Cardiology satisfaction?

[HMSBeagle]

What would be the satisfaction level of your average cardiologist or for that matter the IM subspecialties? Im starting to think what I might end up in and it is really confusing. I enjoyed our cardiology course this year and shadowed a cardiologist and even to the cath lab (saw caths, PCIs, EP procedures and really liked it) but what really kills me is the 3 years of IM and having then to go through another match again. I also shadowed an URO and ENT and enjoyed that also because they do short procedures . I didnt like the ultralong ENT cases I saw mainly because of the length. This is something drawing me towards cards, that the have short procedures. So any advice would be helpful. (I didnt post in the cardiology forum because replies are hard to come there).

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[Law2Doc]

What would be the satisfaction level of your average cardiologist or for that matter the IM subspecialties? Im starting to think what I might end up in and it is really confusing. I enjoyed our cardiology course this year and shadowed a cardiologist and even to the cath lab (saw caths, PCIs, EP procedures and really liked it) but what really kills me is the 3 years of IM and having then to go through another match again. I also shadowed an URO and ENT and enjoyed that also because they do short procedures . I didnt like the ultralong ENT cases I saw mainly because of the length. This is something drawing me towards cards, that the have short procedures. So any advice would be helpful. (I didnt post in the cardiology forum because replies are hard to come there).

I don't think it's going to be possible to have other people tell you what you want to do with your life. You have had exposure to a handful of fields, both surgical and medical. Generally the decision trees are as follows. Adults or Kids? Then Surgical versus medical? Then what level of patient contact? And so on. But in the end you have to find something you think you will enjoy, ideally, by the beginning of your 4th year. At a minimum, a lot of people will decide on either a medicine or surgery path, and defer the actual specialty decision for even later down the road.

 

[HMSBeagle]

Thanks Law2Doc!!

 

[doc20]

cardiology is regarded as a very satisfying field as you can really change a patient around and send them home in a much better shape then they came in, as oppose to stroke patient in neuro where the deficits arent going away anywhere.
also you can prevent a lot of complications with a cardiac patient just by offering some good advice

 

[HMSBeagle]

I understand this about cardiology. However Im a very hands on person and I fear cardiology may not be so hands because of clinic time. I know theres urology clinic and ENT clinic but I just don't know about the time distribution since the docs i shadowed were at the hospital and not in the clinic setting.

 

[Blade28]

cardiology is regarded as a very satisfying field as you can really change a patient around and send them home in a much better shape then they came in, as oppose to stroke patient in neuro where the deficits arent going away anywhere.
also you can prevent a lot of complications with a cardiac patient just by offering some good advice

And when they foul up, the CT Surg guys can swoop in and save the day.

 

[BrianUM]

cardiology is regarded as a very satisfying field as you can really change a patient around and send them home in a much better shape then they came in, as oppose to stroke patient in neuro where the deficits arent going away anywhere.
also you can prevent a lot of complications with a cardiac patient just by offering some good advice

While no doubt cardio is cool, your statement regarding stroke is only somewhat accurate as interventional neurologists now treat acute strokes and are involved in stroke prevention along with interventional neuroradiologists and endovascular neurosurgeons

 

[goodluckcharm]

how much patient contact is there in non-invasive cardio (in group private practice)?
if cardiologists spend all day reading echos, how different (in terms of patient contact) is it from a radiologist, who has very little patient contact, but very high income?



i would really appreciate some clarification here. thank you

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Maybe my experience is the aberration, but while it's not a majority, there's definitely a few cardio people I meet who are unhappy. However, I don't think it's because anything about the field but everything about personality.

They're the people who went into it for the wrong reasons: money and reputation, not love of the field. Since cardiology is sort of viewed of as the "king" of medicine specialties by many, it attracts a certain portion of people who just want to make the most money and be viewed as "the lifesaver"

 

[njbmd]

Moving to IM Forum for comment by people in the field.

 

[CernerDrone]

interventional neurologists are hard to come by as of yet...

sure CT surg can save the day but they'll have to sit on a bench for a while =)