Do admissions care about so-called psychiatric incidents?

Psycho Doctor · Jul 8, 2004

Do applicants have to report or can adcoms find out about psychiatric treatments/hospital stays, for depression, questionable suicide attempts or anything similar? 😱

superdevil · Jul 8, 2004

well, it depends...

depression?? no. its too common to screen against. mult. personalities?? i sure HOPE they screen against that.

by the way, what do you define as a "questionable suicide attempt"? is ok to have a "reasonable" suicide attempt?? 😀

Psycho Doctor · Jul 8, 2004

questionable... in that sometimes family suspects an overdose or something is a suicide attempt when it's really not.

and i was asking the question, so i don't know the answer. 🙁

superdevil · Jul 8, 2004

questionable... in that sometimes family suspects an overdose or something is a suicide attempt when it's really not.

oh, well, i'm sorry to say in that case i have no idea.

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
Do applicants have to report or can adcoms find out about psychiatric treatments/hospital stays, for depression, questionable suicide attempts or anything similar? 😱

They don't have the right to find out about that...it's your medical history...remember the HIPPA? (not that it means anythign anywayz)

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

superdevil said:
well, it depends...

depression?? no. its too common to screen against. mult. personalities?? i sure HOPE they screen against that.

by the way, what do you define as a "questionable suicide attempt"? is ok to have a "reasonable" suicide attempt?? 😀

How do they screen this stuff before admission? I did not find a single secondary that asked about any mental health issues

Psycho Doctor · Jul 8, 2004

yea but I thought HIPAA could be overlooked in certain situations (safety) and I thought this could be contrived to be one of those.

nina512 · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
Do applicants have to report or can adcoms find out about psychiatric treatments/hospital stays, for depression, questionable suicide attempts or anything similar? 😱

I would say no to the first question...you don't have to report anything about your medical history unless it interferes with your ability to practice medicine (motor skills, communication, sensory perception etc) which is usually described somewhere on the schools' website.

Can adcoms find out? It depends on who you told. If you only discussed this with medical personnell, they are bound by HIPPA not to tell anyone.

If you used this "depression" to account for sub-par grades in your PS or mentioned it to you pre-med committee, then you opened the door for discussion during interviews.

Neuronix · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
yea but I thought HIPPA could be overlooked in certain situations (safety) and I thought this could be contrived to be one of those.

No. The med school will not ask and they have no right to find out. You could be asked about mental health issues when you go in front of the state medical board way later in your career, but I wouldn't let resolved issues as a teenager or college student stop you from trying to enter medicine.

Oh, what nina says is true too. If you bring it up on your app or in an interview, anything goes!

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
yea but I thought HIPPA could be overlooked in certain situations (safety) and I thought this could be contrived to be one of those.

Unless they make you sign a consent...there is this other form medical schools make you adhere too...technical qualifications or something....when you sign that...maybe that disqualifies the hippa for a med applicant..not sure though...

TwoLegacies · Jul 8, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
How do they screen this stuff before admission? I did not find a single secondary that asked about any mental health issues

people are funny when it comes to mental health issues, as if they should keep you out of med school any more so than another kind of health issue should. it's such a stigmatized health problem.
anyway, knowing some people with mental health issues, i'd think it would be pretty difficult to do well enough in school/on the MCAT if you are having serious problems of that sort. if you DO do well, that's a pretty good demonstration that you have gotten healthier and a good indication that you can handle med school as well. i don't know if adcoms can find out (i wouldn't think they can, for aforementioned reasons), but don't stress about it. as people in the health profession, they would most likely see it as adversity that you have overcome.

Psycho Doctor · Jul 8, 2004

But what if your psychiatrist (or one of them) is writing your rec because you also do volunteer work for him and shadow him?

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
But what if your psychiatrist (or one of them) is writing your rec because you also do volunteer work for him and shadow him?

Well...then he/she SHOULD DEFINETLY NOT put anything in there about your medical record...if he/she does...they're violating the HIPPA which is grounds for being disciplined.....just because you volunteer/shadow for him...does not legally give him the right to spill your medical record on the LOR

Psycho Doctor · Jul 8, 2004

oh ok, i'm sure he wants to help me. not hinder me and i know he thinks very highly of me and he would not allow me to do what i do if he felt i was a danger to patients. i guess i was just concerned about questions that ask "in what capacity do you know this applicant?". He knows me for my volunteering and shadowing him, but would it be a lie for him to omit i was also a patient of his?

gaf · Jul 8, 2004

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104- 191) is abbreviated "HIPAA" (not HIPPA).

