What specialty for me?

In EM, you'd be largely identifying the problem, stabilizing the patient, and transferring them to the appropriate place. I'll venture to say that EM doesn't have even half of the "problem solving" of internal medicine-based specialties. In fact, internal medicine is like one big problem nobody ever solves.

Do neurosurgery.

do an EM rotation if you love it do it if you hate it don't. a lot of specilites have similar type personallities in them, so you can't simply pick a specialty on your personality. you have to try it to see if it fits you.

Internal medicine physicians love to solve problems.

mdjkim said:

Internal medicine physicians love to solve problems.

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True, but you have to make sure you enjoy the day to day maintenance/treatment of those problems as well. It was during my medicine rotation that I realized I enjoyed the figuring-out-the-diagnosis aspect but got bored when it came time to just (micro)manage.

I'd go EM

MrBurns10 said:

True, but you have to make sure you enjoy the day to day maintenance/treatment of those problems as well. It was during my medicine rotation that I realized I enjoyed the figuring-out-the-diagnosis aspect but got bored when it came time to just (micro)manage.

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So what'd you choose?

meister said:

So what'd you choose?

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Radiology. Though I'm studying for step 1 right now, so ask me in a couple weeks if rads is still possible

If you (or anyone else) find you like the process of diagnosis more than treatment, I would highly recommend looking into the field.

I am doing EM and love problem solving. You have to be okay with not always knowing the answer. Sometimes, you just know what the patient does not have. It is on the physician if they want to follow up and see what their patients were ultimately diagnosed with by medicine, surgery, peds etc.

There was a good point-- for medicine, you need to be content managing patients as well. I always felt like a secretary on internal medicine trying to coordinate between consultants. Not as rewarding IMHO.

Try the rotations and see where you fit. Also consider that there are different types of EM (including rural, community based and more county/inner city) and these can be as different from one another and EM and IM can seem at times.

MrBurns10 said:

Radiology. Though I'm studying for step 1 right now, so ask me in a couple weeks if rads is still possible

If you (or anyone else) find you like the process of diagnosis more than treatment, I would highly recommend looking into the field.

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I'm a lowly M1 but Rads has been what I've had in mind for a while now, since I tend to think somewhat abstractly and spatially and love problem solving. We'll see I guess. Good luck though

meister said:

I'm a lowly M1 but Rads has been what I've had in mind for a while now, since I tend to think somewhat abstractly and spatially and love problem solving. We'll see I guess. Good luck though

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Just keep in mind that when you do shadow/a radiology rotation your perception of the field may be utter boredom considering you're just sitting there without knowing what you're looking at. My mentor (a radiologist) likened watching someone read films to watching paint dry. Try to put yourself in their shoes and see if it's something you could see yourself doing in the future. It's certainly not for everyone.

And thanks! Best of luck to you as well.