Am I settling for applying for primary care residency? Really have to make up my mind!

[lalapple]

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[JJMrK]

It's true that family medicine residency programs as a whole are less competitive. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it if that's where your interests are. Basically you need to sort out which field you like the best, and then get over the fact that others may look down on you. To be honest, people will judge you no matter what field you do, so you might as well pick something you like.

 

[Winged Scapula]

You have to take control and do what interests *you*.

A close friend of mine went to a "Top 10" brand name medical school. She did very well on Step 1/2 and her faculty actually told her, "FM is for people who don't do well on those exams, you should be applying for something more competitive". She ignored them, applied and matched into FM and is very happy she did.

 

[DermViser]

You have to take control and do what interests *you*.

A close friend of mine went to a "Top 10" brand name medical school. She did very well on Step 1/2 and her faculty actually told her, "FM is for people who don't do well on those exams, you should be applying for something more competitive". She ignored them, applied and matched into FM and is very happy she did.

Part of the problem with going to a medical school in an academic medical center, is that you're going to have faculty who skew and are biased towards that angle. Not often you hear academic faculty espousing the wonders of private practice, for example.

 

[deleted500612]

I would suggest choosing your specialty based on what you think fits your personality and lifestyle demands best and you are the most interested in. You will still be living quite comfortably on a primary care salary, and who gives a sh|t if its considered less prestigious. I kind of shake my head at threads like this, where you are clearly interested most in FM, but because you have a high step 1 score you feel like you are "supposed to" pick something more competitive despite not having as much interest in anything more competitive. If FM is what you want, just do it! You will be happier in the long run.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

One of the highest scorers step1/2 in my year went into FM. He is super happy now. Who cares what everyone else says? So many doctors wish they would have chose a different speciality. DOn't make the same mistake.

 

[Cytarabine]

I know a 270+'er from a US allo going into peds. Do what interests you - sounds like you have good reasons to like FM

 

[evilbooyaa]

If FM is the most interesting specialty to you, just do it. Regardless of what you go into, somebody will be hating on you. Make the decisions that will make you happy over making others happy.

 

[styphon]

Hey guys, I've been losing hair and sleep over the past 3 months trying to figure out what I want to do for residency and... the rest of my life.



So far I can rule out: Peds, OB, psych, and probably surgery.
I entered med school thinking that I would be happy in family medicine and did some extra rotations with FM. The clinical hours are great and you get to build lasting rapport with patients. I like FM, but I keep wondering if there is something better out there for me. People I have talked with (my mentors, tutors, school admins) have suggested Radiology, Anesthesiology, and even Derm (I don't think my score and stats are competitive enough). I got the notion that my dad and school admin are disappointed that I'm applying for FM.

I love family medicine - although I could've matched into specialities with higher pay/hr - I thought I would be happiest in this one..

Question though - Why family medicine if you don't like Pediatrics or OB? The advantages of FM over IM is that you CAN do OB and peds - but you have very little room to specialize officially (limited to Women's health/Csections, Sports, Geriatrics, HIV, research - and these are not "traditional fellowships") as opposed to IM (Tons of fellowships which are offically recognized).

 

[lalapple]

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[Arkangeloid]

I know a 270+'er from a US allo going into peds. Do what interests you - sounds like you have good reasons to like FM

Yes, but is he in a program that sends most of its housestaff towards neonatology or something?

 

[cs24]

Hey guys, I've been losing hair and sleep over the past 3 months trying to figure out what I want to do for residency and... the rest of my life.

Here are my stats:
Step 1: 237
Step 2: Not there yet
Preclinical year 1 and 2: 4 High Pass, 8 Passes
Rotations year 3: HP in psych, FM, IM, Pass in OB
Research: Working on one physical medicine manuscript, none published
EC: Some here and there, enough to fill a page.

So far I can rule out: Peds, OB, psych, and probably surgery.
I entered med school thinking that I would be happy in family medicine and did some extra rotations with FM. The clinical hours are great and you get to build lasting rapport with patients. I like FM, but I keep wondering if there is something better out there for me. People I have talked with (my mentors, tutors, school admins) have suggested Radiology, Anesthesiology, and even Derm (I don't think my score and stats are competitive enough). I got the notion that my dad and school admin are disappointed that I'm applying for FM.

I'm one of those play on the safe side kids and want a guaranteed match next year (sounds silly I know, who doesn't?). As 3rd year comes to an end, I already picked my AI in FM and schedule for 4th year, but the thought of changing my mind keeps circulating in my head and it's driving me insane!

Any, ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please help me out, I know no one can make this decision for me, but I would be very grateful and accepting of all thoughts on this topic. Thanks!

Lastly, no negative connotations with FM please, I know people with 255 on Step 1 go into FM.