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

gaf said:
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104- 191) is abbreviated "HIPAA" (not HIPPA).

LoL...yea I always make that mistake..even though I was a patient intake representative and have made 1000's of patients sign the form...

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
Unless they make you sign a consent...there is this other form medical schools make you adhere too...technical qualifications or something....when you sign that...maybe that disqualifies the hippa for a med applicant..not sure though...

Nothing disqualifies HIPAA for anyone's mental health issues unless there is a subpoena or the risk of someone losing his/her life or killing another.

Period.

WiscoFan14 · Jul 8, 2004

The number of people in med school with mental health issues (depression, anxiety, panic, etc.) is very similar (if not higher than) the national averages for a similar demographic. Med students take meds...its not a disqualifying thing whatsoever...now I wouldn't recommend bringing it up on your application because you are just opening yourself up to the stigma that is unfortunately associated with mental illness. Better to just not mention it...since you don't know who is reading your application and what their personal beliefs are.

Here's hoping that the days of mental health stigma are numbered!

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
But what if your psychiatrist (or one of them) is writing your rec because you also do volunteer work for him and shadow him?

That's extremely unethical, first of all, on your psychiatrist's part.

Secondly, he should be writing this as your supervisor, which is a role separate from your shrink.

Thirdly, he really shouldn't be writing a letter at all since it is a conflict of interest, but this guy sounds like a big quack anyway. People like him do a disservice to the fine profession of psychiatry.

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

CALLED FOR

stinkycheese said:
That's extremely unethical, first of all, on your psychiatrist's part.

Secondly, he should be writing this as your supervisor, which is a role separate from your shrink.

stinkycheese said:
Thirdly, he really shouldn't be writing a letter at all since it is a conflict of interest, but this guy sounds like a big quack anyway. People like him do a disservice to the fine profession of psychiatry.

UNCALLED FOR

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
UNCALLED FOR

Why? Do you not believe in MEDICAL ETHICS? This psychiatrist should not have any sort of supervisory/personal relationship with his patient. To do so is to distort the therapeutic relationship and the power differential.

It is just plain wrong. And saying so is not UNCALLED FOR

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

stinkycheese said:
Why? Do you not believe in MEDICAL ETHICS? This psychiatrist should not have any sort of supervisory/personal relationship with his patient. To do so is to distort the therapeutic relationship and the power differential.

It is just plain wrong. And saying so is not UNCALLED FOR

He is not concurrently his patient and worker/volunteer. He was an ex-patient of his.

There's nothing about medical ethics that says a Dr. can't have an ex-patient volunteer for them....i shadowed my family physician..and im sure half the people on this board that shadowed...shadowed their family physician

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
He is not concurrently his patient and worker/volunteer. He was an ex-patient of his.

There's nothing about medical ethics that says a Dr. can't have an ex-patient volunteer for them....i shadowed my family physician..and im sure half the people on this board that shadowed...shadowed their family physician

The rules of the game are significantly different for psychiatry than family medicine. It's inappropriate to have any sort of personal relationship with a patient or ex-patient because it distorts the therapeutic boundaries that are in place as a necessary guideline. Stepping over this line messes up the balance of authority in the relationship. The therapist necessarily has some "authority" over a patient because of the skewed nature of the psychiatrist-patient relationship: it is not a two-way street. But going beyond this perceived authority to a position of actual authority (ie, becoming your patient's supervisor) is so incredibly inappropriate that I do believe anyone who would behave in this way is a quack!

Tell me something: if someone falls in love with their GP and after terminating their doctor-patient relationship with him, they pursue a marraige, would you feel squicked out?

Now tell me, if someone falls in love with their shrink, terminates the relationship and marries them, would you feel squicked out?

Exactly.

Go to the psychiatry forum and ask them what they think of having an ex-patient shadow them. Then come back here and argue with me some more.

