diagnostic radiology getting less competitive?

[JackShephard MD]

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It is still an intellectually challenging specialty that has a very high rate of job satisfaction. It still has very little paperwork compared to most other specialties. It still has great compensation and good hours. Hey, if you make your application decision based on a specialties perceived competitiveness that is your own prerogative. But 10 years down the road you'll be shoving cameras up some fat persons butt while I'm sipping coffee in my PJ's while reading some scans from home. You may then realize that there are more important factors to consider when choosing ones specialty.

Nothing like tearing others down to enhance your self-worth.

Keep up the good work.

 

[JP2740]

Some people just don't understand the concept that there are med students who are pursuing this career for things other than bad ass hours and pay lol. They can't wrap their head around it.

 

[officedepot]

.

 

[grayscaleart]

 

[SteinUmStein]

Poor primary care... 🙁

Also, I would assume the 29% of dermatologists who think they are not fairly compensated believe they are overcompensated? And I'd like to smack the 7% of dermatologists who wouldn't choose their specialty again... I guess grass is always greener on the other side. 🙄

 

[JackShephard MD]

These surveys are heavy dependent on fickle factors like reimbursements and political atmosphere.

Letting these influence you is dangerous, they can change in an instant.

Cut medicare 50%? "I would chose my specialty again" down 50%. It's that easy.

 

[SteinUmStein]

These surveys are heavy dependent on fickle factors like pay, reimbursements, and political atmosphere.

Letting these influence you is dangerous, they can change in an instant.

Agreed, mapping these numbers over time would be more informative than one snapshot in a particular year. This could swing dramatically in as little as 3-5 years with changing reimbursements and different practice environments.

 

[grayscaleart]

Cut medicare 50%? "I would chose my specialty again" down 50%. It's that easy.[/QUOTE]

our people, GE, Siemens also know how to lobby

 

[JP2740]

radiology is a really good field if you are looking for stable hours and decent pay. Even though the pay will likely go down from where it is now it'll still be pretty high. Hours are 8-5 generally and though you work pretty hard during this time when it's 5 you are done. This is true even during residency (though you'll have to study some when you go home).

 

[officedepot]

.

 

[colbgw02]

I'd like to meet one of the 18% of radiologists who apparently is not sure that he'd choose radiology if he had it to do over again.

 

[ijn]

I'd like to meet one of the 18% of radiologists who apparently is not sure that he'd choose radiology if he had it to do over again.

There's one really loud one on AuntMinnie who seems to spend every free minute of his life decrying the field of radiology and imploring students to go into internal medicine.

 

[JP2740]

have you even been on a radiology rotation? On most services (not IR) when it gets around 5-6 residents are done. This is true at my school anyway - students can pretty much leave whenever they want. In private practice it's the same sort of thing except you have to read twice as many studies in the same period of time. IR is surgery hours or worse depending on the day.

I know what you're saying and I agree 100%. I think you misread my initial post. Some people in medicine are NOT simply going for the best hours and pay. A lot of people on this board brag about working so many hours and making this much money, like that's why their specialty is better than someone else's and that's it.

 

[colbgw02]

There's one really loud one on AuntMinnie who seems to spend every free minute of his life decrying the field of radiology and imploring students to go into internal medicine.

Yeah, I know that guy. It's a coin flip whether or not he really believes what he's saying or else he can't find a job and wants to cut down on the competition.

In any case, the percentages in that fourth column seem ridiculously low for all specialties not named dermatology. I can only speak to radiology, personally, so I'll just say that there is no way in hell that nearly 1 in 5 radiologists isn't sure they'd choose the field again. The only numbers that I even remotely believe are for ER physicians and primary care (FP and IM).

 

[Brachyury]

have you even been on a radiology rotation? On most services (not IR) when it gets around 5-6 residents are done. This is true at my school anyway - students can pretty much leave whenever they want. In private practice it's the same sort of thing except you have to read twice as many studies in the same period of time. IR is surgery hours or worse depending on the day.

I remember when I went to set-up shadowing dates in radiology when I was a first year: when I arrived at the department office at 8:30 am, one of the secretaries told me to come back because the department chair never arrives before 9:00 am 😍😍😍

 

[NYCMS2]

I'd like to meet one of the 18% of radiologists who apparently is not sure that he'd choose radiology if he had it to do over again.

You are looking at the less revealing column; notice how many docs would not choose medicine as a career again - that is a pretty telling number on dissatisfaction.

 

[DrBowtie]

You are looking at the less revealing column; notice how many docs would not choose medicine as a career again - that is a pretty telling number on dissatisfaction.

Grass is always greener situation I think. You have to follow the career trajectories. So while your college buddy has a sweet mid/upper management gig 10+ years after graduating college, he spent the vast majority of those in a cubicle thinking the same thing about a different career.

 

[MossPoh]

On any given day it wouldn't be surprising to have 20% say they wouldn't go into it, but we are assuming they are reflecting on their career as a whole and not just an isolated bad day/week/month that skews their immediate viewpoint.

 

[notbobtrustme]

You are looking at the less revealing column; notice how many docs would not choose medicine as a career again - that is a pretty telling number on dissatisfaction.

It's also reporter bias. Those who are dissatisfied tend to be more vocal. These types of surveys are always self-reported, so there is the possibility for tremendous bias.