Does anyone have a crystal ball concerning residencies?

[bustinbooty]

As a MS1, I am in constant flux about which residency programs to aim for. However, by the middle of my second year, I at least want to be "aiming" somewhere.
Can anyone look into their crystal ball and predict which residencies will be attractive, competitive, worthless, etc. 2/3 years down the road? I know that I should seek what interests me most (yada, yada, yada) but lifestyle is an important issue. For those of you in a residency now, what may you have done different, if anything?
I know this is somewhat ambiguous, but I am looking for some real generalized answers.

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[Winged Scapula]

Well if lifestyle is what matters to you, then the lifestyle residencies will remain the same 4 years from now: most of the primary care specialties, radiology, derm and some of the surgical specialties like ENT and Plastics.

PM&R is really becoming more popular and surgical fields becoming less so. However, this happens every 5 years or so - Gen Surg is at a nadir right now but that may change in a few years.

Anyway, no crystal ball (and you REALLY should consider what you LIKE to do rather than what is popular or provides you the best lifestyle... )

 

[Voxel]

I should tell you that there is a rather large upswing in the number of people applying to anesthesiology residencies in my medical school this year (mostly people switching from medicine). Speaking with other senior medical students I believe this to be a trend in my geographic area and maybe nationwide. Although I have no crystal ball, I think it will continue to get harder next year (close to the point it was in the early 80s). If you have not read or heard this, radiology has become much more difficult to match in than 3-5 years ago. PMR is also gaining slight increase as well. Overall, there is a general shift away from primary care (ie even most IM/Peds are planning on doing fellowships) and general surgery (and maybe even surgical specialties in general) at my school. My advice is to work hard in medical school because you never know how difficult your field will be when you apply to the match and do something you love.

 

[SniperBubble]

Kimberli,

Can you tell me if someone with chronic neck and back pain can work as a surgeon? Thanks.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by Doc2B:
•Kimberli,

Can you tell me if someone with chronic neck and back pain can work as a surgeon? Thanks.•••

Depends on how well you have it managed. And while there are certain cases for which you can sit down, you will be required to stand for hours on end - even while not in the OR - and that can be pretty painful, even for those without chronic neck and back problems.

I am sure there are plenty of surgeons with similar problems but I imagine it would be pretty difficult to survive residency unless your condition was well under control. Not many concessions are made during residency and I doubt you could skip those lengthy transplant, vascular, etc cases or take multiple breaks during them.

Best of luck.

 

[SniperBubble]

Kimberli,

I don't have problems with long hours of standing as long as I maintain proper posture. My concern is with the bending of the neck and back during the actual surgery. It seems as if many of the surgeons don't use proper posture technique as they're doing the procedures. In your experience, do many surgeons suffer from some form of back pain? Thanks again.

 

[srlondon]

In response to the original poster, first year of med school is way to far in advance to be thinking about which residencies you should shoot for. Unless you have a burning interest in otolaryngology, your inclinations at this point should not close your mind to any of the experiences that you will have later in med school. Wait for your clerkships and try to get a feel for what interests you. If you've got any thoughts at this point, try taking advantage of the summer before 1st and 2nd years to do research or a clinical externship in that area to either rule it in or out.

Good luck!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by Doc2B:
•Kimberli,

I don't have problems with long hours of standing as long as I maintain proper posture. My concern is with the bending of the neck and back during the actual surgery. It seems as if many of the surgeons don't use proper posture technique as they're doing the procedures. In your experience, do many surgeons suffer from some form of back pain? Thanks again.•••

I haven't heard many complaints then again I am a relative newby to the field. But I do know its an occupational hazard.

You're right - there is a LOT of bending of the neck and body during surgery - to have the patient at the correct height for surgery requires that you have to bend down to look at the field. Perhaps you can find some positioning which is more comfortable for you and allows you to operate successfully. I'm not sure what "proper posture" is (other than how my mother defines it) so perhaps there is a way to maintain proper alignment and comfort without sacrificing the ergonomics required to operate properly.

Not much help I realize perhaps some others have experience here?