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

stinkycheese said:
The rules of the game are significantly different for psychiatry than family medicine. It's inappropriate to have any sort of personal relationship with a patient or ex-patient because it distorts the therapeutic boundaries that are in place as a necessary guideline. Stepping over this line messes up the balance of authority in the relationship. The therapist necessarily has some "authority" over a patient because of the skewed nature of the psychiatrist-patient relationship: it is not a two-way street. But going beyond this perceived authority to a position of actual authority (ie, becoming your patient's supervisor) is so incredibly inappropriate that I do believe anyone who would behave in this way is a quack!

Tell me something: if someone falls in love with their GP and after terminating their doctor-patient relationship with him, they pursue a marraige, would you feel squicked out?

Now tell me, if someone falls in love with their shrink, terminates the relationship and marries them, would you feel squicked out?

Exactly.

Go to the psychiatry forum and ask them what they think of having an ex-patient shadow them. Then come back here and argue with me some more.

Maybe you're right and sorry for questioning you on that matter...but it was uncalled for by saying he's a quack and so forth...you shouldn't have said that...leave those opinions to yourself...because you are indirectly insulting the OP

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
Maybe you're right and sorry for questioning you on that matter...but it was uncalled for by saying he's a quack and so forth...you shouldn't have said that...leave those opinions to yourself...because you are indirectly insulting the OP

As a member of the healthcare profession, I feel it is my responsibility to point out violations in medical ethics as I see them. I don't find it wrong to summarily judge a physician who would act in the manner that the OP's physician has. Contrary to your statement, I do not think this reflects AT ALL on the original poster; to say this would be to blame the victim of a psychiatric relationship gone wrong. I would never blame a woman whose shrink manipulated her into having sex with him, and I do not blame or insult the OP for having this psychiatrist treat him/her this way.

Indebt4Life · Jul 8, 2004

I know for a fact that ....if lets say you were admitted to a hospital and it is affiliated with a medical school that you are applying to...all personnel can view your hospital history like when you have been admitted over dosing and such. Also, since everything is via computer most personnel have access this HIPPA my butt. I am boggled sometimes with the stuff that I am able to obtain on a person at the click of a mouse. Now, the question is whether they will care to look and the chances of that happening are slim to none. Before you enter med school you have to get a health evaluation, so you may or may not be asked whether you have psychological issues which by the way are very common and you should not feel embarrassed or ashamed.

stinkycheese · Jul 8, 2004

Indebt4Life said:
I know for a fact that ....if lets say you were admitted to a hospital and it is affiliated with a medical school that you are applying to...all personnel can view your hospital history like when you have been admitted over dosing and such. Also, since everything is via computer most personnel have access this HIPPA my butt. I am boggled sometimes with the stuff that I am able to obtain on a person at the click of a mouse. Now, the question is whether they will care to look and the chances of that happening are slim to none. Before you enter med school you have to get a health evaluation, so you may or may not be asked whether you have psychological issues which by the way are very common and you should not feel embarrassed or ashamed.

This information is loged at all times as per HIPAA regulations. Computer administrators can see who accessed what information when. For anyone on a med school Ad Com to access this without a legitimate medical need to do so, and to share information with the Ad Com and ultmately use it against someone in the admissions process, would be a fine way for someone to lose their appt at the hospital and also their license. How would they justify invading your medical records? Doctors have more sense than this-- unless they are quacks and immoral-- so don't worry. It's against the law, the moral code of physicians, and all hospital policy.

superdevil · Jul 8, 2004

How do they screen this stuff before admission? I did not find a single secondary that asked about any mental health issues

yea, i read the OP's post in lab a little too fast. come to think of it, my reply didn't make much sense either.....

oh well, life plods along.... 🙄

Eyecon82 · Jul 8, 2004

stinkycheese said:
This information is loged at all times as per HIPAA regulations. Computer administrators can see who accessed what information when. For anyone on a med school Ad Com to access this without a legitimate medical need to do so, and to share information with the Ad Com and ultmately use it against someone in the admissions process, would be a fine way for someone to lose their appt at the hospital and also their license. How would they justify invading your medical records? Doctors have more sense than this-- unless they are quacks and immoral-- so don't worry. It's against the law, the moral code of physicians, and all hospital policy.

That is very well stated....even though hospital workers have access to anyone's medical record...it is just unethical to obtain medical information on an applicant and possibly use this against him/her...so bottom line...don't worry..you're good to go!

