EM personality

Started by pillowsnice
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pillowsnice

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I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
 
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pillowsnice said:
I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
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This reminds me of those career choice tests they make you take in 8th grade. "Birdstrike, the results are in and it looks like you'd be a perfect fit for Earth-based astronaut, recycle-truck watcher or Egyptian-snake milker. Don't choose anything else."

Don't let anyone else tell you that you can't do what you want to do for any reason. They don't know jack about you or what's best for you. There are thousands of EM physicians. They don't all fit in one personality box.

If you made major life choices based on people's preconceived notions of what they think you should do with your life, not only will you be directionless, you'll be at a loss to decide which people to listen to. Listen to yourself. Only you know what's best for you. If that's EM, great. If it's something entirely different, great. But don't let people gum up your decision making progress with superficial statements based on their own personality bias. You and only you can decide.

You give your order as a doctor. Those whose job it is to follow the order follow it, and you do your work. There's no requirement that you have to be a loud, dramatic, outgoing hystero-freak to do the job.
 
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Birdstrike said:
This reminds me of those career choice tests they make you take in 8th grade. "Birdstrike, the results are in and it looks like you'd be a perfect fit for Earth-based astronaut, recycle-truck watcher or Egyptian-snake milker. Don't choose anything else."
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SO TRUE!!!!!
When my 8th grade friends got together after taking that test we discovered we ALL were best suited to be forest rangers.
 
I wrote this a few months ago...check it out. There’s a real quiet dude I work with and he’s a good doc. Although I agree the stereotype of ER docs are those who probably love to run around, putting in chest tubes and doing LPs and being all macho.
 
pillowsnice said:
I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
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I'm an introvert and every personality test I take agrees. Agreed with the above - as long as you love what you do, you're not a jerk, and you get along with your team, you'll be fine.
 
I actually think there are some specific personalities that should probably stay away from EM for theirs and their future potential colleague’s and patient’s benefit. Obviously “the *sshole” should stay far away. “The germaphobe” should be blatantly obvious to themselves and everyone else that they are not meant for EM, however, I have actually met one of these individuals and they were the worst in terms of working with and I’m not talking about the type that wipes down their desk. I’m talking about the type that is deathly afraid of anything mildly dirty. “The overly thorough” type is also a pain in the *ss to work with. This isn’t the same individual that over orders because they are afraid of missing something. This is the individual that writes novels during their shift and sees 0.5-1 pph a shift because they are too busy figuring out how to perfectly describe some non-emergent rash (and that 0.5-1pph is not an exaggeration). The “scaredy-cats” also should know this, but they really should not be anywhere near an ER. Had a co-resident in residency who would literally hide when emergent patients came in. Like, he heard someone was sick over the radio and he would lock himself in a bathroom for 15-20 minutes. He was eventually kicked out for being so terrible. I’m sure there are a few more personalities, but EM is definitely not for everyone, even for a few that actually think it is for them.
 
I am somewhat of an introvert myself and therefore I initially thought I would loathe emergency medicine. I saw myself doing psych or internal medicine. After my first taste of the emergency department, I was sold. Sure, because I am introverted, I don’t do any pointless socializing at work at all. I ask people how they are out of politeness but I don’t have the desire to ask the charge nurse how her weekend or where the attending finished their residency. If they wanna talk medicine - YES! I am interested! But other than that... no time or interest in socializing just to socialize. I don’t even see how people have time to do this. I am so busy there’s no time to worry about making small talk with coworkers, patients or specialists; I can just focus on my cases. That’s a GOOD thing for an introvert. I always thought I was too overly sensitive to handle emergency medicine but I found that it is perfect for me. I weirdly go into this mode where I am totally in my own head, I don’t think about anything but the task at hand, I am completely invested and immersed in what I am doing, and I am enjoying every minute of it (well, at least until the hour or two before my shift ends, when I am likely to be crabby). It’s hard to describe but it’s like a FLOW, and it’s awesome. Several of the docs and PAs in my groups are introverts as well, and they’re usually amongst the best.
 
pillowsnice said:
I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
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"Some people" are wrong.

Introverts, extroverts, medium-verts, reserved folks, boisterous folks... all found in EM. Your quietness isn't going to be what shapes how successful you are in the specialty.
 