Is there any reason they suggested Rads, Gas, or Derm besides prestige? Maybe trying to do some electives/observation in those fields before you have to submit ERAS could help you rule them in or out. Ultimately I think you need to do what makes you most happy, as you (not your mentors or tutors or your parents) will have to practice in that field for the rest of your life. If you are really worried about prestige, I'm sure some FM residencies are much more highly regarded than others, shoot for the top there rather than choosing a completely different specialty for prestige.

 

[Kaputt]

I know a 270+'er from a US allo going into peds. Do what interests you - sounds like you have good reasons to like FM

Much like the "I know a 270'er going into internal medicine", it doesn't mean they're going into general practice after residency. Your pal may have eyes for peds cardio or peds heme/onc rather than doing well-child visits for an eternity. All of the high-achieving IM or peds people I know are planning their routes to extreme subspecialization and a "primary care residency" is simply their first step.

That being said, OP, do what you like. Happiness > prestige. But, sometimes fields are prestigious because they offer lots of opportunities for happiness and are thus competitive...like derm, allergy, ophtho, etc. But do what you like. If eyeballs and skin bore you and you enjoy general outpatient medicine, FM offers many rewards.

 

[JP2740]

It comes down to how important is the field to you? What factors are getting in the way of you saying yes to FM? Is it simply that you CAN get into a more competitive field? Then go with FM.

 

[notbobtrustme]

do what you want and screw the haters. there's enough stress/bull**** in medicine to fill 10 lifetimes, don't add to it with other people's preconceptions.

 

[Otto of the Silver-Hand]

I love family medicine - although I could've matched into specialities with higher pay/hr - I thought I would be happiest in this one..

Question though - Why family medicine if you don't like Pediatrics or OB? The advantages of FM over IM is that you CAN do OB and peds - but you have very little room to specialize officially (limited to Women's health/Csections, Sports, Geriatrics, HIV, research - and these are not "traditional fellowships") as opposed to IM (Tons of fellowships which are offically recognized).

FM docs can also specialize in adolescent medicine, sleep medicine and hospice/palliative care. Not trying to be rude, but what do you mean by "traditional fellowships" and "officially recognized" fellowships? Adolescent medicine, Sleep medicine, Geriatrics, Sports Medicine, and Hospice/Palliative Care are all recognized by ABMS.

 

[Frazier]

OP, see my sig.

 

[styphon]

FM docs can also specialize in adolescent medicine, sleep medicine and hospice/palliative care. Not trying to be rude, but what do you mean by "traditional fellowships" and "officially recognized" fellowships? Adolescent medicine, Sleep medicine, Geriatrics, Sports Medicine, and Hospice/Palliative Care are all recognized by ABMS.

Tradition fellowships as in 2+ year fellows which are board certified in their speciality. As I understand: Sports, Geriatics, Hospice, Adolescent medicine you get a "certificate of added qualification" as opposed to board certification (your board Cert is still FM.)

Sports: https://www.theabfm.org/caq/sports.aspx
Geriatrics: https://www.theabfm.org/caq/geriatric.aspx

 

[Otto of the Silver-Hand]

Tradition fellowships as in 2+ year fellows which are board certified in their speciality. As I understand: Sports, Geriatics, Hospice, Adolescent medicine you get a "certificate of added qualification" as opposed to board certification (your board Cert is still FM.)

Sports: https://www.theabfm.org/caq/sports.aspx
Geriatrics: https://www.theabfm.org/caq/geriatric.aspx

Gotcha. But Internists also do fellowships in Geri, PalCare, Sports, Adolescent and Sleep. In some programs, the FPs and IMs train side by side. Will you then consider the internist a specialist and the FP not? (FYI, ABIM did away with the CAQ designation a few years ago whereas, whereas ABFM decided to keep it).

 

[Instatewaiter]

Gotcha. But Internists also do fellowships in Geri, PalCare, Sports, Adolescent and Sleep. In some programs, the FPs and IMs train side by side. Will you then consider the internist a specialist and the FP not? (FYI, ABIM did away with the CAQ designation a few years ago whereas, whereas ABFM decided to keep it).

You need to convince yourself of a few things:
1) Do you really want to do FM or are you just a little worried/hesitant to do something else you want more?
2) Do you like peds and OB? (if no go IM)
3) Do you like adults (if no, go peds)
4) Are you ok with all the paperwork/BS that being a primary care doctor entails. I'm not trying to be negative but unfortunately in our system, there is a lot of extra paperwork that is unreimbursed that other docs just don't have to deal with.

A few notes:
Sports medicine is more common to get to from the FM sided of things.

Go with your gut. Do FM if you want FM. Your likelihood of matching for basically every specialty except the most competitive is very, very high if you apply broadly.