I know it's a bit early, but I'm already thinking ahead to which specialty I'd like to pursue once I get my MD. I really want to pursue either anesthesiology or emergency medicine, and I'm torn between the two. When the time comes for me to choose my specialty, if I still can't decide what I want to do, can I do 2 separate residencies and specialize in emergency med and anesthesiology?
More than one specialty?
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Until a doc answers...
There are people who get double-specialties. However, they generally do so one at a time. It's not too easy, though. Remember that residency spots are limited, and med students must compete for spots to get a slot in the residency they want. If you decided to pursue a second specialty, you'd be competing against medical student graduates, which is going to be an uphill battle.
Remember too that anesthesiology is generally a pretty competitive spot. There's good money for, what at least pre-meds believe, is an "easier" job than other medical specialties offer.
I wouldn't worry too much about that now. You have a LOT of things to get done before worrying about this. Most people think they know what they want to do until they actually go through med school, and suddenly find themselves interested in something completely different. Especially as a high school student, it's almost impossible to know what your interests are without having any experience with the field, or even the science behind the field.
I'm not trying to invalidate your question, but rather say that in a couple of years, you'll probably be so overwhelmed with the process of trying to get into medical school that your attempt to complete two specialties will seem REALLY far away.
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there are some combined residency programs in which you switch off every few months between the 2:
med peds
IM ER
med psych
neuro psych
and others
med peds
IM ER
med psych
neuro psych
and others
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As Tin Man said, don't worry about this yet. There are significant hurdles to being both an anesthesiologist and an EM doc. You would have to do two separate residencies for a total of 7 years. Then you'd have to find jobs in both of them which would be okay with your working half time. Also a hurdle.
For now, focus on getting into college, doing well, and getting into medical school. You'll have lots more exposure to both of these and be able to make a more informed decision in about 8 years...
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Theoretically you can do a EM residency & a Anesthesia residency, and be board-certified in both, but as they are completely unrelated specialties nobody does that in real life.
Some specialties that are related you can do it, like as posted above, you can specialize in Internal Medicine & Peds, and be Board-Certified in both. But if you think about it, Med-Peds is really almost the same thing as Family Medicine (minus the OB-GYN of course, but if you realize that 90% of FP's don't do OB-GYN anyways due to litigation reasons, Med-Peds really is FP in disguise).
I know many med students who really liked EM and Anesthesia b/c they both attract similar types of people, such as Derm/Rads attract a certain type. If you make it to med school, you will likely pick one over the other as that is MUCH more realistic.
The answer to your question is technically yes, but realistically no. Also keep in mind that residency spots are paid for by government Medicare dollars, and you may have your first residency paid for, but you may have to 'train for free' on your second residency b/c you exhausted your Medicare money. It's more complicated than that, but you get the point.
Some specialties that are related you can do it, like as posted above, you can specialize in Internal Medicine & Peds, and be Board-Certified in both. But if you think about it, Med-Peds is really almost the same thing as Family Medicine (minus the OB-GYN of course, but if you realize that 90% of FP's don't do OB-GYN anyways due to litigation reasons, Med-Peds really is FP in disguise).
I know many med students who really liked EM and Anesthesia b/c they both attract similar types of people, such as Derm/Rads attract a certain type. If you make it to med school, you will likely pick one over the other as that is MUCH more realistic.
The answer to your question is technically yes, but realistically no. Also keep in mind that residency spots are paid for by government Medicare dollars, and you may have your first residency paid for, but you may have to 'train for free' on your second residency b/c you exhausted your Medicare money. It's more complicated than that, but you get the point.
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As penguin said, theoretically you could, realistically and practically, no you wouldn't.
First, it's way too early to focus in on a specialty. Your mind will change when you actually get to med school rotations and see what these folks actually do all day. Some fields sound more glamorous until you get there, others are sleepers that you never thought you'd like until you try it. So don't worry about picking a field now.
Second, in order to specialize, you need to do 3+ years of residency after med school for any specialty (3 for EM, 4 for anesthesia), and maybe a fellowship for 1-2 years after that, depending on the field. So we are talking about an extra 4-5 years after you complete your first residency before you will be board certified in another and actually ready to earn a decent living.
Third, there are pretty much no jobs out there that require one person having both of these specialties. You won't be making yourself more marketable. Meaning you still have to choose which one you want to practice in, you are just delaying the decision a few years.
Fourth, both specialties have continuing education and careerlong periodic recertification testing, so you will be dooming yourself to stay on top of two fields, instead of one for the rest of your career, which isn't a small task.
Fifth, as mentioned in the prior post, the government funding for residency runs dry on you by the time you want your second residency, so programs that will take you are fewer, because you don't come with funding.
So basically, no you won't be doing this. You probably won't end up liking either of those fields in the many years it's going to be before you have to make a decision anyhow, though.
