Right now I'm in my sophomore year of undergrad. I posted before asking whether I think a career in radiology is for me. I've decided that I might like being a radiologist, it seems like something I could do and maybe enjoy. The problem is I can't see myself being ANY other type of doctor. It seems like there would be too much pressure and stress related to some doctors such as maybe a surgern. I don't think I would like all the pressure and stress that comes with the fact that just a little slip with the knife and you could permantly injure someone if not worse. I don't think I would like dealing with the high pressure chaotic environment of a hospital where a few slip up and you cost someone permanet damage. I realize I would probaly be working in a hospital as a radiologist, but it seems like it is a more relaxed job. Is there a lot of stress associated with being a radiologist from liability issues or anything else? I just don't see myself as any kind of doctor unless it's a radiologist. Am I wrong to make such a distinction between a radiologist and another type of doctor? I'm worried about what happens if I go to med school and because of grades or what not, I'm not able to be a radiologist...then what would I do? I guess most of you have already had experience with radiology and med school so give me your advice please!
Med for Radio
- Thread starter Zeloy
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Just wait until you get to medschool before! I know many people that come to school saying they are gonna be an X and then go be a Y. It happens.
Two, you need to learn general medicine to be a radiologist, in fact, you have to know a lot about medicine to be a radiologist. Its part of the ropes. An internist doesn't want to be a surgeon, but they still have to do a rotation in surgery!! Your entire third year is core rotations, you need a core to be anything!
You say you're worried about the pressurs of other specialties. How about this for pressure, you misread a film, and don't think it will never happen, and you get sued out the a$$. Or how about if you do invasive procedures such as angiograms and the patient codes on you in the middle of it? There are some pressure to radiology.
Two, you need to learn general medicine to be a radiologist, in fact, you have to know a lot about medicine to be a radiologist. Its part of the ropes. An internist doesn't want to be a surgeon, but they still have to do a rotation in surgery!! Your entire third year is core rotations, you need a core to be anything!
You say you're worried about the pressurs of other specialties. How about this for pressure, you misread a film, and don't think it will never happen, and you get sued out the a$$. Or how about if you do invasive procedures such as angiograms and the patient codes on you in the middle of it? There are some pressure to radiology.
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Well there is a different kind of stress in rads as opposed to other specialties. If you don't handle stress well you probably shouldn't be in medicine IMO.
When you are in the ER at night as the only rads, you will get hit from all sides. ER docs, surgeons even PAs and nurses wanting their films read immediately. And yes you could potentially make a mistake that would cost somebody their life or significant morbidity.
mammography has high liability issues, although the stress comes several years down the road when you get sued.
Interventional rads has stress although less than surgery. I have seen some mistakes made that resulted in significant morbidity.
There is stress from referring docs who love to make your life miserable. Stress in reading complicated studies outside your field of expertise.
Is it less than other specialties in medicine? Probably but it is far from stress free.
When you are in the ER at night as the only rads, you will get hit from all sides. ER docs, surgeons even PAs and nurses wanting their films read immediately. And yes you could potentially make a mistake that would cost somebody their life or significant morbidity.
mammography has high liability issues, although the stress comes several years down the road when you get sued.
Interventional rads has stress although less than surgery. I have seen some mistakes made that resulted in significant morbidity.
There is stress from referring docs who love to make your life miserable. Stress in reading complicated studies outside your field of expertise.
Is it less than other specialties in medicine? Probably but it is far from stress free.
Well I don't think I would be an intervential radiologist (those are the ones doing the invasive procedures right?). I suppose there is some pressure with making sure you read the films properly, but when reading films at least you are able to double check your work or whatever and take the time needed to make sure you think it is right. If you mess up doing some procedure or surgery it seems like you aren't able to "double check" you work...know what I'm trying to say?