Psycho Doctor · Jul 9, 2004

I think i owe you all an explanation. I don't know how I missed all the interaction of this thread. (oh yea i had classes and i guess never got back to this).

My "relationship" with this psychiatrist BEGAN with me doing volunteer work for him. He was my mentor and friend. Early on when i was toying with the idea of med school (even as an engineer major) he offered to help me in any way he could and offered to allow me to shadow him. I significantly increased my hours working with him so i could further explore my increasing desire towards psychiatry.

In the course of all this i underwent a major personal issue and as a friend he counseled me. And due to our professional and personal relationship he told me if i ever needed to talk to him feel free to call him any time or to just drop by for a "chat". I have taken him up on that many times; he has counseled me "off the record" many times just because I have been there. Sometimes he just needs to take one look at me and knows something is significantly bothering me. And now there has been a more recent issue that he has been helping me through.

I am shocked that any of you think he did anything wrong. And to be honest, this guy is so easy to talk to that if during any counseling sessions i had admitted i was interested in psychiatry i don't see anything wrong with him offering me advice on that or to offer me an opportunity (even under him) to explore that option. We are both heterosexual males and are not having a relationship and there is no conflict of interest here.

Now that you've heard all but the details does this change your mind at all? Please don't tell me not to get a rec from him; he has worked with me more than anyone at this point and probably knows me better than anyone who has the authority to write me a rec. I'm already floundering with everything about the application process, i couldn't bear to think I don't can't ask this guy for a rec.

Psycho Doctor · Jul 9, 2004

What? Why is it unethical? He would be writing it as a supervisor. And how is it a conflict of interest. I started working for him *before* i was a patient. I explained this in greater detail above.

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
What? Why is it unethical? He would be writing it as a supervisor. And how is it a conflict of interest. I started working for him *before* i was a patient. I explained this in greater detail below.

If he took you as a formal patient after you had worked for him, that is a conflict of interest and is unethical. If money changed hands, it's unethical. If you went to him informally for "talks", that's a different story.

Psycho Doctor · Jul 9, 2004

No, it was thru my school so it was covered thru my school anyway..so no money changed hands. And i'm sure i can get away with (well i'm pretty sure) to not be considered a formal patient. However the dean knew my situation and one time last semester when i wrote a deeply personal essay for a class, i was called down by the dean and when i went there found my prof, the dean and my psychiatrist sitting there saying my essay sounded suicidal and we needed to discuss the situation. After that the dean made me go talk to the psychiatrist every day for the rest of the semester just to maintain that ri was ok. will that be a problem? :scared:

gaf · Jul 9, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
After that the dean made me go talk to the psychiatrist every day for the rest of the semester just to maintain that ri was ok. will that be a problem?

Which question are we on?
"Is it a problem for a psychiatrist to treat an (unpaid) employee?" or
"Is it a problem for a psychiatrist to write an LOR for an employee?" or
"Is it a problem for a psychiatrist to write an LOR for a pt.?"

btw - it's not the movement of cash from your pocket to his hand that establishes a Doc-pt relationship.

Psycho Doctor · Jul 9, 2004

The question is: Has my psychiatrist friend/supervior whom I have gone to several times during times of need {or have i} done anything unethical here, and can he ethically write me a LOR?

And I know it'as not the actual cash that moves from my pocket to his hand that counts..i guess i just said it like that for effect.

gaf · Jul 9, 2004

I think the only ethical question is whether a psychiatrist should treat his/her employees. So did your friend/supervisor/doc do anything unethical? Debatable (apparently...there's 3 screens of it 😉 ).

Did you do anything unethical? No.

Is it unethical for your friend/doctor/supervisor to write a letter for you? No -- but it's probably good for him to be careful about what he's writing (i.e. about you his friend, you his pt, or you his employee). Maybe the two of you should discuss it to be sure that you are comfortable with that, too.

Psycho Doctor · Jul 9, 2004

I feel very confident that he'll only write it as my supervisor, but i'll defintely discuss it with him.

Do most people write their own LOR or do schools give a specific format of questions (or even a specific form) to be answered?

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

gaf said:
I think the only ethical question is whether a psychiatrist should treat his/her employees. So did your friend/supervisor/doc do anything unethical? Debatable (apparently...there's 3 screens of it 😉 ).

