leaving surgical residency for consulting?

[JJ110]

Hi folks,

Been perusing prior threads re: health care consulting and found them very helpful, but didn't see too much discussion about leaving mid-residency. Any thoughts on this?

1) Specifically, what are my options if I leave mid-residency vs. wait until completing? For those who leave mid-residency, what are the exit options after consulting?
I'm concerned that if consulting doesn't work out (since there's much talk about burnout after 2-3 years, the "up and out" culture, etc), and I leave mid-residency, I'll have completely burnt all my bridges.

2) But if I wait until the end of residency, but go straight into consulting and don't practice on my own, do I still have options for going back to clinical medicine?

3) any thoughts on medicine vs. consulting from those who
a) left consulting for medicine, and are either in residency or are attendings now
b) left medicine for consulting, either mid-residency or right after completing residency?

About me: I'm in my 2nd year (out of 5) in a competitive surgical residency in a major east coast US city. I'm thinking about this summer, and possibly leaving at the end of 3rd year.

Stats: Top 5ish undergrad (think H/Y/P/Stanford/MIT etc), little known state med school but attended on merit scholarship. Grades around top 25-50% for both college and undergrad (not super high). Test scores mostly >95 percentile. Background in both science and humanities, but zero finance experience (ie, would probably have to prep a fair bit for interviews, assuming I get them).

Reasons for wanting to leave:
-I'm pretty unsatisfied with my current job after an entire year (I don't count my transitional intern year, since it was not a true reflection of what I'd be doing full time), and prolonging it just to finish seems fairly pointless most days
-I believe my overall dissatisfaction has probably less to do with my particular residency spot, and has more due to general career dissatisfaction (ie, I would not want to switch specialties or programs; I have always been ambivalent about medicine- I like it, but I am not one of those people that can't imagine doing anything else; I miss the more global / strategic thinking that I used to do for science research projects or public policy work)
-Work-life balance (I'm aware that consulting is long hours, but from what I can tell, the 60-80 hours/week with weekends off, traveling, and other benefits sound much more humane than surgical residency). I actually enjoy working internationally/traveling and wouldn't mind this for a few years, and miss being able to do so during residency. After all, switching time zones can't be too much worse than q3-4 call... and seems like project emails can't get any worse than a pager! Please correct me if I'm wrong...
-possibly greater career flexibility- able to transition to different jobs/cities/projects over shorter periods of time, if so desired (q2-3 years)? as opposed to staying locked into a practice group/setting/city for 5-10 years at a time. (currently no significant others/children, and I only see my family a few times a year anyway due to busy work schedule, so this would not be a factor)

Reasons for not wanting to leave:
-I have average social skills, and somewhat below average butt kissing skills... can skate by in medicine, but probably less so in business, although i have been known to step it up when necessary
-zero finance experience- will take a lot longer to catch up to MBAs, etc
-loss of job/career stability- although I think I'm ok with not returning to clinical medicine, IF good exit options exist and I have a fairly decent chance of landing one of them
-I like procedures/surgery- and previously desk jobs bored me to tears- although these days I can think of other hobbies that would easily fill that void if I had extra weekends and less hammer paging/emailing (I was never surgery or nothing, more like I couldn't stand non-surgical rounds and slow-moving attendings/residents!)

Thanks!

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[DrJosephKim]

I suggest you speak with some consultants before you make any firm conclusions about the work/life balance. If you speak to some private practice attending surgeons who are playing golf every week, they'll tell you that they love their work/life balance. You have to climb the corporate ladder in the consulting world to get to that level of work/life balance.

Generally speaking, consultants who are just starting out are often working more than 60-80 hrs/week and they're still doing work on the weekends. Plus, all the traveling (often in excess of 50-70%) can be very difficult on home/family life. Business travel may sound fun and exotic, but it can get old very quickly (especially if you have a family).

My suggestion: consider switching to a different medical specialty.

 

[JJ110]

Dr. Kim,

Thanks for the response. Work/life balance is not the only reason I'm thinking of leaving, but I'm curious whether you think the "junior consultant" lifestyle applies to those entering at the advanced practice degree level as well. I have been told that while few MDs are hired, if they are, they are generally started on the grade as MBAs, etc (although I don't doubt that there may be extra work involved due to the learning curve).

As I mentioned above, I'm really not interested in staying in medicine for any other specialty. I've had strong experiences in research and public policy, and miss the big picture/strategic critical thinking that I used to do in those fields. While treating each patient individually is interesting, I increasingly feel like the practice of medicine is more algorithmic than anything else, and leaves little room for creative thinking unless one branches out to startups, research, etc. When I look at how attendings practice, this doesn't seem dramatically different, although I agree that my exposure to private practice is limited.

I'm definitely talking to those in consulting, but was looking for perspectives from those who may have had experience in both medicine and consulting, and why they chose to leave one for the other.

Thanks!

 

[ketosisevangelist]

The people who have been in your shoes are busy with their evolution.

The people who are not in your shoes are curious as to where you will end up.

The people whose shoes you have worn say "good riddance" because they envy your evolution.

Reinventing yourself is tough.

I wish you well.

 

[Flent4]

Nice post!