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IMO you are really approaching this the wrong way. You really need to decide that you want to become a doctor and go into medicine first. I can tell you that most people go to med school and change their specialities several times before they reach their 4th year. You can't possibly know if you like something until you have experienced it. There may be some other specialty that you end up liking more that you never even thought about.
Plus I can assure you if you go to a med school interview saying you want to be a radiologist for a stress-free life, you will automatically get rejected.
Plus I can assure you if you go to a med school interview saying you want to be a radiologist for a stress-free life, you will automatically get rejected.
I wasn't expecting it to be stress free, I think I can handle hard work and stress, but like someone above said, there are different kinds of stress. What I mean is I'm not sure how I would like being personally and directly responsible for someone's serious injury or death and on top of it being sued, even if I were trying my best. That is really a big thing to have hanging over your head, maybe it's not worth it for me. I'm not really sure what kind of job or career I'd like to be doing, so I'm just trying to learn more about a lot of different things, going to med school is one option I guess. I thought I might like radiology because the technology sounded cool, I would be spending my time helping people rather than trying to make people money (business), and it seemed like something I might like. I think it's hard not to be influenced by the media glorifying doctors, something tells me it really isn't all that great to be a doctor and I'm not sure if it's for me. I was just reading an article in the newspaper today about a cardiologist who couldn't even make enough money to stay in practice because insurrance costs were too much. Ideally I'd pick a career path based on what I really like doing not hours and salary. Of course it helps if you get paid$$$ and can enjoy free time! The problem is I'm not sure what I'd like doing. How can you really know before you actually do it? Hopefully I end up liking whatever career I get myself into. I guess what I'd really like doing is something like a video game reviewer, you get paid to play video games all day long! Who wouldn't like that? But I'm not doing that because there just doesn't seem to be much of a future in it. Hey I've got to have some money! Anyway I really went off on a tangent just typing my thoughts there. I guess I'll have to make a choice eventually.
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Heh video game reviewer 🙂
Yah probably not that much future unless you started some type of website that you could attract advertisers as well as sell products related to gaming.
But as far as being a doctor, I would spend sometime shadowing and talking to as many docs as you can to get a feel if it is something you want to do. You could start out with a radiologist, but I would talk and spent time seeing patients with as many as docs as you can. Most docs would probably be willing to give you the good side and bad side of current medical practice.
Yah probably not that much future unless you started some type of website that you could attract advertisers as well as sell products related to gaming.
But as far as being a doctor, I would spend sometime shadowing and talking to as many docs as you can to get a feel if it is something you want to do. You could start out with a radiologist, but I would talk and spent time seeing patients with as many as docs as you can. Most docs would probably be willing to give you the good side and bad side of current medical practice.
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Zeloy,
video game reviewer. Man that job sounds good but it definitely is not as sweet as radiology. There definitely are other fields in medicine I would consider if radiology didn't work out. Anesthesiology, Pathology, and internal medicine (subspecialties). Regardless of what you choose, you need to ask yourself whether you would to go unpaid for a long period of time while being the utmost best that you can be. If you can sacrifice a lot and have a ton of self-discipline, then this field is definitely worth it. One very positive thing about medicine is that the jobs will always be there (you might have to move during hard times but you will still have a job). Just my two cents.
video game reviewer. Man that job sounds good but it definitely is not as sweet as radiology. There definitely are other fields in medicine I would consider if radiology didn't work out. Anesthesiology, Pathology, and internal medicine (subspecialties). Regardless of what you choose, you need to ask yourself whether you would to go unpaid for a long period of time while being the utmost best that you can be. If you can sacrifice a lot and have a ton of self-discipline, then this field is definitely worth it. One very positive thing about medicine is that the jobs will always be there (you might have to move during hard times but you will still have a job). Just my two cents.
Radiology is a great job. It certainly is the ideal job for me.... interesting work, technologically driven, bright collegues, help people (directly and indirectly), flexibility, good hours (for medicine), and great pay. What else do you want in a job??
