I technically only have one arm -- specialties to mark off the list?

[bombas238]

At first glance there appears to be nothing wrong with me, but I suffer from dystonia and it specifically affects my right arm. I’ve known people for years who had no idea I suffer from this condition and it has never put a damper on my academic ambitions, but I think it’s about time I start giving it some serious consideration for the sake of my future patients.

Surgery is out, I simply cannot do it. I cannot hold objects still for an extended period of time unless I have my arm supported by an object like a table or a bed. I can suture if I can get myself in a comfortable sitting position, but I don’t know that I can continue to adjust for every single instance that will come across. Even if I get myself comfortable, the awkward positioning of my right arm eventually starts to hurt of give way to more shaking. It’s not cool.

I am *very* good at doing things with my left hand -- this whole message is promptly being typed with my left hand alone. My right arm still helps me do lots of things like working syringes and such, but for the sake of argument let’s imagine it is completely out of the picture.

What specialties aside from surgery would you imagine are most emphatically NOT one-armed friendly?

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[glamqueen]

At first glance there appears to be nothing wrong with me, but I suffer from dystonia and it specifically affects my right arm. I’ve known people for years who had no idea I suffer from this condition and it has never put a damper on my academic ambitions, but I think it’s about time I start giving it some serious consideration for the sake of my future patients.

Surgery is out, I simply cannot do it. I cannot hold objects still for an extended period of time unless I have my arm supported by an object like a table or a bed. I can suture if I can get myself in a comfortable sitting position, but I don’t know that I can continue to adjust for every single instance that will come across. Even if I get myself comfortable, the awkward positioning of my right arm eventually starts to hurt of give way to more shaking. It’s not cool.

I am *very* good at doing things with my left hand -- this whole message is promptly being typed with my left hand alone. My right arm still helps me do lots of things like working syringes and such, but for the sake of argument let’s imagine it is completely out of the picture.

What specialties aside from surgery would you imagine are most emphatically NOT one-armed friendly?

Emergency Medicine, OB/GYN, Urology, Derm, ENT - that's what initially comes to mind.

Best of luck -there should still be plenty of choices for you.

 

[Raryn]

If a blind man and and a quadriplegic somehow made it through US medical schools, someone with a single dystonic arm can certainly do it.

 

[Rendar5]

I don't think his question was about getting through med school at all. It was more related to what fields he could eventually go into.

I will agree with the list above that was put in place. Those fields are out because they are either surgical or require procedures that cannot be done with 1 hand.

In addition I'd add anaesthesiology. Family Medicine would require a more lenient residency that is lenient on obstetrics, since delivering babies would be a difficult issue.

Internal Medicine and its Specialties, Radiology, Psychiatry, and Neurology should be more than open. Just realize that a couple of the subdivisions such as intensivist (intubations require 2hands, with strength in one and manual dexterity in the other. central lines are doable though as long as you can use your dystonic hand to at least hold the guidewire), interventional cardiology, and interventional radiology will still be rather difficult with your situation.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Specialties you can do:

IM, Peds, Family, neurology, psychiatry, IM subspecialties not heavy with procedures (Endocrine, Rheum, some non-interventional cards, renal- potentially).

Those you can't do: Any surgical subspecialty including OB/GYN, procedural IM subspecialties (like interventional cards, Pulm, GI)

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Specialties you can do:

IM, Peds, Family, neurology, psychiatry, IM subspecialties not heavy with procedures (Endocrine, Rheum, some non-interventional cards, renal- potentially).

Those you can't do: Any surgical subspecialty including OB/GYN, procedural IM subspecialties (like interventional cards, Pulm, GI)

Add in Infectious disease.

 

[MossPoh]

I think most anything that isn't a surgical speciality can have you adapt in some way. I've heard of a vascular surgeon missing multiple fingers on a hand and he was great at what he did. I've heard of horrendous essential tremors in surgeons as well and were great at what they did.

For the sake of your argument we can't simply cut one arm out of the equation. By allowing you to do those small things, there is a huge advantage and makes it much easier to adapt.

 

[Steiner]

rads, path, neurology

 

[csmittyB]

If a blind man and and a quadriplegic somehow made it through US medical schools, someone with a single dystonic arm can certainly do it.

How did a blind man and a quad pass all the MS3/4 rotations?

 

[KeyzerSoze]

.

 

[reedman]

somebody mention emergency medicine. i dont see how you could do the procedures. chest tubes, lines, complicated lacs, reductions, intubations, etc. plus sometimes even the docs have to lend a hand moving or restraining patients.

also, doesn't gas do procedures?


how about psych, family (because you can choose what you do), path, rads, outpatient IM, neuro, derm.

 

[bombas238]

I think most anything that isn't a surgical speciality can have you adapt in some way. I've heard of a vascular surgeon missing multiple fingers on a hand and he was great at what he did. I've heard of horrendous essential tremors in surgeons as well and were great at what they did.

For the sake of your argument we can't simply cut one arm out of the equation. By allowing you to do those small things, there is a huge advantage and makes it much easier to adapt.

I really like this response. I'm only one year in, so I should probably wait until I'm rotating through the hospital to really get a feel of what I can and can't do.

 

[tkim]

somebody mention emergency medicine. i dont see how you could do the procedures. chest tubes, lines, complicated lacs, reductions, intubations, etc. plus sometimes even the docs have to lend a hand moving or restraining patients.

OP was asking what was NOT one-arm-friendly.

 

[glamqueen]

somebody mention emergency medicine. i dont see how you could do the procedures. chest tubes, lines, complicated lacs, reductions, intubations, etc. plus sometimes even the docs have to lend a hand moving or restraining patients.

also, doesn't gas do procedures?


how about psych, family (because you can choose what you do), path, rads, outpatient IM, neuro, derm.

Did you read the other responses by chance?

 

[reedman]

ahhh dang it. sorry it was a long day.

 

[Raryn]

How did a blind man and a quad pass all the MS3/4 rotations?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7318398 is the blind one, damn impressive story. Don't know if I personally would have accepted a blind student, but he made it through.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/c-rugby/uwire/012306aad.html was the quad. He still had a fair bit of movement in his arms.

 

[Momentum70]

I disagree with person that counted out PM&R, you mentioned you were fine with one hand and doing things with syringes. You could do most procedures we do one handed. Also you can easily be an attending in Rehab depts just as easily as IM.

Id agree that you just have to cut out surgery specialties, ob/gyn, EM, anesthesia, and derm