Did you do anything unethical? No.

Is it unethical for your friend/doctor/supervisor to write a letter for you? No -- but it's probably good for him to be careful about what he's writing (i.e. about you his friend, you his pt, or you his employee). Maybe the two of you should discuss it to be sure that you are comfortable with that, too.

I think it is unethical for a psychiatrist to write an LOR for a patient/employee, but that's because I think the relationship is unethical to begin with. Why is this so hard to understand, Psycho Doctor? A psychiatrist should not take patients that he has had a professional/personal relationship with. Period. Period. Period. He made a huge mistake and is making it worse by writing an LOR. A psychiatrist should not be put into a position of objectively evaluating his patient for a third party other than other medical professionals or insurance companies, and even then, it is not desirable. Despite the fact that he is writing this as your supervisor, the fact remains that he is also your shrink. The LOR is wrong because the crossed-role relationship is wrong. This is not your fault, but your shrink has some serious ethics issues and I question his morals.

TwoLegacies · Jul 9, 2004

so then where do you draw the line? is a psychiatrist not allowed to talk to someone about their feelings if they have a professional relationship? what about someone who isn't a psychiatrist talking to an employee about their feelings? simply because this psychiatrist has expertise means he can't counsel a friend? that seems odd to me. i think without knowing the whole situation and exactly what kind of counseling went on, you shouldn't be judging this doctor's actions as unethical.

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

TwoLegacies said:
so then where do you draw the line? is a psychiatrist not allowed to talk to someone about their feelings if they have a professional relationship? what about someone who isn't a psychiatrist talking to an employee about their feelings? simply because this psychiatrist has expertise means he can't counsel a friend? that seems odd to me. i think without knowing the whole situation and exactly what kind of counseling went on, you shouldn't be judging this doctor's actions as unethical.

The line is drawn at taking on an employee as a formal patient through a university health service. Informal counseling is one thing; mentoring, being supportive, and showing that you care for someone are all wonderful traits and psychiatrists are not prohibited from expressing these to empoyees, certainly. But involving yourself in an employee's personal issues to the point of getting involved with the Dean and representing yourself as the employee's psychiatrist (not just supervisor) is wrong, and subsequently taking the employee on as a formal patient is wrong.

dnelsen · Jul 9, 2004

This thread brings up some interesting points.

First, I would agree that the psychiatrist should not have mixed the client / personal relationship. Was it unethical? Maybe. Was it questionable? Definitely.

How do you all feel about treating family members or friends when you become doctors? I personally don't think I want to treat family members or friends because I won't be able to look at them objectively. Also, will you attempt to diagnose and treat yourself when you are a doctor or will you go to someone else?

I know for lawyers at least the saying goes:

"He who acts as his own attorney has a fool for a client"

"He who acts as his own doctor has a fool for a patient" ????

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

My father is one of the best surgeons in his specialty in the country. He has been recognized in this field by both his peer group and also by independent rankings in magazines that rank this sort of stuff. For this reason, when my grandfather (his father-in-law) needed surgery requiring the expertise of my father's field, my dad was the one to perform it. Since it was not his father and the surgery was not seriously life-threatening (but was also not elective), my father felt comfortable doing the surgery. I don't think he even thought twice about putting his father-in-law in anyone else's hands, although his partner did assist, and is equally as good of a physician/surgeon as my dad. Dad is a very professional person and was able to detach enough to make objective decisions. All turned out very well. If it had been his own biological father, I doubt he would have done it, though, and my parents never treated us themselves, they always took us to the pediatricians. Interestingly, though, neither of my parents have GP's, which I think is stupid and irresponsible.

Eyecon82 · Jul 9, 2004

stinkycheese said:
My father is one of the best surgeons in his specialty in the country. He has been recognized in this field by both his peer group and also by independent rankings in magazines that rank this sort of stuff. For this reason, when my grandfather (his father-in-law) needed surgery requiring the expertise of my father's field, my dad was the one to perform it. Since it was not his father and the surgery was not seriously life-threatening (but was also not elective), my father felt comfortable doing the surgery. I don't think he even thought twice about putting his father-in-law in anyone else's hands, although his partner did assist, and is equally as good of a physician/surgeon as my dad. Dad is a very professional person and was able to detach enough to make objective decisions. All turned out very well. If it had been his own biological father, I doubt he would have done it, though, and my parents never treated us themselves, they always took us to the pediatricians. Interestingly, though, neither of my parents have GP's, which I think is stupid and irresponsible.

