Choosing a specialty: OB/GYN vs Emergency Medicine

[Mirajo]

Third year student trying to decided which programs to apply for. At first, I was strongly for emergency medicine, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my OB/GYN rotation. I really liked both rotations, but both have had their cons that are keeping me from committing to either 100%. With EM I'm worried about burnout, and honestly pill seeksers drive me a little insane. With OB/GYN the patient load and work schedule was less than ideal.

At this point I'm just going back and forth in my head so any discussion is appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Rekt]

Third year student trying to decided which programs to apply for. At first, I was strongly for emergency medicine, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my OB/GYN rotation. I really liked both rotations, but both have had their cons that are keeping me from committing to either 100%. With EM I'm worried about burnout, and honestly pill seeksers drive me a little insane. With OB/GYN the patient load and work schedule was less than ideal.

At this point I'm just going back and forth in my head so any discussion is appreciated.

Pill seekers, alcoholics, and dead beats on "disability" are apart of the bread and butter of EM. You have to deal with those to get to the real stuff, which some shifts, is few and far between, but you can also have good days without much of the former. You'll need to make a pros cons list as these specialities are quite different along with the lifestyles that come with each.

 

[AMEHigh]

Third year student trying to decided which programs to apply for. At first, I was strongly for emergency medicine, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my OB/GYN rotation. I really liked both rotations, but both have had their cons that are keeping me from committing to either 100%. With EM I'm worried about burnout, and honestly pill seeksers drive me a little insane. With OB/GYN the patient load and work schedule was less than ideal.

At this point I'm just going back and forth in my head so any discussion is appreciated.

I think you should evaluate the 2 specialties on the broader sense and what fits your personality.

Do you enjoy quicker encounters and not always knowing the final diagnosis or solving the puzzle? Or do you value being able to make longer term relationships with patients and being able to work a problem up.

I thought I'd enjoy EM a lot more than I actually did because I realized I didn't like just admitting patients to the hospital and often not knowing the diagnosis and treatment the patient ended up getting. I didn't mind the pill seekers, but I would get irritated about the patients who came to the ED for a cold. I know there is a lack of access to primary care in some places, but having to chart for a cold was often frustrating.

I personally decided I like ob/gyn and family medicine more in order to form longer term relationships with patients.

In regards to lifestyle, the shift work in EM is obviously a plus to many people. However, the 2 EDs I've worked in all the attendings schedules varied a lot week to week and month to month and I would hate to go back and forth to days and nights in an inconsistent pattern on a regular basis.

Those are just my 2 cents. Good luck with your decision!