Dealing with the patient contact problem

[LovingItAll]

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I've read a lot of material stating that a major downside of going into radiology is that there isn't much patient contact. Presumably we go in to medicine to help people, so not seeing any of them understandably makes radiology unattractive.

The easiest answer: interventional radiology.

But, I'm wondering about feasibility of doing radiology part time (to pay the bills) and then doing more clinical stuff (free clinic, part-time in the ER, etc) the rest of the time. Realistic? Anyone heard of docs doing such things?

I could see myself doing academic radiology, using the long vacation times to do doctors without borders or something like that.

Thoughts?

 

[Jim Picotte]

Possible yes, but realistic...no way. If you're really having this much trouble loosing so much contact with patients then you need to reevaluate your career goals as I do not think radiology is for you. You'd have to be double boarded in both radiology and either IM/EM/FP so it's extra years of training, extra malpractice insurance for two different specialties and medicine is just so complex that if you want to specialize (radiology) then there just isn't enough time to do any other field well and still be a competent radiologist. There's a lot of older radiologists who were once IM docs, FP docs and I don't know anyone that moonlights or works in a clinic.

 

[Rads Resident]

I wondered during my intern year if I would miss patient contact once I started radiology. And now I know: not a bit! I enjoy interacting with people, but dealing with patients just wasn't that fun. The whiners, the drug seakers, the talkative old woman who wouldn't answer your questions, etc, etc, etc.

My brother (an ophthalmologist) said the biggest and unexpected transition going into practice was that it can be lonely, for lack of a better word. Med school & residency surrounds you with colleagues everyday. Private practice puts you alone in an office.

Give me the social environment of the reading room any day.

 

[Sharpie]

That is laughable. In my experience, radiology residents have been some of the most socially awkward of any of the fields of medicine*. There is a reason why they thrive in a dark room with minimal patient contact. That is where they feel most comfortable. You often wonder why they went into medicine at all...knowing full well about that "god awful" patient contact thingy that they may have to deal with. More proof to me that maybe radiology should be a graduate school degree.


*edited to clarify:

What I meant was, in regards to patient care. Some just don't look comfortable. They seem to do just fine during happy hours at the local pub. And they always seem to be the ones closing the pub at 2AM. I guess there are benefits to getting off at 3PM.

 

[Voxel]

Apparently you've never been in a community radiology practice. Where radiologists interact with referring clinicians on a daily basis. Should pathology be a graduate degree as well? The fact is you should be greatful there are people who want to do it so there are experts in the field and your residency doesn't balloon to add extra years to learn the intricacies of "non-patient" contact specialties. What is true however, is that radiologists are some of the happiest most satisfied specialists in medicine.

Lastly, flattery will get you no where in medicine. 😉