Considering rads... but I want patient care, too!

[tRmedic21]

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Since starting medical school, I've looked at various fields and many of them interest me greatly. Rads has always been a field I was intensely interested in, but for various reasons thought it was above me, and also I was concerned about the lack of direct patient care/contact. Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are plenty of procedures in today's radiology practices, what with guided biopsies, the new advent of radio frequency ablation, etc. I have been leaning toward surgery for years, in part due to the hands-on aspect of it, and the chance for seeing an immediate gain and improvement from my work.

My problem is that both my wife and I (she is also a medical student) want very much to do a large amount of medical missions work overseas eventually. I am concerned about my ability to maintain physical exam skills and to stay up on current treatment (not just reading journals, either!).

I am wondering, for those of you in residency and out in practice, do you have the opportunity (and an interest) to keep up with current medical practice and treatment in non-radiological modalities? If I do medical missions in underserved areas, the odds are against me being able to utilize skills learned in a rads residency to a great extent. An IM intern year would obviously give me a decent foundation, but after a few years in practice, where am I gonna be? You know how it goes, if ya don't use it, you lose it. 🙁

Do any of you guys moonlight in the ERs or as hospitalists once in a while? Maybe just a few days a month? Obviously the money for moonlighting isn't an issue (at least after residency), but how would this kind of thing work? Would many hospitals be open to this kind of thing, for a physician not boarded in IM or whatever?

Just wondering if Rads will still allow me to live the kind of life I want, not in terms of hours worked, but in terms of still being competent to treat patients in something like a 3-world country?

Thanks in advance for any responses. I'm beginning to seriously consider Rads, but I don't want to get too into it if it is going to limit my opportunities to serve in this way in the future.

 

[cliffhanger]

Good question. I, too, would be curious to find out if anyone out there is living this kind of scenario successfully. I do know one radiologist who did short term (few months at time) missions work and provided mostly his radiology skills and expertise. Not all third world countries are entirely without the technology and resources to utilize a highly qualified radiologist.

 

[Docmike2006]

Good question. I, too, would be curious to find out if anyone out there is living this kind of scenario successfully. I do know one radiologist who did short term (few months at time) missions work and provided mostly his radiology skills and expertise. Not all third world countries are entirely without the technology and resources to utilize a highly qualified radiologist.

Let me offer a couple of thoughts. First of all, I think today's physicians cannot really be proficient in ALL aspects of medicine - there is just too much to know. Hence, there is specialization and subspecialization. You choose what suits you the most - and you stick to that.

Nevertheless, radiology is slowly evolving into a specialty with more patient contact. Women's imaging, for instance - you talk to patients after they get their mammograms, sometimes you ultrasound them, and sometimes you do biopsies. This is more like real office visit. Additionally, interventional radiologists may see patients in their office, then do a procedure, then even admit them overnight for observation, which is also kinda like being a clinical doc.

I hope this helps.

 

[KB_Xiii]

My mother comes from a very poor country, and I always wanted a speciality that would allow me to practice a few months a year in her country, to help the underprivilaged..

When I decided I wanted to do radiology, I thought I couldn't carry on with my plans, and my free clinic there.. but then it hit me, I can do screening! mammograms and so.. I guess these countries lack more preventive medicine than you think.. people there only seek medical attention when their condition is life threatening.. and most of the time it's unfortunately too late!