Follow your passion!

[nkmiami]

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Why ‘Find Your Passion’ Is Such Terrible Advice (Published 2019)

Prepare for a hard truth: We’re pretty bad at most things when we first try them.

www.nytimes.com

Others have posted on this before, but it recently came up in the new york times. Leadership and programs have perpetrated this false notion of radiation as a "special calling," (almost like you are joining an exclusive priesthood). You need to be prepared to give up geography and prepare to be financially and otherwise exploited (possibly even taking an unfunded fellowship at Umichigan), so that you can pursue your dream. A number of studies show this a complete idealistic falsehood. Passions are often developed not discovered. There is no appreciation on the part of our leadership, especially those who post on twitter, that there are a number of interesting, well compensated, geographically open fields available to top applicants. Sadly, I dont think we will be in the running any more for these applicants.

 

[seper]

Well, I'd argue that radiation is a "special calling". This is exactly why I became a RadOnc. Think about it, curing tumors without surgery. Too bad the era of high compensation in US comes to an end.

 

[Neuronix]

It's not just high compensation--I know some senior residents out there graduating in a few weeks who still don't have jobs at all!

 

[medgator]

Well, I'd argue that radiation is a "special calling". This is exactly why I became a RadOnc. Think about it, curing tumors without surgery. Too bad the era of high compensation in US comes to an end.

I think the job market geography (specifically, lack of it) is a far worse issue than compensation

 

[scarbrtj]

The word "passion" has taken on a much different meaning than its arguable initial meaning, as in the Passion of Jesus, where passion means enduring much suffering.

Going through 5 years of post-graduate training and not being able to find a job: now that's passion.

Getting a job, and finding out it's not that great and you're being taken advantage of... in other specialties, you just move jobs a few times. Find the right fit. Heck, you can get several different jobs within 50 miles of your house easily in most other specialties. Don't uproot wife and kids, no need. Maybe even start your own practice. Move jobs, but don't change your WHOLE life: not really an option in rad onc. Now that's some passion, too, whew boy.

So really, in a way: go into rad onc. Find your passion!

 

[seper]

To me, one saddest part is not so much metro-rural job market dichotomy, it is the senior-junior salary gap that is so large compared to other specialties. I'm surprised no one directly addressed that. Some data can be taken from the AAMC survey I guess.

 

[deleted941485]

When one of my RO friends found out his whole partnership track was a total scam, he got an MBA and left for consulting.

The whole phrase follow your passion always sort of made me uneasy.

 

[PointA]

It's not just high compensation--I know some senior residents out there graduating in a few weeks who still don't have jobs at all!

This is really sad and horrible, considering the minimum 9 years of medical school and residency needed to graduate. PDs will just point to rural jobs in the middle of nowhere as proof that there are still jobs out there... My sincere advice to medical students is to only consider this field if you truly have little to no geographic preference, including no aversion to rural areas. Also consider that your current needs may change in the 6 or 7 years from MS3/4 to PGY5. Even if you are a single and geographically flexible now, that might change depending on your future spouse and family needs.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

At the end of the day, medicine is just a job. Many of us used to believe the “calling” “passion” only to be slammed by reality. Its a lie, there is no Disney reality out there. I have friends in other industries and medicine is same, filled with disgusting politics, backstabbing, sucking up, crushing dreams and lives to move up, terrible people with sociopathic tendencies, good people as well...

Find a field where you can get a JOB in a place you like. You only live ONCE

 

[ramsesthenice]

Being a doctor, any doctor, is hard. The expectations are immense. You have to sacrifice so much of your time and energy than many other professionals. But at the end of the day there is nothing special about us. In any job, if you lose or misplace your passion, you will be miserable. What does it even mean to be passionate about Rad Onc? You love treatment planning so much that you will give up evenings at home with your family for it? If so, you deserve to be miserable.

We are people, then doctors, then oncologists, then radiation oncologists. Our passion should not be three-times removed from our core being. Rad Onc offers wonderful opportunities to change peoples lives and share their greatest joy and deepest pain. But so do a lot of other fields. All med students should try to pick a field that best helps them balance all of the passions in their life.

 

[seper]

I'm not sure if I follow this discussion completely, but going into medicine without any sense of passion results in prompt burnout.

 

[scarbrtj]

I'm not sure if I follow this discussion completely, but going into medicine without any sense of passion results in prompt burnout.

Beware passion!

And just passion for medicine may not be enough in these days and times.

 

[deleted941485]

I'm not sure if I follow this discussion completely, but going into medicine without any sense of passion results in prompt burnout.

Burnout is almost inevitable in this day and age. The AMA I don’t usually agree with but part of it is the moral injury part of it is just not having any control over their circumstances.

 

[deleted947887]

Beware passion!

And just passion for medicine may not be enough in these days and times.

 

[Neuronix]

I don't cross over to the twitterverse, but shout out to this guy for reposting the thread https://twitter.com/lemmiwenks/with_replies