anyone out there narrowing down their lists of specialties?

[abc56]

my top choice right now is emergency med. im considering it more and more, and im feeling the pressure to decide. its that time of the year i guess!

here is why im considering it- shift work, never on call, see a wide variety of conditions/patients, get to do small procedures (which i love), may save someones life, big focus on differential diagonisis (which is hands down my favorite thing about medicine)

what do you all think? other things on my list are hospitalist, anesthesia or a subspecialty in internal medicine (GI, heme onc), or radiology, or maybe psych (i know such a random list!!)

things ive crossed off the list- ob-gyn, surgery, pediatrics, pathology


what are other people deciding and why?

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[QuinnB]

I'm totally f'd...I have it narrowed down to IM (followed by ID, Renal or AI), ENT, vascular surg or IR.

Definitely not into ob/gyn, psych, family, EM and probably not peds.

3rd year has been awesome at telling me what I DON'T want to do, otherwise I have too little exposure to the wide breadth of specialties to say what I really would like to do.

 

[Dunce]

I'm totally f'd...I have it narrowed down to IM (followed by ID, Renal or AI), ENT, vascular surg or IR.

Definitely not into ob/gyn, psych, family, EM and probably not peds.

3rd year has been awesome at telling me what I DON'T want to do, otherwise I have too little exposure to the wide breadth of specialties to say what I really would like to do.

I haven't done Psych yet, but I'm pretty sure you have some sort of multiple personality disorder going on.

 

[ocean11]

my top choice right now is emergency med. im considering it more and more, and im feeling the pressure to decide. its that time of the year i guess!

here is why im considering it- shift work, never on call, see a wide variety of conditions/patients, get to do small procedures (which i love), may save someones life, big focus on differential diagonisis (which is hands down my favorite thing about medicine)

what do you all think? other things on my list are hospitalist, anesthesia or a subspecialty in internal medicine (GI, heme onc), or radiology, or maybe psych (i know such a random list!!)

things ive crossed off the list- ob-gyn, surgery, pediatrics, pathology


what are other people deciding and why?

Hey,

I'm in the same boat as you, it is SO hard to decide, I'm doing my ER rotation now and like it, I love seeing diff procedures, diff medical conditions, the fast pace of it, no call. BUT I don't like it that I don't have an office or a base, OR the midnight shift, that sucks!

Anyhow, I havn't done IM, FM or SURG yet but I liked neurology so far, I liked psych. THE ONLY ONE I am DEFINETLY ruling out is OB/GYN --> NEVER AGAIN! I don't think I"m going to do psych either, but I found it interesting..... Man maybe I'll get a better idea after IM and SURG... we'll see!

 

[Mayhem]

Well I told myself I'd give everything a fair chance so at the start of 3rd year everything was theoretically a possibility (except OBGYN - not even for God's love). Halfway through 3rd year I haven't made much headway but i've removed some specialties from the pool: Peds, FM, Anaesthesiology & Radiology. Psych was interesting but I don't think I'm a good fit.

I liked Gen Surg, Neuro and IM...probably in that order, so who knows.

You wanna hear something funny though, I got better grades in the ones I hated. The FM guys loved me, the Peds dept head still calls me up and I'm doing research for my Psych attending. Sadly, I don't think I impressed anyone during IM & Surgery.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

Still trying to give everything a fair chance but...

I'm down to Urology, ENT, Gen Surg, anesthesia and Internal Medicine. I loved my urology rotation so that is at the top of the list for now.

Still, I feel like I am going crazy thinking about the match this far out. Still I need to start scheduling my "audition rotations" in the new couple months, which is going to require that I pick two and stick with it. So many specialties, so little time.

Glad to know I am not alone out there!

-Richie

 

[Pinner Doc]

Pediatrics or Psychiatry. Emergency Medicine a distant third. Anesthesia used to be in contention but is out of the race, I believe.

I can't stand this constant juggle in my mind. I fear that the specialty I choose will ultimately be whichever of the above I am temporarily favoring sometime this summer or early fall.

Right now, Psych is my top choice. I can create my own schedule and hours, listen to people's stories, add a little bit of creative interpretation to my work (I truly believe this is the least rigid of specialties in terms of diagnostics and treatment, which can be both good and bad), and there's HUUUUUUGE room for gound-breaking research. We know SO LITTLE about the brain.

