Anesthesiology or IM?

[anim]

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Hi, I'd appreciate some advice: I'm a FMG from Latin America evaluating the possibility of Residency in USA. I'm very attracted to Anesthesiology and IM, but I can not decide... As a FMG it will be hard for me to get into Anesthesiology which is my first choice, IM will be easy but I'm really worried about the future of PCP in USA. What worries me the most is the future job market: a lot of people tell me it will be a huge shortage of physicians and Anesthesiology job market is reaching saturation (is it true?).
As I'm outside USA I'd appreciate your insights.

Thank you

PD: sorry for the grammar if I have commited any mistake.

 

[hoyden]

Hi, I'd appreciate some advice: I'm a FMG from Latin America evaluating the possibility of Residency in USA. I'm very attracted to Anesthesiology and IM, but I can not decide... As a FMG it will be hard for me to get into Anesthesiology which is my first choice, IM will be easy but I'm really worried about the future of PCP in USA. What worries me the most is the future job market: a lot of people tell me it will be a huge shortage of physicians and Anesthesiology job market is reaching saturation (is it true?).
As I'm outside USA I'd appreciate your insights.

Thank you

PD: sorry for the grammar if I have commited any mistake.

Anesthesiology and IM are on the opposite poles of possible interest. It is understandable you want some backup (IM) but it is hard to believe that you are interested in both areas.

 

[Trisomy13]

Anesthesiology and IM are on the opposite poles of possible interest. It is understandable you want some backup (IM) but it is hard to believe that you are interested in both areas.

i was briefly interested in IM as a med student, then OB, and finally anesthesiology. it's not outside the realm of possibility to have varied interests 🙄

 

[DO4lifer]

just try to do what you love. apply to anesthesiology and apply to IM as backup. if you get into anesthesia, great, if not, at least you got into a residency program, and could try again the year after for CA-1, with your PGY1 under your belt.. 👍

 

[anim]

just try to do what you love. apply to anesthesiology and apply to IM as backup. if you get into anesthesia, great, if not, at least you got into a residency program, and could try again the year after for CA-1, with your PGY1 under your belt.. 👍

Thanks, I really appreciate the advice. Regarding my interest in IM I think there are a lot to know of general medicine to practice as anesthesiologist: Critical care is very related to medicine, anesthesiology per se is related to pharmacology which is the main therapeutical method used by internist, and Fluid/electrolite management is very related to internal medicine as long as disorders related to fluid/electrolites unbalances. Well, it's not my intention to defend it, but I don't see a world of difference between the both of them. Any way, I really appreciate the advise so far! Any other comment/advise?

 

[Planktonmd]

Anesthesiology and IM are on the opposite poles of possible interest. It is understandable you want some backup (IM) but it is hard to believe that you are interested in both areas.

I don't think Anesthesiology and IM are so different clinically, but the way IM is practiced in the U.S. makes the specialty really unappealing because you can't really practice medicine anymore, you practice a form of glorified nursing that allows you no more than 5 minutes with each patient and the rest of your time is dedicated to dealing with insurance companies and all sorts of bureaucratic issues.

 

[coprolalia]

I don't think Anesthesiology and IM are so different clinically, but the way IM is practiced in the U.S. makes the specialty really unappealing because you can't really practice medicine anymore, you practice a form of glorified nursing that allows you no more than 5 minutes with each patient and the rest of your time is dedicated to dealing with insurance companies and all sorts of bureaucratic issues.

🙄

Put down the crack pipe, Plankton.

-copro

 

[cfdavid]

i was briefly interested in IM as a med student, then OB, and finally anesthesiology. it's not outside the realm of possibility to have varied interests 🙄

Agreed. A second place for me would have been IM. I like the idea of working up a differential, whereas most of this in anesthesia is very acute (barring ICU), in my limited experience.

So, it's very plausible to like certain aspects of different fields. Interestingly, I've had people comment on how I seem to really like "surgery", whereas it's the last thing I'd want to do in medicine.

cf

 

[cfdavid]

I don't think Anesthesiology and IM are so different clinically, but the way IM is practiced in the U.S. makes the specialty really unappealing because you can't really practice medicine anymore, you practice a form of glorified nursing that allows you no more than 5 minutes with each patient and the rest of your time is dedicated to dealing with insurance companies and all sorts of bureaucratic issues.

This is sad but true..... There are a lot of hypothetically interesting aspects of IM, but in practice there's also so much BS that drags the profession down, and so many ways that one could get burnt out with all the social (i.e. non-medical) issues, IMHO.

 

[hoyden]

I don't think Anesthesiology and IM are so different clinically, but the way IM is practiced in the U.S. makes the specialty really unappealing because you can't really practice medicine anymore, you practice a form of glorified nursing that allows you no more than 5 minutes with each patient and the rest of your time is dedicated to dealing with insurance companies and all sorts of bureaucratic issues.

Medicine altogether in all specialties has something similar to offer. But he is an IMG and wants to get to the competitive specialty - he doesn't have to write a PS here about how important is to know IM to practice anesthesiology - IM is a pure backup, but who cares?

 

[anim]

Well thanks a lot about your answers. I keep thinking IM and gas are not that different, but anyway... Abou the personal statement I really don't know how to adress my interest in both fields: should I write a "neutral" one which remarks my interest in both fields equally so PD's don't think that IM is a back up (it's my second choice but I really like IM) or should I boldly stand that I like anesthesiology better in my PS. I'd appreciate any insights.

 

[lushmd]

You can (and should) submit different personal statements when applying to the two different fields.

 

[IMED4Life]

As someone who completed IM and is BC, I will say IM and Anes are different in terms of pace and situations faced. Yes, there is a strong basis of IM in Anesthesia, however, Anesthesia moves at a faster pace and decisions need to be made quickly. Yes you could be interested in both, but not because the situations faced are similar.

 

[Planktonmd]

🙄

Put down the crack pipe, Plankton.

-copro

I am trained in both fields and practiced internal medicine when you were still in diapers.

 

[anim]

What about the job market in say 5-10 years from now? Will it be too difficult to find a job (hospital/private practice) in gas? I've heard that job market is reaching saturation right now, but as medicine progress and new procedures will be used on daily bases, won't it be more job openings in gas and more opportunities to practice? I love medicine and science but I just graduated and I'm very concern about choosing a specialty, after all, we all made a lot of sacrifices to get what we have now (a degree in medicine) and I don't want to end up earning as much as a taxi driver! Any thoughts?