EM, anesthesia residency better for a mother?

[jjy2103]

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for someone who has kids, which residency would afford more time at home with the kids between EM and anesthesia?

i understand once you are an attending you can make your own hours but the residency is a whole another issue...

 

[docB]

I would think (please note the flame ******ant tone there) that EM would be better. I base that on the fact that you can do a 3 year EM residency rather than the 4 year gas and the transitional/prelim options for gas can be pretty grueling.

Note that EM has its tough rotations as well but I would guess they are not as bad now under the hour restrictions.

Now which specialty's lifestyle will fit you better is a different issue. Not to mention what you would like doing better for you career.

 

[Coastie]

for someone who has kids, which residency would afford more time at home with the kids between EM and anesthesia?

i understand once you are an attending you can make your own hours but the residency is a whole another issue...

EM. Anesthesia has some of the most call of any specialty during residency. I average q3-q4 x 3 years of anesthesia, and the prelims can be horrible.

After residency, EM has many more options, flexibility, and a brighter future than Anesthesia.

 

[dragonfly99]

I would say ER, because they are generally limited to 60 hrs/week. Some off service rotations like ortho or trauma surgery could be grueling, though. Also, as mentioned above, you have to do a separate intern year for gas, and neither IM nor surgery prelim years are usually that cush. Having said that, I think it is important to look long term...what will you want to be doing for 20-35years AFTER residency? Also, even within the same specialty, there is quite a bit of variation in the "cushiness" among different residencies, in terms of work hours and stress level/demands on residents. That can be hard to determine at interviews, but easier if you know someone @ the residency or can find someone who is there/has been there through your med school's alumi network or through friends.

 

[DominicanaMD]

for someone who has kids, which residency would afford more time at home with the kids between EM and anesthesia?

i understand once you are an attending you can make your own hours but the residency is a whole another issue...

I'm a single mom and currently a IM Prelim intern -Anesthesia. Both offer shift work and will be more "cush" than most other specialties when you're an ATTENDING. Both residencies are pretty grueling. I can honestly say that I barely see my daughter right now with early mornings and late nights. My family has had to step in and be extra supportive offering childcare and so fourth. I advise you to be realistic about your expectations during residency. You can certainly make time for your family but it will be rotation/service dependent. Overall do what will make you happy! Have you had a chance to speak with the residents or attendings at your institution? That certainly helped me. I have friends that just became Attendings and have pretty cush hours - no call, or wkends. Ahh......i cant wait!!!

Have you thought about Derm?

 

[Impromptu]

The number of hours and days worked by the EM residents at my institution are less than anesthesiology and probably more conducive to someone with children.