I was just wondering how all of you decided on radiology with such limited experience in the field during medical school. I understand that you can do an elective rotation, but usually those aren't until 4th year, right? Don't you have to have an idea with what field you will go into by the end of 3rd year, so that you can apply during the beginning of year 4? Do you know of anyone that has been unhappy with their decision to pursue Radiology?
how did you decide on rads?
- Thread starter Ganz
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2003
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
As you should well know, do something that will keep you interested for the years to come, not what is the latest and greatest. That said, I didn't do a radiology elective till July of year IV, but I had the interest from Gross Anatomy since year I. You get glimpses of radiology in all your electives, but the one thing I learned during third year was that I didn't really enjoy any of the other electives. But when I took my rads elective, I loved it...so, it was kind of a gamble cuz I didn't do the elective till late cuz if I didn't like rads that month, I wouldn't know what else to go into...I'm sure there are people who have changed out of rads...I heard one switched to FP, but most rads residents I've met love their job...most of them are very cool. Not like those jerks who were my seniors and chiefs or malignant interns who love to scut med students from IM or surg 
. Sorry that was so long. Hope it helped.
. Sorry that was so long. Hope it helped.- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Messages
- 184
- Reaction score
- 3
Realized that I no longer wanted to be a doc, and instead decided to become a supertech (aka radiologist).
Hey I can still wear a white coat, have an MD after my name and make twice what the real docs make in most cases.
Hey I can still wear a white coat, have an MD after my name and make twice what the real docs make in most cases.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2003
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
Originally posted by oldandtired
Realized that I no longer wanted to be a doc, and instead decided to become a supertech (aka radiologist).
Hey I can still wear a white coat, have an MD after my name and make twice what the real docs make in most cases.
Well, if you mean that you don't care to deal with H&Ps and micromanaging every stupid drug to death, then I guess that's not what radiologists do. But trust me, you better know everything else. You need to learn to generate differentials a mile long, and that kind of medical knowledge is something rads is known for.
As for the white coat, that's only when you walk around the hospital...otherwise, I'd rather be in scrubs all day.
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2001
- Messages
- 1,785
- Reaction score
- 23
My interest in radiology began when I was a little child and the radiologists diagnosis saved my life. Oh, sorry, thats for a medicine essay.
I liked radiology as a first year in anatomy and got a chance to do some research in fMRI and my interest grew. I got to go down to radiology and review films during all of my rotations and loved it. I was still thinking about doing medicine followed by cardiology mid way through my thrid year (and after my intern year in medicine, thank god I didn't do that). I did a two week elective in third year and loved rads. When on the rotation, you have to put yourself in the place of the residents and attendings instead of judging it based on what you do as a student, since that is basically nothing. I then did a month long rotation early in 4th year and that confirmed it.
Its a great specialty. Its high tech, much more relaxed than most other specialties (as Cuts pointed out), endlessly interesting (you get to see the diagnoses of every specialty and learn multiple modalities of imaging), and you make a great income. What could be better.
I liked radiology as a first year in anatomy and got a chance to do some research in fMRI and my interest grew. I got to go down to radiology and review films during all of my rotations and loved it. I was still thinking about doing medicine followed by cardiology mid way through my thrid year (and after my intern year in medicine, thank god I didn't do that). I did a two week elective in third year and loved rads. When on the rotation, you have to put yourself in the place of the residents and attendings instead of judging it based on what you do as a student, since that is basically nothing. I then did a month long rotation early in 4th year and that confirmed it.
Its a great specialty. Its high tech, much more relaxed than most other specialties (as Cuts pointed out), endlessly interesting (you get to see the diagnoses of every specialty and learn multiple modalities of imaging), and you make a great income. What could be better.
