Future of family medicine?

[Taiwan2011]

What do you think? Should I go into it or pick internal medicine instead?

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[Toohotinvegas33]

Judging by the shortage of pcp's either field would be good. Pick whatever field suits you more. If you end up hating OB or PEDS, IM might be better. If you have thoughts on spending 3+ more training after you are done with residency then do IM. If you want to be trained to work in a variety of settings working with peds to geriatrics and then focusing on what you like to do then FM may be better.

 

[styphon]

As above. If you like either OB or peds (or both) join family medicine.

If you really hate OB, but like peds, join Family medicine or Med/Peds but avoid IM.

If you love OB but hate the GYN surgery: Do family med

If you are set on being a cardiologist/GI/ID dr, do IM then a fellowship

I think that sums it all up.

 

[senseiturtle]

I'll boil it down even further.

If you want to specialize or work in a hospital, do IM.

If you want to do outpatient medicine, do FM.


The internist who does outpatient work is a dying breed, less than 8% of all graduating IM residents are intending to forego specialization. In addition, internists sacrifice outpatient training in favor of more ICU, subspecialty, and straight hospital work. IM's get virtually no OB, and only a sprinkling of Peds, unless doing combined residencies.

FM's get more outpatient ortho, sports med, and in some cases, general surgery. FM's can manage uncomplicated kids and pregnancies, both of which are common conditions .

IM's focus on chest tubes, central lines, bronchs, and other ICU-central procedures. FM's cut out moles, remove toenails, lance abscesses, and other "lets just do it now in the clinic" procedures.


It all just depends on your specific desire for acuity level. I like healthier patients. My old roommate likes critically ill patients. Money is certainly no object, as there are examples of success and poverty in every field across the nation. Job security is also no object, as patient numbers increase and practicing physicians stay steady (or decrease).

 

[deleted87716]

What do you think? Should I go into it or pick internal medicine instead?

How should I or anyone else here know...? We don't know anything about you.

 

[avicena]

I think you should think about it carefully. IM is not the FP without OB/PED, and FP is not a IM working out of hospital. There are many different procedures and areas of knowledge and you should know them before chosing one or another. Maybe you could spend some time with an IM or FP doctor and see what do you like more...

I am a FP in Spain and I love it, because we treat people instead of disease (I mean that we treat healthy people too, preventive medicine).

If I can help you someway, just ask.

 

[lowbudget]

I think you should think about it carefully. IM is not the FP without OB/PED, and FP is not a IM working out of hospital. There are many different procedures and areas of knowledge and you should know them before chosing one or another. Maybe you could spend some time with an IM or FP doctor and see what do you like more...

I am a FP in Spain and I love it, because we treat people instead of disease (I mean that we treat healthy people too, preventive medicine).

If I can help you someway, just ask.

 

[staup]

I'll boil it down even further.

If you want to specialize or work in a hospital, do IM.

If you want to do outpatient medicine, do FM.


The internist who does outpatient work is a dying breed, less than 8% of all graduating IM residents are intending to forego specialization. In addition, internists sacrifice outpatient training in favor of more ICU, subspecialty, and straight hospital work. IM's get virtually no OB, and only a sprinkling of Peds, unless doing combined residencies.

FM's get more outpatient ortho, sports med, and in some cases, general surgery. FM's can manage uncomplicated kids and pregnancies, both of which are common conditions .

IM's focus on chest tubes, central lines, bronchs, and other ICU-central procedures. FM's cut out moles, remove toenails, lance abscesses, and other "lets just do it now in the clinic" procedures.


It all just depends on your specific desire for acuity level. I like healthier patients. My old roommate likes critically ill patients. Money is certainly no object, as there are examples of success and poverty in every field across the nation. Job security is also no object, as patient numbers increase and practicing physicians stay steady (or decrease).

There is zero Peds in IM.

IM residencies are focusing more and more on outpatient medicine these days, however mostly everything quoted above is true.

 

[Reductio]

There is zero Peds in IM.

IM residencies are focusing more and more on outpatient medicine these days, however mostly everything quoted above is true.

categorical IM is 1/3 outpatient, and the Primary Care track IM programs are 50% outpatient.

I believe FP is just over 50% outpatient.

 

[styphon]

I'll boil it down even further.

If you want to specialize or work in a hospital, do IM.

If you want to do outpatient medicine, do FM.


The internist who does outpatient work is a dying breed, less than 8% of all graduating IM residents are intending to forego specialization. In addition, internists sacrifice outpatient training in favor of more ICU, subspecialty, and straight hospital work. IM's get virtually no OB, and only a sprinkling of Peds, unless doing combined residencies.

FM's get more outpatient ortho, sports med, and in some cases, general surgery. FM's can manage uncomplicated kids and pregnancies, both of which are common conditions .

IM's focus on chest tubes, central lines, bronchs, and other ICU-central procedures. FM's cut out moles, remove toenails, lance abscesses, and other "lets just do it now in the clinic" procedures.


It all just depends on your specific desire for acuity level. I like healthier patients. My old roommate likes critically ill patients. Money is certainly no object, as there are examples of success and poverty in every field across the nation. Job security is also no object, as patient numbers increase and practicing physicians stay steady (or decrease).

That is not true for my program.

If you want to persue hospital procedures, you can do it. 2-4 weeks of interventional radiology will get you lots of paracentesis, thoracentesis, central lines, LPs and that is in addition to whatever you on your inpt or other modules.