I'm almost done with my intern year in gas and I think I made the wrong decision. I got to rotate in EM and I actually enjoyed it more. I think this is mainly pertaining to the fact that I had to show up for 16 shifts in the month vs every day with exception to two weekends during my anesthesia months. I see horror stories about anesthesia reimbursements dwindling including job opportunities (my faculty encourages everyone to get a fellowship to even land a decent job). The only reason I did not pursue EM as a med student was because I saw how a lot of my EM attendings were unhappy and kept mentioning that they hated their lives (had to do with annoying patients and consulted physicians). After my 6th day in OR running around like crazy , I learned that at the end of residency I'm gonna have to find a job which will pay somewhat decent only if I continue to work as a resident with frequent call and weekends. I think I give up. I miss my family, I miss having some days off and I really miss diagnosing and treating. Is transferring to an EM residency worth it?
switching into EM?
- Thread starter drox
- Start date
You will still miss your family, you still will miss your days off.
It isnt that much different during residency or the real world. U will be working holidays weekends and nights. Your rotation in the ed was nice because the expectations were low. If u want to disgnose some pts see a buttload and work all hours , it is a rewarding job but it aint weekdays only
Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
It isnt that much different during residency or the real world. U will be working holidays weekends and nights. Your rotation in the ed was nice because the expectations were low. If u want to disgnose some pts see a buttload and work all hours , it is a rewarding job but it aint weekdays only
Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
- Messages
- 1,847
- Reaction score
- 2,515
Keep in mind that as an off-service intern you're not getting the whole picture of EM. Managing the whole ED can be extremely stressful. You will work odd hours, including tons of evenings and overnights as well as weekends and holidays. Moreover, an 8 hour shift in the ED is equal to 12 hours on the floor, as far as how tired you will be at the end of it.
EM is a great field and has lots of pros to it. Just make sure you actually like the work itself as opposed to switchig to it just for a perceived lifestyle.
I really think medical students and off-service interns (and even our own interns sometimes) don't truly "get it" because they are not dealing with the stress of taking care of the ED overall.
EM is a great field and has lots of pros to it. Just make sure you actually like the work itself as opposed to switchig to it just for a perceived lifestyle.
I really think medical students and off-service interns (and even our own interns sometimes) don't truly "get it" because they are not dealing with the stress of taking care of the ED overall.
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2010
- Messages
- 10,253
- Reaction score
- 13,578
Right. They manage one or two patients at a time (not really responsible for them, but "following" them) and don't truly feel the pressure of the flood gates being open.
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2010
- Messages
- 10,253
- Reaction score
- 13,578
Double post
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2009
- Messages
- 459
- Reaction score
- 23
This is really untrue.
As an off service intern I was pushing myself to see 20 patients a shift. My attendings were always impressed by my pacing, assessment and plans. Off service interns have a bad rep here but I was told on many occasions that I was as good as any of their second years.
Not that it helped me, haha. I didn't make it the second time around. The point here is that your experience is what you and your program make of it.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 3,018
- Reaction score
- 6,119
You either work at a shop with a terrible EM program or you're, shall we say. taking liberties with the truth. To claim that as a freshly minted MD you were on par with people who had been doing it for over a year either means either that the EM residents there are terrible (they would literally have to learn at 1/12th your pace), or that what you're saying isn't quite on the level.
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 1,640
- Reaction score
- 423
Agreed. Our off service rotators cherry pick. It's moreso about the acuity not the "number" of patients
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
- Messages
- 1,847
- Reaction score
- 2,515
Yeah, I don't believe you. Plain and simple.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2009
- Messages
- 459
- Reaction score
- 23
I was well into my intern year and very motivated.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 3,018
- Reaction score
- 6,119
This statement in no way addresses my point, but that's ok. I think we're done here.
- Joined
- May 3, 2004
- Messages
- 3,154
- Reaction score
- 3,749
An intern seeing 20 pt's a shift?
I smell poop.
I smell poop.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2009
- Messages
- 459
- Reaction score
- 23
I managed it a few times on our low acuity side. On our high acuity side I was closer to 12-13. But hey, I'm just some guy on the Internet.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 3,018
- Reaction score
- 6,119
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 3,469
- Reaction score
- 5,955
My final 3 choices was rad, EM, gas. I ended up with EM=Rad>>>Gas. Picked EM over rad b/c 3 vs 5 yr training.
If I ended up in Gas, I would have hated it. Everyone will have a field that they enjoy the good, and tolerate the bad.
EM is great. I love going to work. I really love being home (like today and tomorrow). I love the pay (I can tell you with certainty that I made more than my Gas friends working 14 dys a month.). I love working 8-9 hrs while my Gas friend gets in at 6am and don't leave until 4pm on noncall days. I have no issues and can tolerate all the PG scores/admin expectations. I can tolerate the drug seekers, non emergent cases. I hate working weekend/nights but I get week dys off to get any chores done which is great going to stores when no one is around. I hate missing my kids activities sometimes but I can always ask off when I have 6 wks advanced notice. Sometimes an unexpected event pops up.... If its really important, i would just get a friend to cover me. If it is not important.... oh well. But I make up for this by being able to attend most events during the weekdays. I drive my kids to school 90% of the time, pick them up about 75% of the time. My gas friends would kill to be able to do this.
I had a nurse complain that she wished she could only have to care for sick pts that needs the ED. I said, "could you imagine if your whole 12 hr was filled with sick and crashing pts?" After a few seconds of thought, she agreed that it was nice to have only about 25% of pts that need the ED in a day. No one could work in an ED that is filled with sick pts 8-10 straight a day. IMPOSSIBLE. You would not last a month.
