Does the thrill of L&D fade away with time?

[Medschoolready95]

Is interest in obstetrics (specifically L&D) enough to pick OB/Gyn as a specialty? Does the thrill of L&D fade away with time and become just a job?

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[anonperson]

Is interest in obstetrics (specifically L&D) enough to pick OB/Gyn as a specialty? Does the thrill of L&D fade away with time and become just a job?

Yes, it fades.

Admitting a patient at 2am gets old.

Having to physically come in and deliver a patient or do an emergency section at 4am is exhausting when you get older.

 

[Dr G Oogle]

Is interest in obstetrics (specifically L&D) enough to pick OB/Gyn as a specialty? Does the thrill of L&D fade away with time and become just a job?

Almost from the first minute you’re there as a resident

 

[Volatile]

For probably 99% of anesthesiologists, OB is the bane of our existence, seems to be the same for most OB’s I interact with

 

[theshellyb]

Counterargument: I love it.

I'm 3 years out of residency, and I've narrowed my practice to inpatient L&D / outpatient family planning. L&D is never boring. There is always something going on, whether that be extremely acute patients with major medical issues, or weird husbands that make funny anecdotes, or just crazy birth stories. There's a lot of camaraderie on L&D, especially in the middle of the night.

Now, I'm not going in to deliver someone at 3 am and then having to be at clinic at 7:30 either. I don't have any clinic as part of my practice. That sounds miserable. I'm also good at sleeping whenever, wherever. My circadian rhythm and my sanity do not depend on me having a regular sleep schedule. Not true for all people.

Also, if you are just interested in L&D, there are plenty of hospitalist/laborist only type jobs. There will always be a need someone to take L&D call.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Yes, it fades. Intrapartum management is boring. As a student you really only get to experience the delivery portion, which is still somewhat fun for me but losing its thrill because repairing lacerations isn’t fun and pushing for 1 hour is tedious. You don’t really experience the waiting around (at least, I didn’t).

 

[Tangerine123]

repairing lacerations isn’t fun

Honestly that's the only thing I enjoyed of L&D. Episiotomies/episiorraphies and fetal distress sections.

The rest? Kill me

 

[Lost in Translation]

Maybe it’s because I work in a resource-poor hospital but the needle drivers are always too short or never ratchet securely and there aren’t any sidewall retractors in the set. Makes repairing sulcal lacs an exercise in growing a third hand.