FM vs Anesthesiology

[thebluecortex]

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Hi all,

3rd year med student here. I'm nearing the end of 3rd year and have been able to rule out quite a few specialties, but I'm still undecided and it's driving me crazy. I love the clinic / outpatient setting, couldn't stand the internal medicine wards in the hospital, but enjoyed the OR setting. I've narrowed it down to FM vs Anesthesiology.

Surgery is a distant 3rd. I enjoyed the clinical work, but my personality just didn't mesh with the surgery residents and attendings. I'm also a family-oriented guy with many outside interests, and want a decent life with time available away from medicine. I've almost completely ruled surgery out, unless any of you say based on experience that in residency and beyond, personalities of fellow residents/colleagues don't really matter, and that a decent lifestyle is attainable in surgery.

Also, is it possible to loathe the internal medicine wards but love medicine in the clinic? I could not fathom being a hospitalist, and in one possible career path (in which I've hypothetically ruled out anesthesiology), I envision myself working in the future as a Kaiser FP doc.

Anyways, I would really appreciate any opinions on gas vs FP, the future of FP's with NP's and PA's, and the best way to finally narrow down one's specialty choice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rachmoninov3]

Gas was second on my list too, but here's why I chose FM:

1. Continuity. I want to know what happens to may patients.

2. Diversity. Keeping someone alive while the surgeon cures them is incrediably challenging from a physiologic stand point, it lacked the differential diagnosis and the diversity seen in family medicine.

3. I want to have a chance to be "my doctor" to someone. As easy as it is to be a good doctor when you give someone versed, I'd like to be remembered afterwards as well.

4. I still get a tiny bit of OR time with OB, basic lacs and circs.

Of course each decision is personal, and the standard advice is to do sub-I/acting intern rotations in both gas and family medicine.

Congrats on being almost finished with 3rd year!!!!!

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Closing. Cross-posted in multiple forums. Feel free to contribute to the opem one in allo.