 

[ESPNdeportes]

I too hate the juggle. It seems like weekly I'm changing my mind. Right now I'm just trying to keep an open mind and not rule anything that I haven't rotated through.

That said, thus far I've ruled OUT: Surgery (general or specialty), OB/GYN, Family, Psych, PM&R, and Radiology.

Still considering: IM and Peds (either hospitalist or subspecialty in either one), Anesthesia, Emergency med, and possibly neurology.

Probably right now my #1 is peds. It's the only thing I've done that I've really enjoyed and could see myself doing for the rest of my life. But I still need to see IM, anesthesia, and neurology. Emergency was nice, good variety, but I think I may like long-term patient contact

 

[JulianCrane]

Hmm. . .so far it's a race between OB/GYN and Internal Medicine (with an infectious disease or GI edge). Right now, I'm still leaning toward OB/GYN, though I can't for the life of me remember a lot of the stuff I learned on the rotation. All's I know is that it appears to be a great combo of medicine and surgery, there's always something different going on, and the babies are just so darn cool. Seriously, I came into med school thinking I'd NEVER want to deal with OB/GYN, but oh how things have changed. Anyone have a similar experience?

 

[bjolly]

I came in liking neuro, and I still like it, but this month I've totally surprised myself by falling in love with peds. I didn't think I'd even LIKE peds, now I may want to do it. I wish I'd make up my mind already.

Definitely nothing surgery. I thought ortho was all kinds of fun but I can't see myself surviving a surgery internship. I've also flirted with, and discarded, psych. Also ruled out family med.

 

[m1234d]

just reading this thread got me re-agitated! ! I have no idea. I loved surgery while on it, but now that it is over, i wonder: what was i thinking? Hated OBGYN, and now that it is in the past, i think back fondly.

is anyone else hating outpatient? am i the only one? i dont dislike having patients, i just hate outpatient. and office staff. the whole experience is just fake to me. I like inpatient a lot better, i see them every day, it's for a REASON (vs wellpt. visits).

and then, there's always the fact that I thought Peds and ER would definitely be out, and then I LOVE Peds ER. bah.
it's very stressful. the 4s say you'll figure it out, but right now, it doesn't seem like it.

 

[Mayhem]

I know how you feel. The outpatient parts of my rotations were a drag and peds was definitely the worst. No one will understand how much I hated well child clinic. Peds ER sounds good though. I had fun while I was there but maybe it's just that I like EM (haven't done that yet). Anyway, peds is out cause I just cannot do well child again.

 

[Pinner Doc]

is anyone else hating outpatient? am i the only one? i dont dislike having patients, i just hate outpatient. and office staff. the whole experience is just fake to me. I like inpatient a lot better, i see them every day, it's for a REASON (vs wellpt. visits).

Funny, I hate inpatient. Because I hate ROUNDING.

 

[ESPNdeportes]

Funny, I hate inpatient. Because I hate ROUNDING.

Rounding builds character.

 

[deleted87716]

Rounding builds character.

Rounding burns calories.

 

[tiredmom]

When I went to make my decision (I'm applying for ob/gyn this year) it came down to the following:
1. I don't sit still for very long, so IM rounds drove me insane.
2. I love working with my hands and not doing the same darn thing each office visit/day.
3. I like working with mainly healthy people and trying to prevent bad things from happening/manage risks.
4. I can't talk to old men about sex without my face turning red!
5. I prefer feeling like I know what's wrong with my patient, which NEVER happened on IM. I don't like that nagging feeling that "maybe I'm missing something that they are going to die from tonight".
6. Sick or abused kids make me really sad.
7. Hearing how psych patients were abused/mistreated and seeing how rarely they get better also made me sad.
8. I like continuity with patients, and junkies irritate me.

Do you like to think/think/think some more, then talk to other doctors about what y'all are all thinking about? Do you like to do procedures? How are you on little/no sleep? Is there a particular patient population that you like or dislike? If you like to talk more than do procedures, do you prefer talking more to patients (psych) or to other doctors (IM, Peds)?
I also got great advice from a very wise physician: You can choose what you do, where you live, and how much money you'll make... but you can only choose 2 of the 3. He also said that it's important to notice when you are deciding that you like a specialty - is it because you like the people you worked with in the specialty (great docs/residents) or the actual work of the specialty?
Good luck - it's a tough decision.

