mission trip as a 2nd year in Peru which I loved.. during my 4th year, Im doing rotations in Mexico and Africa and I want to incorporate this into my future career... Ive looked around the web and talked to a few people and it doesn't seem like there are many opportunities for international work as a radiologist...
Im torn between doing something that I would be happy with years down the line (rads) and something that I know will be super fulfilling in the short term and allow me the freedom to travel and the ease of finding a job in a different city or state (EM)...
Im a DO student, unmarried, no extra baggage..... my board scores and grades are all really good and I think Id have a good shot at both specialties... although I don't have a rads letter and may have trouble getting one on such short notice
Im thinking of applying to both and deciding which one I like more later on (in a few months when I do audition rotations)...
Is it feasible to find a 3 year ER program, do it for a few years, then do a rads residency later on?
How difficult is it to switch to/from ER or rads as a pgy1 or 2?
Im about ready to just flip a coin so any advice would be much appreciated.... thanks
I found out pretty quick into 3rd year that I was more interested in med than surgery and I really hated long term follow up/care and office based work.... I much prefer being in the hospital... Ive narrowed my choices down to ER and rads
With that being said, I like the two specialties for the variety of cases you see which make it anything but monotonous... I also like the independence you have when on the job and the fact that there's no call (very little for rads) and you have alot of free time for things outside of medicine...
Im kinda a nerd, I honestly liked the preclinical courses and being in lecture at my school and learning about all aspects of medicine while the rest of my classmates dreaded it... With this said, Im a cerebral person and I want a job that involves a lot of mental stimulation and I know that radiology offers that while ER lacks it at times.... I also don't mind not seeing patients... and on all my other rotations, Ive spent a lot of time looking at images
Im on ER now and I was kinda disappointed when I first started by the number of drug seekers and patients using the ED for runny noses/pcp issues... I do however like the challenge of working up an abdominal pain case for example and knowing just by the H and P that the patients has appendicitis... I like the procedures and the fact that ER docs have to know a little (or a lot) about EVERYTHING in medicine... I also enjoy the trauma aspect and the adrenaline rush of being involved in a code...
Outside of medicine, I have many interest and I want a job that allows me to enjoy them... I love traveling and I like the idea of being able to work abroad (for mission work, or otherwise).... I did a mission trip as a 2nd year in Peru which I loved.. during my 4th year, Im doing rotations in Mexico and Africa and I want to incorporate this into my future career... Ive looked around the web and talked to a few people and it doesn't seem like there are many opportunities for international work as a radiologist...
Im torn between doing something that I would be happy with years down the line (rads) and something that I know will be super fulfilling in the short term and allow me the freedom to travel and the ease of finding a job in a different city or state (EM)...
Im a DO student, unmarried, no extra baggage..... my board scores and grades are all really good and I think Id have a good shot at both specialties... although I don't have a rads letter and may have trouble getting one on such short notice
Im thinking of applying to both and deciding which one I like more later on (in a few months when I do audition rotations)...
Is it feasible to find a 3 year ER program, do it for a few years, then do a rads residency later on?
How difficult is it to switch to/from ER or rads as a pgy1 or 2?
Im about ready to just flip a coin so any advice would be much appreciated.... thanks