Can I specialize after a few years of general practice?

[VerbaLatina]

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I want to practice endocrinology, but I also want to practice primary care for a few years before specializing. Is it possible? Would having 2-4 years of general practice be viewed as a strength because I had more experience, or would it be viewed as a weakness because I had been out of school for a while? Any stories from people who have attempted this and advice from PDs are appreciated.

 

[gutonc]

I want to practice endocrinology, but I also want to practice primary care for a few years before specializing. Is it possible? Would having 2-4 years of general practice be viewed as a strength because I had more experience, or would it be viewed as a weakness because I had been out of school for a while? Any stories from people who have attempted this and advice from PDs are appreciated.

The answer is yes and yes. Moving to the IM forum where it belongs and a quick search will find you multiple prior answers (mostly from me) to this question.

 

[VerbaLatina]

The answer is yes and yes. Moving to the IM forum where it belongs and a quick search will find you multiple prior answers (mostly from me) to this question.

Thank you!! Were you saying yes it's possible and yes it's a strength, or yes it's both a weakness and a strength? I did a search but could only find advice in the pre-dent forum - can anyone link me to some relevant posts for IM?

 

[keindo]

The answer is yes and yes. Moving to the IM forum where it belongs and a quick search will find you multiple prior answers (mostly from me) to this question.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this depends on what you're going into right? Endocrine probably more so than e.g. GI? And I don't see it being a strength...

 

[anbuitachi]

I dont think endo really matters since its very uncompetitive. Usually taking time off is bad. So it will hurt your chances if you are going for GI/hemeonc most likely, unless you publish a couple nature papers in those couple of years.

 

[ChrisGriffen]

I think you would find yourself not wanting to do that plan once you start practicing. You would go from making 3-4 years of a doctors salary, then willingly go back to a fellowship salary while your loans start barking. I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that a lot of docs who start off planning to practice then specialize never actually go through with it.

 

[anbuitachi]

I think you would find yourself not wanting to do that plan once you start practicing. You would go from making 3-4 years of a doctors salary, then willingly go back to a fellowship salary while your loans start barking. I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that a lot of docs who start off planning to practice then specialize never actually go through with it.

i think this is the case as well. though just today, my attending (hospitalist) told me he hates his job (also told me to never become a hospitalist). He's been on the job for 3 years, but he's happy it's finally ending cause he's starting his cardio fellowship in June!

So i guess if you really hate your job, that's a pretty good reason to switch. [he said he hated it cause its not real medicine, just social work. he also didn't like only having 4 days off per month.]

 

[Raryn]

i think this is the case as well. though just today, my attending (hospitalist) told me he hates his job (also told me to never become a hospitalist). He's been on the job for 3 years, but he's happy it's finally ending cause he's starting his cardio fellowship in June!

So i guess if you really hate your job, that's a pretty good reason to switch. [he said he hated it cause its not real medicine, just social work. he also didn't like only having 4 days off per month.]

Hospitalist working 26-27 days a month better be pulling in >$300k. Either that or your attending should get a new job.

(I suppose if he's your attending, it could just be an academic practice. But in that case, why is he doing the social work stuff himself? That's what you have residents for.)