Internal Medicine and Endocrinology

[PreMedAdAG]

Hello,
I was hoping a med student could help me out. I'm just throwing this out there, who knows what I will like or dislike when I start next year, but I'm really into endocrinology, so let's say that I get really interested in an internal medicine type of subspecialty. How difficult (generally speaking) is it to get a residency in internal medicine? In addition, in order to become something like an endocrinologist (and even maybe more specifically) an endocrinology type of surgeon, would different types of fellowships be involved?

I'm lost on the road as to how things work past the four years of medical school, which is something I"ll surely figure out over the years, but I'm just curious for my own personal benefit.

Thanks for your input

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[doc05]

Hello,
I was hoping a med student could help me out. I'm just throwing this out there, who knows what I will like or dislike when I start next year, but I'm really into endocrinology, so let's say that I get really interested in an internal medicine type of subspecialty. How difficult (generally speaking) is it to get a residency in internal medicine? In addition, in order to become something like an endocrinologist (and even maybe more specifically) an endocrinology type of surgeon, would different types of fellowships be involved?

I'm lost on the road as to how things work past the four years of medical school, which is something I"ll surely figure out over the years, but I'm just curious for my own personal benefit.

Thanks for your input

it is generally easy to get a residency in IM. the exception would be a handful of "top" programs. Endocrinology is an easy fellowship to get and is 3 yrs after IM.

endocrine surgery isn't an accredited surgical field, but there are some fellowships out there and various general surgeons who have established a niche practice taking out endocrine tumors - generally thyroid/parathyroid/adrenals. These surgeons may be surgical oncologists (5 yrs in GS plus a competitive fellowship in surg-onc).

ENT's will also deal with thyroid/parathyroid, and GU often does adrenals.

 

[UCSBMed1]

Hello,
I was hoping a med student could help me out. I'm just throwing this out there, who knows what I will like or dislike when I start next year, but I'm really into endocrinology, so let's say that I get really interested in an internal medicine type of subspecialty. How difficult (generally speaking) is it to get a residency in internal medicine? In addition, in order to become something like an endocrinologist (and even maybe more specifically) an endocrinology type of surgeon, would different types of fellowships be involved?

I'm lost on the road as to how things work past the four years of medical school, which is something I"ll surely figure out over the years, but I'm just curious for my own personal benefit.

Thanks for your input

Well let me be the first to say, welcome to Davis! From your location, it seems like you went to UCD for undergrad, or are from the area if I recall. Endocrinology is something I'm also interested in, but the same goes for Cards, Pulm, Heme/Onc, etc. I just love all the IM sub-specialties!

I don't think you can really do surgery through Endocrine (so you would have to be an ENT or Cardiothoracic surgeon to remove head, neck or chest tumors--where most of the endocrine glands are located). But Endo is fun nonetheless. As was stated above, Endocrinology is a 3 year fellowship after finishing an Internal Medicine residency, which is also 3 years.

I wish you all the luck in the world, and don't let the 2nd year endocrinology course--Metabolic Regulation (disdainfully called by the students MetReg) discourage you. Its overwhelming, but is no means indicative to the fun of Endocrinology. Good luck, and hopefully see you around sometime!

-B

 

[PreMedAdAG]

Well let me be the first to say, welcome to Davis! From your location, it seems like you went to UCD for undergrad, or are from the area if I recall. Endocrinology is something I'm also interested in, but the same goes for Cards, Pulm, Heme/Onc, etc. I just love all the IM sub-specialties!

I don't think you can really do surgery through Endocrine (so you would have to be an ENT or Cardiothoracic surgeon to remove head, neck or chest tumors--where most of the endocrine glands are located). But Endo is fun nonetheless. As was stated above, Endocrinology is a 3 year fellowship after finishing an Internal Medicine residency, which is also 3 years.

I wish you all the luck in the world, and don't let the 2nd year endocrinology course--Metabolic Regulation (disdainfully called by the students MetReg) discourage you. Its overwhelming, but is no means indicative to the fun of Endocrinology. Good luck, and hopefully see you around sometime!

-B

Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes, I did my undergrad there, I work at the med ctr. , so I'm basically a UCD junkie. I will keep what you said in mind. I didn't know there was a three year fellowship afterwards, good to know!

 

[chameleonknight]

One or two years of an endocrine fellowship is pure research; seems to attract mostly academic types.