Preface this with I know little about EM. I'm a new MS4 planning on applying for something competitive with longer training than EM. I'm at a crossroads because during med school I've built a side business that I greatly enjoy and for the time being is very rewarding financially, and I see a lot of potential for it in the future if I were to focus on it. I don't want to give this up, but see no option but to outright abandon it come PGY1 if I continue down my current path. My work requires 15-30 hours a week and is done from home whenever I like. During med school I would do piecemeal, 30 minutes here, 30 minutes there when I had time, which excepting surgery, was usually not a problem to handle my workload. My only other interest in 3rd year was FM, which I have thought may make what I'm trying to do possible given its shorter training and ability to work part time.
I was told that EM may also fit the bill. I understand it would be possible to work one or two shifts a week in this field, which would be perfect for me because it would allow me to divide my time between my other career. My question is if I can maintain what I'm doing now through a 3 year EM residency. Is this realistic (obviously some programs are more flexible/cushier than others) or would FM be more likely to fit this bill? If not, I am faced with the prospect of either dropping out now before 4th year tuition is due or finishing with an MD and no residency. It would be preferable to not have wasted an enormous sum of money and effort and still be able to use the MD as a fallback to earn a living if/when my other work dries up. I have been led to believe that this is impossible without residency training, and it would need to be training in a field that allows for part time work. My current choice, in spite of how much I like the field, pretty does not allow for part-time practice. I know this is probably insulting to some of you, but I'm really looking for a solution that doesn't require me completely throwing away med school. At this point, I am very open to suggestions that don't require me to choose one or the other.
I was told that EM may also fit the bill. I understand it would be possible to work one or two shifts a week in this field, which would be perfect for me because it would allow me to divide my time between my other career. My question is if I can maintain what I'm doing now through a 3 year EM residency. Is this realistic (obviously some programs are more flexible/cushier than others) or would FM be more likely to fit this bill? If not, I am faced with the prospect of either dropping out now before 4th year tuition is due or finishing with an MD and no residency. It would be preferable to not have wasted an enormous sum of money and effort and still be able to use the MD as a fallback to earn a living if/when my other work dries up. I have been led to believe that this is impossible without residency training, and it would need to be training in a field that allows for part time work. My current choice, in spite of how much I like the field, pretty does not allow for part-time practice. I know this is probably insulting to some of you, but I'm really looking for a solution that doesn't require me completely throwing away med school. At this point, I am very open to suggestions that don't require me to choose one or the other.