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thegenius said:
I wrote this a few months ago...check it out. There’s a real quiet dude I work with and he’s a good doc. Although I agree the stereotype of ER docs are those who probably love to run around, putting in chest tubes and doing LPs and being all macho.
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Favorite procedures:

1.) US guided IJ central line.
2.) Shoulder reducion.
3.) RSI

....


45.) Lumbar puncture.
 
RustedFox said:
So many laughs as I read the responses.

We really do have a "stereotype" that is laughable.

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Khan as the ER doc in this one is even funnier. I'm sure we've all seen this one. If any of you haven't, check it out.

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RustedFox said:
Favorite procedures:

1.) US guided IJ central line.
2.) Shoulder reducion.
3.) RSI

....


45.) Lumbar puncture.
Click to expand...
Seriously, f*** lumbar punctures.

I would have to put my top 3 as:
1) Nursemaid's elbow reduction
2) RSI
3) Shoulder reduction

Nursemaid's elbows are the best because the parent(s) are invariably the ones that tugged on the kid's arm and are freaking out that they broke their child. Everyone is reasonably panicked. You explain that it's no big deal and you're going to fix it. The kid will cry for a min or two and then they'll be better. Do the reduction, kid cries, parent is still freaking out and you just tell them to get the kid to play and you'll be back in 5 min.

5 min later you walk back in and the kid is completely fine and the parent looks at you like you're freaking Jesus because you touched their child and now they're healed. Never gets old.
 
Hate hate hate LPs. Probably wouldn't be so hesitant if I had access to fluoro. Done some with US which kinda helps. But I just can't palpate spinous processes, iliac crest
 
pillowsnice said:
I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
Click to expand...

No. Although in residency, the RNs who actually run the place (who tend to adopt the persona of "normal" extraverted Americans when they're at work) might misunderstand you and so rag on you for being "weird"/not a team player/whatever negative phrasing RNs use for quiet residents these days. And so you need to have a thick skin. But if you're a good doc, you'll eventually win their respect.

Actual traits you should have to be a happy EM doc:

- enough social aptitude to figure out what your pts really want (which is often not the same as their chief complaint) and give it to them or at least be able to negotiate with them about it; this is really not taught in med school
- ability to stay awake all night when needed
- no family or, if you already have a family, one that doesn't mind you working crazy hours; otherwise you may well get divorced
- The Quickness; this will come in residency but the basic prereq is the mindset that you aren't there to dx and solve all your pts' problems forever; being able to think probabilistically also helps ("I could keep this pt here for 8 hours until the MRI scanner frees up to diagnose a ligament injury, but the prior on that is very very low, so instead I'll just send them home")
- if you work in the community, the ability to eat large amounts of corporate BS and not whine about it (in person at least; I get my virtual whining out on SDN 🙂)
 
I’m an introvert and there’s no other specialty I’d pick. EM is great. Go, go, go, no time for small talk or looking at your kids baby pictures. I don’t have to rely on other people to do things that matter. I’m the intubation boss, the central line boss, the magic maker. Nurse too busy documenting to get the ABG I’ve asked for 1.5 hours? I’ll get it myself with a side of sweetly sarcastic responses for the foreseeable future. Shifts are not just physically difficult (you know, the whole bodily function thing) but are more emotionally exhausting for me than anything else. Wrecked by certain cases.

When crap hits the fan, do you run? Or can you get your hands dirty and do what’s best for your patient? What was your last reaction to a critical patient coming in? If you can take charge of the room, you’ll be fine. INTJ here if that means anything.
 
Fav procedures:

1) Intubation
2) CVL (subclavian)
3) Shoulder and hip reductions. Regarding hips...if I'm tired, then I'll do the Captain Morgan technique because it works 95% of the time for me. However, if I missed a workout that day or just need some exercise, I'll hop in the bed and sling the pt's leg over my shoulder and play WWE orthopod. Everyone in the room seems to be much more impressed with the reduction when I do it that way.

Reminds me of this tiny, petite female ortho resident when I was in residency. She had a real problem with hip reductions and I was helping her out one day and she was on the stretcher while I was handling sedation, straining..straining...and I just knew her fellow gorilla male seniors were going to give her grief for not getting it back in, so I dipped my shoulder down and hooked it under the pt's knee and just kind of stood up a bit...clunk! She stopped, eyes wide open, looked at me...I shrugged with an expression like "What?? I didn't do anything", and she let out this gladiator style yell of success "Yeaaaaahhh baby!!!!" while fist pumping the air. LOL.

