- Joined
- May 14, 2012
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 31
Hi all,
I am a senior at a decent US allopathic med school. Just went through the match, and unfortunately didn't match into derm and at this point contemplating switching gears. I have basically narrowed down my choices to path (in hopes of pursuing dermpath) vs. medicine. Below are some of my pro's vs. con's for each field:
medicine
pros: very broad knowledge base, have to know at least something every disease in adults
- get personal satisfaction (at least once in a while) from making people feel better
- ample opportunities to subspecialize: my favorites include allergy/immuno vs. GI
- only 3 years of training and excellent job market even in most desirable places
cons: really really annoyed by endless paperwork (h&p, progress note, transfer note, discharge note...) you get the idea
- can't stand having to deal with social/dispo issues
- have little patience for noncompliant/difficult patients
- don't enjoy teasing out parts of HPI out of patients who are "poor historians" and having to redirect 20 times
- don't like being primary team and having to coordinate/track down specialists, social work, family members etc.
- hate the mentality of medicine being the dump for other services
- dislike the idea of being a "generalist" jack of all trade master of none
path
pros: love the microscope, love histology, love all sorts of stains
- love being the final say in a diagnostically difficult case
- really appreciate the scientific/intellectual aspect of being the ultimate diagnostician
cons: JOB MARKET JOB MARKET JOB MARKET. The idea of spending 5+ years in residency and not being able to find a good job in the location of my choosing really scares me. One resident I've spoken with said that it is mostly FMGs who are struggling due to language or cultural issues. Not sure what the reality is since I am a lowly MS4.
- the yuck factor, not sure how I'll handle autopsies
- not sure if going to miss patient contact
Please feel free to chime in and correct any inaccuracies or misconceptions in the above list. I would greatly appreciate any input. Thanks
I am a senior at a decent US allopathic med school. Just went through the match, and unfortunately didn't match into derm and at this point contemplating switching gears. I have basically narrowed down my choices to path (in hopes of pursuing dermpath) vs. medicine. Below are some of my pro's vs. con's for each field:
medicine
pros: very broad knowledge base, have to know at least something every disease in adults
- get personal satisfaction (at least once in a while) from making people feel better
- ample opportunities to subspecialize: my favorites include allergy/immuno vs. GI
- only 3 years of training and excellent job market even in most desirable places
cons: really really annoyed by endless paperwork (h&p, progress note, transfer note, discharge note...) you get the idea
- can't stand having to deal with social/dispo issues
- have little patience for noncompliant/difficult patients
- don't enjoy teasing out parts of HPI out of patients who are "poor historians" and having to redirect 20 times
- don't like being primary team and having to coordinate/track down specialists, social work, family members etc.
- hate the mentality of medicine being the dump for other services
- dislike the idea of being a "generalist" jack of all trade master of none
path
pros: love the microscope, love histology, love all sorts of stains
- love being the final say in a diagnostically difficult case
- really appreciate the scientific/intellectual aspect of being the ultimate diagnostician
cons: JOB MARKET JOB MARKET JOB MARKET. The idea of spending 5+ years in residency and not being able to find a good job in the location of my choosing really scares me. One resident I've spoken with said that it is mostly FMGs who are struggling due to language or cultural issues. Not sure what the reality is since I am a lowly MS4.
- the yuck factor, not sure how I'll handle autopsies
- not sure if going to miss patient contact
Please feel free to chime in and correct any inaccuracies or misconceptions in the above list. I would greatly appreciate any input. Thanks