- Joined
- Jun 12, 2014
- Messages
- 188
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- 97
I agree. GI is a one-trick pony and is popular only because medical students have the perception of scoping = $$$. If reimbursements are cut (which they probably will be), then GI would be no more popular than Endo or Rheum. Also see the rise of nurse endoscopists, which makes sense because much of GI is a relatively simple technical procedure. The physician is needed mostly to evaluate an image of the colon.
I definitely see your point, but disagree that it is a "one trick pony." I love GI because it allows me to focus on a single system (and therefore can know MORE about LESS, which I prefer) with a relatively simple physiology (again, preferred by me), with a vast variety of pathology (owing to the multiple organs that function as a single unit of "digestion").
Like microbiology? GI's got it.
What about autoimmune? Check.
Hmmm...oncology? Yep.
Psychosocial issues? Uh huh.
Metabolic medicine? Si.
Environmental? Da.
Procedural skills? You betcha.
GI entails all the fun of getting to use your IM diagnostic skills AND the added awesomeness of being a procedural special ops agent.
Honestly, even the lowest paying field in medicine is still 6 figures...that's much, much more than most people make. I'll take GI for the medical content, the money will come and go as legislators please...I don't have the time, tolerance, or willingness to give a colonic cast about it.