Favorite insane speciality

[Time Table]

Cardiothoracic, the heart is really an interesting piece of machinery. As much as I want to go into cardiology, performing surgery on it is my next biggest wish.

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[masaraksh]

Fetal medicine/ fetal surgery

License plate 'FETUS MD' or 'DEDBABY' although the latter may be going a bit too far.

 

[ridethecliche]

This guy likely works a lot of hours:
http://spinal-deformity-surgeon.com
I hear he takes the most insane scoli cases.
View attachment 183196
This is from his website.

Lenke is a giant in deformity. I know surgeons that have worked with him and operate on similar cases at my institution (also known for deformity). One of the attendings I work for was just there visiting him to discuss a few cases and watch a few cases.

However, many of those cases are not urgent. They can be scheduled days or weeks away. MOST ortho/neuro spine cases are not urgent, but are elective quality of life cases. At my institution, ortho spine and neuro take turns covering spine trauma cases that are urgent.

The surgeons don't have to work an insane amount of hours as a result since the fellow/residents handle urgent consults until there's a trauma case that requires surgery.

 

[kyamh]

License plate 'FETUS MD' or 'DEDBABY' although the latter may be going a bit too far.

How about LIVEBBY or LIVBABY?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Lenke is a giant in deformity. I know surgeons that have worked with him and operate on similar cases at my institution (also known for deformity). One of the attendings I work for was just there visiting him to discuss a few cases and watch a few cases.

However, many of those cases are not urgent. They can be scheduled days or weeks away. MOST ortho/neuro spine cases are not urgent, but are elective quality of life cases. At my institution, ortho spine and neuro take turns covering spine trauma cases that are urgent.

The surgeons don't have to work an insane amount of hours as a result since the fellow/residents handle urgent consults until there's a trauma case that requires surgery.

Oh, I realize that spine surgeons don't necessarily work insane hours. I just assumed that Lenke likely works "a lot of hours" because he strives to be the best academic spinal deformity surgeon in the world-lol.
See the section on current academic interests:
http://spinal-deformity-surgeon.com/about-dr-lenke/dr-lenkes-bio/
Edit: and by no means am I belittling his aspirations. I'm sure he's one of the best.

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Interventional Basketweaving all the way for me

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Interventional Basketweaving all the way for me

Sounds like a high risk speciality.

 

[ridethecliche]

Oh, I realize that spine surgeons don't necessarily work insane hours. I just assumed that Lenke likely works "a lot of hours" because he strives to be the best academic spinal deformity surgeon in the world-lol.
See the section on current academic interests:
http://spinal-deformity-surgeon.com/about-dr-lenke/dr-lenkes-bio/
Edit: and by no means am I belittling his aspirations. I'm sure he's one of the best.

I don't know Dr. Lenke personally, but I know people who do what he does and are also at the top of the deformity field. I work with some of them.

I didn't say you were belittling him, I was just saying that I know their schedules. They're not as insane as you think. They are busy as fack, but I wouldn't say the surgeons I work with work 70+ hrs each week.

I will also add that I don't consider research part of practice the same way that you seem to. Doing research is not required. Some of the attendings I work with don't really do research. That is academics, which is not required for practice. I think that is an important distinction to make.

Dr. Lenke also has residents, fellows, and CRCs/research staff that do much of this for him.

I'm not belittling what you're saying, but I do work in spine research coordinating many studies with attendings here. I know their schedules reasonably well. They are very busy, but I think that the average is probably more like 60-70 on a crazy busy week. Most of them aren't here during the weekend, if at all, outside of being on call (which rotates here between ortho and neuro).

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I don't know Dr. Lenke personally, but I know people who do what he does and are also at the top of the deformity field. I work with some of them.

I didn't say you were belittling him, I was just saying that I know their schedules. They're not as insane as you think. They are busy as fack, but I wouldn't say the surgeons I work with work 70+ hrs each week.

I will also add that I don't consider research part of practice the same way that you seem to. Doing research is not required. Some of the attendings I work with don't really do research. That is academics, which is not required for practice. I think that is an important distinction to make.

Dr. Lenke also has residents, fellows, and CRCs/research staff that do much of this for him.

I'm not belittling what you're saying, but I do work in spine research coordinating many studies with attendings here. I know their schedules reasonably well. They are very busy, but I think that the average is probably more like 60-70 on a crazy busy week. Most of them aren't here during the weekend, if at all, outside of being on call (which rotates here between ortho and neuro).

