Massive CrossRoads! Offerd Derm swap few months into Rad Residency!!

[Jezza1985]

have analized and agonized from every angle and viewpoint possible. Used every resource and recourse I could muster. As a Medstudent Derm was first choice ended up not matching (applied only to a very few top tier programs in my location - as family illness responsibility made a move impossible. Matched into a great Rads program which started only a few months ago (Rads was never really on the radar as pregrad exposure is relatively non-exitestent in terms of true to life expore to the specialty.). Now three months into Rads i've been offerred a Derm match (seems the previous candidate was very quickly removed for 'legal' reasons). Three months ago, before starting Rads this would have been a 'no-brainer'...and now i've come to see Rads as the incredibly stimulating specialty it is. Stuck! And have to notify accpetance/decline Derm spot ASAP. Opinions/long term-thinking wisdom please?!

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[DermResident]

I unfortunately don't have any input on your decision. This is, of course, a personal choice. Anyone on this board would likely be biased toward derm.

I am wondering, however--how often are people dismissed from derm residency? Seems like an anomaly.

 

[Jezza1985]

I unfortunately don't have any input on your decision. This is, of course, a personal choice. Anyone on this board would likely be biased toward derm.

I am wondering, however--how often are people dismissed from derm residency? Seems like an anomaly.

I'm just as stumped and have never heard of it before. I was obviously not privy to the details that lead to it.

 

[asmallchild]

I don't think anyone can answer that for you. What do you like better?

I don't think you can go wrong with either field: pick the one you like better, forget the other pathway even existed, and go on to be the best dermatologist or radiologist you can be.

 

[Jezza1985]

I don't think anyone can answer that for you. What do you like better?

I don't think you can go wrong with either field: pick the one you like better, forget the other pathway even existed, and go on to be the best dermatologist or radiologist you can be.

That in summary is the core of the dillemma. Neither of these or 'core field' we get enough exopusre to as students and only 'really have a clue' once having been a resident for at least a few months. And as there is no time,
I dont have the 'luxury' to explore Derm more in terms of 'shadowing/exposure.' So its a forced relatively 'ignorant' decision frame i'm having to decide from.

 

[smartparts]

it boils down to whether or not you actually want to interact with patients and even then, you can can tailor your career. if you stick to rads and miss seeing patients, do a fellowship in IR. if you switch to derm and can't deal with how annoying some of the patients can be, do a fellowship in dermpath.

ive always been of the opinion that the only people who end up truly unhappy in medicine are the "derm/ortho/neurosurgery/ENT or nothing" types. in other words, people who don't understand that theres different means to the same ends. you are luckily not in this group.

 

[Lostin_space]

have analized and agonized from every angle and viewpoint possible. Used every resource and recourse I could muster. As a Medstudent Derm was first choice ended up not matching (applied only to a very few top tier programs in my location - as family illness responsibility made a move impossible. Matched into a great Rads program which started only a few months ago (Rads was never really on the radar as pregrad exposure is relatively non-exitestent in terms of true to life expore to the specialty.). Now three months into Rads i've been offerred a Derm match (seems the previous candidate was very quickly removed for 'legal' reasons). Three months ago, before starting Rads this would have been a 'no-brainer'...and now i've come to see Rads as the incredibly stimulating specialty it is. Stuck! And have to notify accpetance/decline Derm spot ASAP. Opinions/long term-thinking wisdom please?!

Do derm. Do it now. Derm is by far the best paying of med specialties even with a reduced workweek, you have the best job prospects, and you can have all the flexibility you want. Radiology is still not doing well, jobs are not as abundant, salaries and pay has gone down, and it is farr more draining and with far more liability than derm. You'll be glad you went into derm. That's what I would do in your position.

 

[ddcg]

The post above is the absolute wrong reason to choose a specialty. I finally matched into Derm this cycle as an older US IMG after multiple attempts. My career prior to medicine was very lucrative but after the shine wore off that penny, I was miserable. Do what you're passionate about and you'll never work a day in your life. Our brief time on this planet is about experiences and having purpose, not about money or possessions.

 

[asmallchild]

Closing, please don't cross post. Conversation can continue here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-swop-few-months-into-rads-residency.1192385/