Can radiologists actually treat patients?

[IheartCaffeine]

So I've heard several times that diagnostic radiologists have a very broad knowledge base and know "everything about everything." But does that only pertain to diagnostic knowledge? What about treatment? What about pathologies that you can't see on imaging studies? The reason I ask is because I don't want to be one of those doctors that can't help anyone with their medical problems that I don't see in practice. If a friend asks me "I've got such and such problem, what do i do?" I don't want to reply with "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of a doctor." Anyone else have the same concerns?

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[f_w]

Nobody knows 'everything about everything', particularly not in medicine. We have to know the disease processes and a basic outline of therapies for pretty much all specialties, but that means by no means that we could implement those treatments (neither do we want to).

 

[p53]

So I've heard several times that diagnostic radiologists have a very broad knowledge base and know "everything about everything." But does that only pertain to diagnostic knowledge? What about treatment? What about pathologies that you can't see on imaging studies? The reason I ask is because I don't want to be one of those doctors that can't help anyone with their medical problems that I don't see in practice. If a friend asks me "I've got such and such problem, what do i do?" I don't want to reply with "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of a doctor." Anyone else have the same concerns?

Interesting question.

As for now, interventional radiologists and neuro interventional radiologist treat patients. In fact, at Mallinckrodt the neurointerventional radiologists round on their patients in the morning and also do the discharge plans.

Furthermore, at large IR programs they actually have clinic days (like medicine, surgery, peds etc) for patients that have had procedures done in interventional radiology as a follow up.

 

[bcmitch]

So I've heard several times that diagnostic radiologists have a very broad knowledge base and know "everything about everything." But does that only pertain to diagnostic knowledge? What about treatment? What about pathologies that you can't see on imaging studies? The reason I ask is because I don't want to be one of those doctors that can't help anyone with their medical problems that I don't see in practice. If a friend asks me "I've got such and such problem, what do i do?" I don't want to reply with "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of a doctor." Anyone else have the same concerns?

For the "friend consult" or any conversation about medicine, you will know plenty by the end of your junior year and plenty plenty by the end of internship. Nobody's going to ask you what is the latest chemo initiation regimen recommendation for stage 3 mantle cell lymphoma. And unless you're a specialist in that particular field you wouldn't know anyway.

 

[colbgw02]

So I've heard several times that diagnostic radiologists have a very broad knowledge base and know "everything about everything." But does that only pertain to diagnostic knowledge? What about treatment? What about pathologies that you can't see on imaging studies? The reason I ask is because I don't want to be one of those doctors that can't help anyone with their medical problems that I don't see in practice. If a friend asks me "I've got such and such problem, what do i do?" I don't want to reply with "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of a doctor." Anyone else have the same concerns?

i humbly suggest that you don't get into the habit of dispensing free medical advice to friends. i do it for family members, but that's about it. nine times out of 10 it would probably be no big deal, but there can be tricky friend-friend vs. doctor-patient relationship issues, which is a headache you'd probably rather not have. and that's not even to mention the liability issues. so when you're at a party, and your friend asks you to check out his/her mole, just say "hmmm...that's interesting, you should have that checked out", even if it's only a pimple.

regarding the principal question of your post, i agree with the others. by the end of your internship, you'll be prepared to handle about 99% of what non-medical friends will ask you.