I've only seen my own program, so from those who have seen several (or can speak about their own which is different from mine), how 'fratty' is the field of radiology? I understand orthopod is rather macho, many orthopods are former football players, etc. Radiology is heavily male (on the one hand) but also pretty technical as fields go (on the other)...
how 'fratty' is radiology in general?
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I think it depends on the the individual. Most people have "outgrown" their college fraternaty ways in medicine. Radiology is a small field in medicine and many residents get along well with each other. Having said that, I think there far more cerebral types than jocks in radiology. They tend to discuss more sophisticated things (and talk less about chasing tail and drinking).
My attending is always asking if I would "do" certain females in the program and which would be the best lay. I would probably do most of them, to be honest. A couple would be really angry f*cks.
As a group, most of the guys in my program are pretty immature... but we have a good time and get the work done.
Of course, we are all married so it is just talk, but is damn funny. I think a rads residency can be a great time if you are not surrounded by a bunch of dorks with high sphincter tone (which seems to be the norm for the new crop).
As a group, most of the guys in my program are pretty immature... but we have a good time and get the work done.
Of course, we are all married so it is just talk, but is damn funny. I think a rads residency can be a great time if you are not surrounded by a bunch of dorks with high sphincter tone (which seems to be the norm for the new crop).
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Cuts, that might be my favorite post you've ever written!
Along the lines of the original question, I've always wondered if specialty choice correlates with the socioeconomic background of the medical students? In my original medical school class, most of the wealthy medical students (e.g. the ones driving Porsches to 1st year classes) sought out more lucrative specialties, while students from more middle class backgrounds went into family, medicine, peds etc...
Certainly the medical school class is skewed to people from higher income families, but relatively speaking....where would everyone place rads applicants?
Based on my N=1 experience so far, I would guess most students are coming from more upper class backgrounds compared to their classmates.
Along the lines of the original question, I've always wondered if specialty choice correlates with the socioeconomic background of the medical students? In my original medical school class, most of the wealthy medical students (e.g. the ones driving Porsches to 1st year classes) sought out more lucrative specialties, while students from more middle class backgrounds went into family, medicine, peds etc...
Certainly the medical school class is skewed to people from higher income families, but relatively speaking....where would everyone place rads applicants?
Based on my N=1 experience so far, I would guess most students are coming from more upper class backgrounds compared to their classmates.
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Whaaat???? Most students are coming from more upper class backgrounds compared to their classmates. Is this a broken circular logic? Wouldn't "most students" comprise the majority of the "class"?? Are you saying the med student family income level is rising or are you referring to Rads or something else altogether? Signed, confused.
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I'm saying at my program, it appears that most radiology/derm/etc... residents came from more privileged family backgrounds than residents in other specialties (eg family medicine)
Also, it seems that people that go into surgery don't come from the wealthiest families?
Not trying to be judgemental, just wondering if anyone else had ever thought about it.
Also, it seems that people that go into surgery don't come from the wealthiest families?
Not trying to be judgemental, just wondering if anyone else had ever thought about it.
hmm...well, I can see this working 2 ways.
I'd expect *residents* in more lucrative specialties to come from more affluent backgrounds as:
-richer parents can pay for private medical schools, which can often help one match (depending of course on the quality of the school) in a competitive residency
-physicians tend to be more affluent than the general public in general. one would expect second-generation physicians to know which specialties have better reimbursement as their folks are 'in the field', and to know better what to do to secure a competitive position.
The exception for surgery I could see b/c surgeons are seen by the general public as being very affluent. A Maxim article listed one of the perks of being a surgeon as 'jet-set lifestyle'. This being Maxim, 18-hr days and intense pressure escaped mention.
So people who enter the profession seeking money but not knowing much about the differences between specialties might pick it.
*Medical students* in more lucrative specialties being from more affluent backgrounds are a different story. I would expect this to be a result of a desire to *maintain* status rather than achieve it. If your father is an accountant making $50K/yr, who cares if you pull in $125K/yr as an internist or $250K/yr as a surgeon? A step up is a step up. If your dad is a $200K/yr lawyer, on the other hand, becoming an internist would be a step *down* the socioeconomic ladder--and given the importance of money to status (almost the sole determinant here in the USA) that could be very painful indeed.
An interesting corollary here is that medical schools seeking to maximize recruitment into primary care (or minimize future physician greed) might try favoring applicants from middle or working class backgrounds.
As for the previous question about personality type, we have:
Rich jocks-ENT
Rich geeks-rads
Poor jocks-surgery
Poor geeks-IM
I'd expect *residents* in more lucrative specialties to come from more affluent backgrounds as:
-richer parents can pay for private medical schools, which can often help one match (depending of course on the quality of the school) in a competitive residency
-physicians tend to be more affluent than the general public in general. one would expect second-generation physicians to know which specialties have better reimbursement as their folks are 'in the field', and to know better what to do to secure a competitive position.
The exception for surgery I could see b/c surgeons are seen by the general public as being very affluent. A Maxim article listed one of the perks of being a surgeon as 'jet-set lifestyle'. This being Maxim, 18-hr days and intense pressure escaped mention.
So people who enter the profession seeking money but not knowing much about the differences between specialties might pick it.
*Medical students* in more lucrative specialties being from more affluent backgrounds are a different story. I would expect this to be a result of a desire to *maintain* status rather than achieve it. If your father is an accountant making $50K/yr, who cares if you pull in $125K/yr as an internist or $250K/yr as a surgeon? A step up is a step up. If your dad is a $200K/yr lawyer, on the other hand, becoming an internist would be a step *down* the socioeconomic ladder--and given the importance of money to status (almost the sole determinant here in the USA) that could be very painful indeed.
An interesting corollary here is that medical schools seeking to maximize recruitment into primary care (or minimize future physician greed) might try favoring applicants from middle or working class backgrounds.
As for the previous question about personality type, we have:
Rich jocks-ENT
Rich geeks-rads
Poor jocks-surgery
Poor geeks-IM
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Well in my rads residency we had 8 residents in my class. All were from middle or working class backgrounds. All went to public schools. In the entire residency program there were maybe 2 or 3 that were from upper class backgrounds.
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Although it depends on the residency, I'd say that radiology residents tend to have more of a "frat" feel than a "geek" feel at my program. This may be changing though. Ortho and radiology at our school are the only programs with a intramural football team. We also have a basketball team. Not very geeky.
As for the parents income thing, I don't think it really has much of an effect. Most residents I know are of solid middle class background.
As for the parents income thing, I don't think it really has much of an effect. Most residents I know are of solid middle class background.
I could dominate every ortho or ent resident at my hospital in almost any sport. Ortho dudes are the biggest wannabes.... most of them have the athletic talent of a blind gomer. In fact, most of those guys are attracted to that field because of the "jock" reputation which they have never experienced before.
There are plenty of non-geek, very athletic types in radiology. In my program, we have 2 guys who used to play semi-pro soccer. I played college tennis for 3 years.
I am not denying the dork factor in rads, but to be honest, that seems like a much more recent phenomenon.
There are plenty of non-geek, very athletic types in radiology. In my program, we have 2 guys who used to play semi-pro soccer. I played college tennis for 3 years.
I am not denying the dork factor in rads, but to be honest, that seems like a much more recent phenomenon.
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Most people I've encountered come from lower-middle class to middle class backgrounds. It's perfectly natural for people $200K+ in debt to apply to the more lucrative specialties.
Even lay people know that being a doctor is "hard." Kids coming from wealthy families are usually not used to breaking their backs. A lot of doctors' kids are dead set against a career in medicine.