 

[katrinadams9]

Ruled out: Surgery!!!!!, Neuro, Psych

Top of the list so far: EM, Family Med

Haven't totally ruled out yet: IM or subspecialties in IM, Peds, Ob/gyn

 

[abc56]

i too DESPISE outpatient. i thought i'd love it, the 9-5 hours, the continuity of care. but no, every time i was in a clinic i was miserable and waiting for it to be 5pm. you cant fight that feeling, i just know i am not cut out for that.

that being said, rounding is also very exhausting. i dont mind it as much as clinic but still, it can be a bit much. however, rounding as an attending is not as painful as being a med student prerounding/rounding with residents/rounding AGAIN with attendings. thats way too much!!

EM at the top of my list, heres why
1. shift work is great. i want to go home and be DONE. i also dont want to have to come early/leave late just because i cant stay on top of things (paperwork, dictations, etc) and i feel like alot of PCPs suffer with this
2. never on call.
3. you can practice anywhere. if i feel like moving to a random city, its not a problem, i dont have to hand over a huge patient load to someone else, or startup my own new patient load in a new city!
4. LOVE making a differential dx. LOVE ordering various labs, radiology, etc and being the first one to try to solve a puzzle. often times the diagnosis is made in the ER. the medicine team just manages that problem
5. LOVE doing small procedures- suturing, even stapling!! yes, i love stapling skin, it makes me happy
6. lots of teamwork involved. love working on a team

sooo, those are my thoughts. havent tried psych yet, i have this weird feeling im going to like that too, dont ask me why!

 

[tiredmom]

sooo, those are my thoughts. havent tried psych yet, i have this weird feeling im going to like that too, dont ask me why!

Psych has some of the same things you mentioned liking about the ER... especially if you work in a Psych ER setting or only inpatient like at a teaching hospital. You'ld get the first crack at making the diagnosis, instead of bloodwork you get the answers you need by asking the right questions. Not many procedures, unless you like ECT though!

 

[m1234d]

I agree with you abc56. I also want to be home and done. I'm considering neonatology, since it is inpatient, with procedures, and labs, and imaging, and shift work (but the hours per week are awful). There is a lot of team work, and there is a psych component with the parents.
My mom worked a lot, she was corporate, and she would be out of town 4 days a week. It was always fine because when she was home, she was home. That's what I want for my kids (who don't exist yet), I don't want to get plucked out of their school play or their ice skating lesson - not that she was always there, but when she said she would be, she was. We have a great relationship, and I didn't really feel neglected (until I was 13 and everything was my parents fault, but then I turned 16 and we were cool again).

btw, i am well aware that I have to go through peds to get there, and it's something I was concerned about, but (so far) peds outpt is the one clinic where i'm willing to wear long sleeves, because i dont need to look at my watch every 30 seconds.

 

[DOSoon2B]

I am having a really hard time deciding too!!! I like a little of everything. . . which seems to be leading me towards EM or FP. I love the idea of having a set schedule so I can plan the rest of my life (I know Im a little OCD). I love doing procedures and being in the OR (for surgery or OB) but I don't like the lifestyle. Im just not sure if I would get bored with FP or burnt out with EM, always having to keep ontop of EVERYTHING instead of concentrating on a specific specialty!

Arrgh, it is so stressful trying to decide!!! I feel comforted that others are in my situation

 

[DMBmatty08]

Ruled Out: Family practice, Psych
Considering: IM, OB/GYN
Still need to do rotation: ER, Surgery, Peds

 

[efex101]

It *is* hard to make up or mind! and to boot at my school we have THREE months of research in third year! ouch! so our time is even more limited to figure this whole thing out.
I am totally not getting the "YES this is IT" feeling...I like way too many things. I love doing stuff with my hands so procedures are high *BUT* I loved psych WTF? have no clue how come. So I am at a loss for where to head from here. I have done ALL rotations except IM. Right now in ob/gyn which I thought would not be my cup of tea but I am enjoying it a lot. The only thing is that I do not want the lifestyle of OB or the malpractice premiums. Any thoughts?