Help with PRS vs. Derm

[Otofan]

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I am wondering if anyone was ever thinking/deciding between these two specialties. What are your thoughts on the pro's and con's of each field? And regardless of your specialty now, what would you do if you were deciding between the two. I am espcially interested in knowing the opinion of residents and attendings.
I see PRS as a cool, interesting surgical subspecialty, but residency is long and it can be brutal, and I am not certain how your life would be after residency. On the other had, derm is an interesting medical specialty, offering a nice combination of medical management and procedures along with a great lifestyle, but it may lack the fun aspects of a surgical specialty (if you find surgery fun). I am afraid if one chooses plastic over derm, and after the long road of surgery, it just becomes routine and tiring, and it may no longer be as exciting as what med students preceive. On the other hand, I wonder if any of te derm residents/attendings ever thought that they may have been happier if they did PRS instead?

Thanks for your comments

 

[Otofan]

120 views and no comments...I am sure some of you can give me your inputs on this! Thanks

 

[filter07]

Plastics residency has a lot of general surgery. General surgery is as different as it gets from Derm. Have you done 3rd year rotations yet? If so you should have some idea of what you like. If not, try to shadow some people. If you don't fall asleep while shadowing in Derm clinic, that's a good sign.

 

[Buzz Me]

At its most basic level, do you like operating? I mean, in the OR, big cases, general anesthesia, not just bedside procedures?

BTW thought you were interested in ENT vs. Plastics? Derm is very different from these two fields.

 

[Eta Carinae]

wow, those fields are located in such disparate galaxies, I don't know that comparing the two is...possible.

And of all specialties, you don't select PRS and/or Derm. They choose you.

 

[Slack3r]

The similarity I believe the OP is drawing on is that they are both extremely difficult to match, PRS and Derm being the two most competitive fields.

 

[Otofan]

Thank you everyone for your comments!

As you can tell, I am pretty confused in my decision, in part, this may be due to the fact I still have not done my surgery rotation. I am not looking at just getting into a competitive field, I think the similarity that I see between the two is working with healthier patients, and I find both fields interesting. But again, I am just a third year med student, and that's why I am asking for your input.

Any other comments?

 

[ForbiddenComma]

Plastics residency has a lot of general surgery. General surgery is as different as it gets from Derm. Have you done 3rd year rotations yet? If so you should have some idea of what you like. If not, try to shadow some people. If you don't fall asleep while shadowing in Derm clinic, that's a good sign.

Heh, my thoughts exactly... how being derm became such a prestigious field is beyond me. It's ridiculous. It's the least useful medical specialty out there. I can see the appeal of plastics, but derm??? come on man. 🙄

Not to hate on the ROA of the ROAD specialties... rads gas and optho are all useful... but derm? heh heh heh

 

[Winged Scapula]

Since you haven't done your surgery rotation yet, you may underestimate the acuity of some plastics patients. It is common to think of PRS as only aesthetic work on healthy patients (and you can certainly tailor your practice toward that if you prefer). However, you will find that, especially in academics, that you will see trauma patients, be consulted on nursing home gomers with ulcers, morbidly obese patients, patients with sternal wound dehiscences, etc. Most plastic surgeons do reconstructive work along with some aesthetics and those patients, especially the former, may *not* be healthy.

As noted above, I highly suggest that you do your surgery core rotation and see if you even like being in the OR, around surgeons and the general environment. Some people cannot stand it, others tolerate it, others like it but not the lifestyle or the people, and others love it. This will be a key defining experience for you that will help you make up your mind.

 

[Buzz Me]

One of the big branch points when deciding what you like and don't like is: procedure-based field vs. non-procedure-based field. If it's the former, then you can decide between actual operations vs. "non-invasive procedures" (Cards, GI, IR, etc.).

But again, see what you like in your MSIII year. Unless you really love Derm right now, and want to get involved in research right away.

 

[asmallchild]

Thank you everyone for your comments!

As you can tell, I am pretty confused in my decision, in part, this may be due to the fact I still have not done my surgery rotation. I am not looking at just getting into a competitive field, I think the similarity that I see between the two is working with healthier patients, and I find both fields interesting. But again, I am just a third year med student, and that's why I am asking for your input.

Any other comments?

I would definitely reevaluate after completing your 3rd year rotation. I, for one, just didn't enjoy being in the OR as much as my colleagues which is probably a glaring sign that any type of surgery wasn't the appropriate career choice for me.

 

[Eta Carinae]

Too bad the "Jack Shepherd" con didn't work out for you.

It did demonstrate that perhaps the IQ requirements for derm/PRS matching stats may be beyond your level.