What specialty is your dad in, if you dont mind me asking? I think it was right of him to treat his father-in-law. When it is blood, you have crossed the line when it comes to surger. However, I don't think it's a necessity to send your kid to the dr. because he has a soar throat and if you can do the throat culture ureself and diagnose it...why even bother another person doing it? surgery is different.....im not that sure about primary care though

RachMD2B · Jul 9, 2004

Psycho Doctor said:
But what if your psychiatrist (or one of them) is writing your rec because you also do volunteer work for him and shadow him?

Is this legal?!? I thought this would qualify as a dual relationship, which as far as I know psychiatrists are not supposed to have with their patients.. 😕

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

Eyecon82 said:
What specialty is your dad in, if you dont mind me asking? I think it was right of him to treat his father-in-law. When it is blood, you have crossed the line when it comes to surger.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but it wasn't a blood relative, so... anyway. For some surgeons it woudn't have been appropriate, but for my father, it was, and his judgment is sound.

MoosePilot · Jul 9, 2004

stinkycheese said:
I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but it wasn't a blood relative, so... anyway. For some surgeons it woudn't have been appropriate, but for my father, it was, and his judgment is sound. He is a vascular surgeon.

He said it was right, but if he had been a blood relative as opposed to an in-law, that probably would have been the line. He was agreeing with what your dad did.

That's cool that your dad is so well respected in his field. Has that influenced what specialty you're interested in?

stinkycheese · Jul 9, 2004

That's cool that your dad is so well respected in his field. Has that influenced what specialty you're interested in?

Yes! It has made me vow never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever to be a surgeon!!!!! My father lives and breathes surgery. It's his passion and he's a happy person when he's doing it, but he doesn't have a life. Lucky for me and my siblings, he has always been able to provide for us and give us a comfortable lifestyle (although not indulgent by any means, esp for the amount of work the poor man does). But I see how much of one's life much be purely devoted to one's profession when you're dealing with such a highly specialized field as vascular surgery. The dude is in his mid-fifties and still gets called out of bed regularly to go fix AAA's and stuff... not exactly a relaxing or fun lifestyle, but he seems to love it. He leaves the house at 5:30am every day without fail (except Sundays) and is home by 7:00pm on a good day. He's like a permanent resident w/regards hours... and an 80-hour work week is a good week. It's a life that I don't want for myself. Interestingly, my brother is becoming a surgeon and is applying to residencies right now. I will be probably an internist or pediatrician. 😉

MoosePilot · Jul 9, 2004

stinkycheese said:
Yes! It has made me vow never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever to be a surgeon!!!!! 😉

That's really interesting, thanks for the perspective. Surgery is attractive, but definitely not a lifestyle specialty 🙂

Eyecon82 · Jul 9, 2004

stinkycheese said:
Yes! It has made me vow never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever to be a surgeon!!!!! My father lives and breathes surgery. It's his passion and he's a happy person when he's doing it, but he doesn't have a life. Lucky for me and my siblings, he has always been able to provide for us and give us a comfortable lifestyle (although not indulgent by any means, esp for the amount of work the poor man does). But I see how much of one's life much be purely devoted to one's profession when you're dealing with such a highly specialized field as vascular surgery. The dude is in his mid-fifties and still gets called out of bed regularly to go fix AAA's and stuff... not exactly a relaxing or fun lifestyle, but he seems to love it. He leaves the house at 5:30am every day without fail (except Sundays) and is home by 7:00pm on a good day. He's like a permanent resident w/regards hours... and an 80-hour work week is a good week. It's a life that I don't want for myself. Interestingly, my brother is becoming a surgeon and is applying to residencies right now. I will be probably an internist or pediatrician. 😉

Yea thanks for the perspective....a real insight into a life of a surgeon

MoosePilot · Jul 9, 2004

I thought maybe we were taking this a bit of topic, but I wanted to ask a question about treating family members. If anyone knows anything about the ethics of this, could you post here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=134411

Do admissions care about so-called psychiatric incidents?

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