Anyway, back on topic. To the OP: Not ALL of us are loud, obnoxious and abrasive. Plenty of introverts to go around. I'm a little more extroverted at work but am an introvert by nature. I guess I'm an introvert with social skills. You'll be fine.
 
I frequently get told by people who don’t know me well enough that I’m “too quiet.” This was particularly hard to hear when it came from the clerkship director at my top program....”you don’t have the personality to be successful in EM. Too quiet. Too shy. You’ll never be successful in EM.”

Ouch.

In contrast, the program director at another hospital pulled me aside one day. “I bet you get told you’re quiet a lot....I was told the same thing. All the time. Don’t change. You’re good with patients and teachable. That’s all we want from you right now.”

Guess where I matched? Couldn’t be happier with how it ended up.

Find what works for you and a place that will fit who you are. As stated above, there are certain qualities required in EM. Being quiet does not exclude you from being capable and succeeding.

Anytime I get told I’m too quiet or I need to “change to be successful” I think of this scene from Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. Find what works for you and be happy.

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AlgernonMed said:
I frequently get told by people who don’t know me well enough that I’m “too quiet.” This was particularly hard to hear when it came from the clerkship director at my top program....”you don’t have the personality to be successful in EM. Too quiet. Too shy. You’ll never be successful in EM.”

Ouch.

In contrast, the program director at another hospital pulled me aside one day. “I bet you get told you’re quiet a lot....I was told the same thing. All the time. Don’t change. You’re good with patients and teachable. That’s all we want from you right now.”

Guess where I matched? Couldn’t be happier with how it ended up.

Find what works for you and a place that will fit who you are. As stated above, there are certain qualities required in EM. Being quiet does not exclude you from being capable and succeeding.

Anytime I get told I’m too quiet or I need to “change to be successful” I think of this scene from Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. Find what works for you and be happy.

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I know it has been a while since I originally made this post, but I was having doubts again and came to this thread for reassurance. I especially liked what that program director said as it gives me hope that I can be successful. I just have to work on being more assertive and more forward during my sub-Is and EM rotations.
 
pillowsnice said:
I really love the field of EM and would eventually like to be in that field, but my introvert personality is holding me back. I am more on the quiet side but am still able to be personable and get along with my peers. However, some people have told me that they dont think being quiet is good for EM and that I should rethink my specialty choice, which is messing with my mind. I guess I might have trouble asserting myself but I feel like after time I can do it. Will I have trouble as an EM resident if I'm more quiet?
Click to expand...

Nobody cares if you’re quite. Most people hate “talkers” - especially the ones who want to chat about their kids or turn signout into a dissertation when their colleagues are trying to leave.

You will be judged like the rest of us - by the quality of your signouts and the appearance of the track board at the end of your shift. Consistently leave a bunch of bull**** dispos with nonsensical plans or a disaster of a waiting room and you’ll wish you had matched in psychiatry. Take care of business with clean care and dispos and you could be a mute and still do well.
 
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Some of the best ED docs I've ever worked with are quiet, introverted types. The ability to bring calm to a chaotic situation is a much-vaunted quality among acute care physicians. Some of the worst are shouty megalomaniacs who invariably inject their own drama even in non-critical scenarios.

If in any doubt who's the better physician to work with, ask the ED nurses next time you're rotating at your local ER.
 
I’ll echo that being an introvert is not an impediment to a career in emergency medicine. It can definitely be an asset. I would say that severe social anxiety however is not a good trait (social anxiety being different than introversion). You have to talk to different people all day every day and need to be able to communicate well verbally in very intense situations.
 
People typically ask themselves, "Do I have the right personality for EM?" I think that's the wrong question to be asking yourself. People of all types of different personalities go into and succeed in EM. The more useful question is, "Does EM have the right personality for me?"

What's going to determine whether or not your happy with the choice will be based more on the appropriateness of EM's personality for you, rather than your personality fit for EM.

You'd never choose a significant other or spouse by asking yourself, "Do I have the right personality?" But you absolutely will choose who you're going to date or marry based on theirs.
 
AlmostAnMD said:
Try not to be a molester

we seem to have enough of those
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What a ridiculous statement.

People in general can be horrible. Some of those people become doctors. Some of those doctors pick emergency medicine. Doubtful the percentage is different across the board.
 
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