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Try Critical Care. However at this stage you're likely to change your mind. EM is nowhere near as glamorous as it is on tv. A big chunk of patients are frequent fliers/drug seekers/sniffles/psych. It is usually said to be hours of sheer boredom, punctuated by minutes of sheer terror.
Anaesthesia involves a lot of sitting around monitoring the patient, making sure they are doing ok, watching to see if they're having respiratory depression. Anaesthesia is love it or hate it specialty, some love it because they can do challenging cases, work good hours and have good remuneration. Others hate it, consider it boring, don't like the fact that they aren't getting the glory of the surgeon.
Anaesthesia involves a lot of sitting around monitoring the patient, making sure they are doing ok, watching to see if they're having respiratory depression. Anaesthesia is love it or hate it specialty, some love it because they can do challenging cases, work good hours and have good remuneration. Others hate it, consider it boring, don't like the fact that they aren't getting the glory of the surgeon.
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According to the NRMP data of the last few years, successful applicants to anesthesiology residency positions have average Step 1 scores, the most important factor in residency matching. Please look up the facts before making incorrect statements.
Going through two residencies a la carte is a pretty bad idea unless you are absolutely unhappy with your first one. You lose even more years of earning power (attending salary) and endure yet more years of residency.
Going through two residencies a la carte is a pretty bad idea unless you are absolutely unhappy with your first one. You lose even more years of earning power (attending salary) and endure yet more years of residency.
Until a doc answers...
There are people who get double-specialties. However, they generally do so one at a time. It's not too easy, though. Remember that residency spots are limited, and med students must compete for spots to get a slot in the residency they want. If you decided to pursue a second specialty, you'd be competing against medical student graduates, which is going to be an uphill battle.
Remember too that anesthesiology is generally a pretty competitive spot. There's good money for, what at least pre-meds believe, is an "easier" job than other medical specialties offer.
I wouldn't worry too much about that now. You have a LOT of things to get done before worrying about this. Most people think they know what they want to do until they actually go through med school, and suddenly find themselves interested in something completely different. Especially as a high school student, it's almost impossible to know what your interests are without having any experience with the field, or even the science behind the field.
I'm not trying to invalidate your question, but rather say that in a couple of years, you'll probably be so overwhelmed with the process of trying to get into medical school that your attempt to complete two specialties will seem REALLY far away.
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I'll accept the correction cautiously. While I don't have anything more to back up my claim than what I've heard, it's what I've heard from a LOT of people in the know... but this wouldn't be the place to debate it, especially since that particular argument was relatively trivial to my overall argument.
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Relatively trivial yes...
There is a tendency for those "in the know" to try and make their specialty appear more competitive than it really is. Since things go in cycles, what is hot now may not be in a few years. There are few specialties that have maintained competitiveness time after time. Anesthesia is not one of them.
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Anesthesiology's history of competitiveness is very much a roller coaster. It has gone from extremely competitive to not very competitive, to competitive again, to pretty average, and is reportedly starting to climb again. All bets are off for where it might be by the time anyone on the high school board is applying to residency.
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Agreed.
I have not kept up with trends in Anesthesia match but it suprises me that it would be on the upswing. I would have ventured a downturn until the CRNA issue is "dealt with".
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Yes, from the tone you get in many of the threads there, you'd think CRNAs are raping and pillaging ORs across the nation. For all I know they could be, but it is somewhat surprising to see an upswing.
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While I'm sure the CRNA issue is troubling to many newly minted MDs, the current generation of med school grads is very "lifestyle field" oriented. As such a field where you don't have to do all that much heavy lifting and where you get relieved for a coffee break every 20 minutes is becoming more and more appealing, particularly among those for whom derm and rads are out of reach.
Although you will probably decide in the long run which one you like, it is entirely possible to do two. My father did a pediatric residency at UAB (became a board certified pediatrician), then went to Wash-U for a dermatology residency (and became a board certified dermatologist). He practices currently as a dermatologist.
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I don't think anyone is saying that it isn't possible to do two residencies (outside of whether or not you'll find a program will to pay you for a second residency with the loss of funding), but rather it isn't possible to practice two specialties.
It appears your father only works as a dermatologist and not a dermatologist AND a pediatrician. Hence, this only serves to highlight the contention that you can only do 1 specialty and do it well.
I asked about combining FM/EM. I thought of this in light of the OP's question, but honestly, the other threads on FM/EM have died.
Is this still an viable option, I wonder? I am dying to hear more about this, but I am thinking there aren't many programs or paths to this, post MS grad, available. I think Lousianna, DE, and I think something out in California. It seems like a good idea. It's a shame such programs are limited.
Is this still an viable option, I wonder? I am dying to hear more about this, but I am thinking there aren't many programs or paths to this, post MS grad, available. I think Lousianna, DE, and I think something out in California. It seems like a good idea. It's a shame such programs are limited.