I was assuming ~65 hrs for an academic spine surgeon. And thanks for confirming this! (Although that's still a lot of hrs for many working ppl).
I guess it's easy for stuff to get misinterpreted on the web. I used the word "belittle" because I didn't want ppl to think I was scoffing at Lenke's intentions of being the best in the world (I've just never seen that on a doctor's website before-good for him though). He seems like the type of doc that takes cases that most others cannot do. Obviously, I know nothing about spine deformities, but the pre-op vs post-op x-rays on his website do look remarkable.
Anyway, it's great that you already have exposure to spine surgery.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

The CT surgeons where I, thankfully, used to work (god that was a soul sucking job) usually only put in 40-50 hours a week; closer to 40 though.

Was it a private practice? That's an interesting contrast from the psych's in your area.

 

[WillburCobb]

Was it a private practice? That's an interesting contrast from the psych's in your area.

Community hospital. Their hours are obviously a little higher on weeks with a lot of urgent cases, but they're usually at or under 50hrs. Their PAs cover a lot of their post-op things and they're pretty quick to ship pts. off to other services and stay on as a consulting provider. The psychiatrists that do outpatient only around here average closer to 40hrs, the inpatient ones have the ridiculous hours.

 

[ridethecliche]

I was assuming ~65 hrs for an academic spine surgeon. And thanks for confirming this! (Although that's still a lot of hrs for many working ppl).
I guess it's easy for stuff to get misinterpreted on the web. I used the word "belittle" because I didn't want ppl to think I was scoffing at Lenke's intentions of being the best in the world (I've just never seen that on a doctor's website before-good for him though). He seems like the type of doc that takes cases that most others cannot do. Obviously, I know nothing about spine deformities, but the pre-op vs post-op x-rays on his website do look remarkable.
Anyway, it's great that you already have exposure to spine surgery.

I think 60 is overstating it to be honest. They're usually here between 7-8 and leave by 5. I think with academic practice it's like that. I also don't know when they're on call, so maybe 60-70 is more like it on a call week, but the fellows and residents do most of the consults. There are also like 6 spine docs at my hospital between ortho and neuro, so they don't take call so often.

Like I said, the deformity surgeon here is famous within the field because of how good he is, even he goes to Lenke for some stuff. Lenke is a giant in the field.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I think 60 is overstating it to be honest. They're usually here between 7-8 and leave by 5. I think with academic practice it's like that. I also don't know when they're on call, so maybe 60-70 is more like it on a call week, but the fellows and residents do most of the consults. There are also like 6 spine docs at my hospital between ortho and neuro, so they don't take call so often.

Like I said, the deformity surgeon here is famous within the field because of how good he is, even he goes to Lenke for some stuff. Lenke is a giant in the field.

Happy to hear it's usually less than 60 where you're at. I've met a few surgeons in NYC that work more than 70 hrs (none of them were spine surgeons though). I guess it's usually a range of hrs for each specialty. You're fortunate to see this stuff on an everyday basis. I usually have to refer to stuff like this:
http://www.beckersspine.com/spine/item/12579-5-spine-surgeons-on-hours-worked-per-week

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Obligatory State Sponsored Orthopedic Trauma Propaganda Video

 

[RJGOP]

Obligatory State Sponsored Orthopedic Trauma Propaganda Video

Propaganda? Maybe. Informative? Yes.

 

[ridethecliche]

Happy to hear it's usually less than 60 where you're at. I've met a few surgeons in NYC that work more than 70 hrs (none of them were spine surgeons though). I guess it's usually a range of hrs for each specialty. You're fortunate to see this stuff on an everyday basis. I usually have to refer to stuff like this:
http://www.beckersspine.com/spine/item/12579-5-spine-surgeons-on-hours-worked-per-week

Haha, truth be told, I'm lucky as fak to be where I am. I get to work with their patients, watch them operate, and learn all sorts of ****.

We do a ton of research. I'm honestly here atleast 6 days a week for a total of atleast 60 hours. I work almost 70 hrs some weeks, but it is paying off. I have one paper that is 99% going to be accepted after revisions (3rd author), I have a first author manuscript that is being reviewed by co-authors right now, and a first author abstract just got accepted for a podium talk. I have two 2nd author manuscripts in preparation with fellows, and I'm working on a few of my own studies. The surgeons are great to work for and definitely take care of me. It's a great spot to be in, but it's exhausting.

I honestly think I do more work than they do right now, but that's how it works. They're attendings at one of the best hospitals in the country. They've paid their dues.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Uncle Harvey is pleased with the poll results.

 

[RTC19]

View attachment 183287
Uncle Harvey is pleased with the poll results.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Interventional Basketweaving all the way for me

The hours aren't that bad, but you have to deal with some real basket cases.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

The hours aren't that bad, but you have to deal with some real basket cases.