Am I a confused mess or does everyone have second thoughts?

[GammaRay]

Hi,

This is my first post. I'm in the process of applying to the rads match for the upcoming year. I like rads for all of the obvious reasons (I love technology, I enjoy interacting with other physicians, I love anatomy, salaries are good, lifestyle is comfortable, etc. etc.). However, I'm starting to feel that I may miss clinical medicine -- not so much the "patient interaction," but the process of diagnosis. I actually enjoy ordering labs/tests, following them up, consulting with specialists, eliminating and adding diagnoses to my differential, and so forth. What I hate about clinical medicine is the health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork. The "patient interaction" thing is not that improtant to me. So, I guess my question is whether or not it's common for radiology residents/attendings to "miss" clinical diagnosis (notice, I did not write "patient interaction"); or, am I just a confused mess who needs to re-evaluate his motivations? I'd appreciate some honest advice. Thanks.

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[DHMO]

Hi,

This is my first post. I'm in the process of applying to the rads match for the upcoming year. I like rads for all of the obvious reasons (I love technology, I enjoy interacting with other physicians, I love anatomy, salaries are good, lifestyle is comfortable, etc. etc.). However, I'm starting to feel that I may miss clinical medicine -- not so much the "patient interaction," but the process of diagnosis. I actually enjoy ordering labs/tests, following them up, consulting with specialists, eliminating and adding diagnoses to my differential, and so forth. What I hate about clinical medicine is the health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork. The "patient interaction" thing is not that improtant to me. So, I guess my question is whether or not it's common for radiology residents/attendings to "miss" clinical diagnosis (notice, I did not write "patient interaction"); or, am I just a confused mess who needs to re-evaluate his motivations? I'd appreciate some honest advice. Thanks.

I'm an MS3 so I can't answer your question directly, but I have heard multiple attendings and residents advise me to pick a specialty based on what I do NOT like. The reason is that as you go through your professional career, you will start to focus more on the things you don't like, so if there is an aspect of a certain specialty that you absolutely hate, it would be a good idea to avoid that specialty. For you, the 'health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork' may cause you to hate your job one day, even if you do get to partake in the clinical diagnosis process.

Also, I'm sure it's obvious, but if it is the daignostic aspect of medicine that you enjoy, it certainly seems like radiology is a good choice of fields (the field is centered on diagnosis!). You can look at all the labs, etc. . that have already been ordered and you don't have to wait for results. You can also suggest that the primary team get certain labs/studies if they have not already done so, and this would allow you to be involved with the clinical diagnostic process.

 

[Docmike2006]

I'm an MS3 so I can't answer your question directly, but I have heard multiple attendings and residents advise me to pick a specialty based on what I do NOT like. The reason is that as you go through your professional career, you will start to focus more on the things you don't like, so if there is an aspect of a certain specialty that you absolutely hate, it would be a good idea to avoid that specialty. For you, the 'health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork' may cause you to hate your job one day, even if you do get to partake in the clinical diagnosis process.

Also, I'm sure it's obvious, but if it is the daignostic aspect of medicine that you enjoy, it certainly seems like radiology is a good choice of fields (the field is centered on diagnosis!). You can look at all the labs, etc. . that have already been ordered and you don't have to wait for results. You can also suggest that the primary team get certain labs/studies if they have not already done so, and this would allow you to be involved with the clinical diagnostic process.

I like this approach! But then, if I'd used it properly, I wouldn't have gone into medicine altogether

 

[doepug]

Hang in there. As a radiologist, you will be actively involved in the diagnosis of the majority of patients at your institution. While you won't be following up labs and correlating with physical exam regularly, you will often solve the case. This is often very gratifying.

It's hard to get a good sense of what it's like to be a radiologist as a medical student. Ultimately, you'll have to follow your gut. Unless you'll miss the continuity of care and prolonged diagnostic process, it sounds like you'll be a good fit for rads.

 

[Carb Addict]

I'm an MS3 so I can't answer your question directly, but I have heard multiple attendings and residents advise me to pick a specialty based on what I do NOT like. The reason is that as you go through your professional career, you will start to focus more on the things you don't like, so if there is an aspect of a certain specialty that you absolutely hate, it would be a good idea to avoid that specialty. For you, the 'health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork' may cause you to hate your job one day, even if you do get to partake in the clinical diagnosis process.

It's amazing to me that you say this, DHMO. This was exactly the best career advice I ever received from an attending (UroGyn, of all things!). I used to think I needed to pick what I liked best, but it truly is much easier to know what you do NOT like, even as a student. I haven't heard so many others voice the same counsel in my experience, although I've repeated it when talking with other med students.

 

[hookaman]

I have the same concerns as the OP, although I don't really hate anything. Any other opinions on missing the whole clinical medicine thing (not the patient interaction part)?? Thanks

 

[thenavysurgeon]

Hi,

This is my first post. I'm in the process of applying to the rads match for the upcoming year. I like rads for all of the obvious reasons (I love technology, I enjoy interacting with other physicians, I love anatomy, salaries are good, lifestyle is comfortable, etc. etc.). However, I'm starting to feel that I may miss clinical medicine -- not so much the "patient interaction," but the process of diagnosis. I actually enjoy ordering labs/tests, following them up, consulting with specialists, eliminating and adding diagnoses to my differential, and so forth. What I hate about clinical medicine is the health-care/insurance bureaucracy, psycho-social BS, non-compliant patients, and endless paperwork. The "patient interaction" thing is not that improtant to me. So, I guess my question is whether or not it's common for radiology residents/attendings to "miss" clinical diagnosis (notice, I did not write "patient interaction"); or, am I just a confused mess who needs to re-evaluate his motivations? I'd appreciate some honest advice. Thanks.

Do I.R.

 

[GammaRay]

Thanks, guys. I was also told (by a surgeon) to choose my field based on what I *don't* like. I was told that if I don't like something as a medical student, time will only compound my frustration. All of your comments have been very reassuring.