Most useful physician during the apocalypse?

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Primary care or Internist seems to be the most useful given the circumstances. Though a primary care doc wouldn't be super useful without their technology/support structure.

If we have access to antibiotics/electricity I would say primary care.

If its a straight up nuclear holocaust, general surgery is my choice. They can do their job with minimal technology and maintain a (relatively) sanitary environment without a lot of technology.
 
I'm going with general surgery. The surgical skills to fix a myriad of problems but also enough medicine knowledge to find their way around a lot of issues.
 
Surprised to see no one has said ETC yet.
 
I'd just rather have a friendly and attractive companion.

If it's the end of the world, might as well spend it with someone you love (or, if you're not married like I am, someone you can fall in love with as well as joke around and have fun with).

That, or whatever physician owns (or knows how to steal and steer) a yacht. Zombies can't swim right?
 
EODguy said:
not an inferiorly trained DO? haha
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steve-rogers-i-understood-that-reference.jpg
 
Is this where everyone realizes that we need a few people of various background and if you have just one, you won't have a complete team? Or can we not even admit to ourselves anonymously over the Internet that teamwork is superior?

I guess a well, well, well trained GP. But ideally you'd need a few specialties.
 
Depends on the type of apocalypse. Infectious Disease doc might come in handy in the early stages of a Zombie Apocalypse, but in a post-nuclear hellscape id rather have a group of oncologists and radiologists nearby. If it's bioterrorism ID comes in handy again. If it's total anarchy and civil collapse then Trauma/ER/surgeons will be in high demand.

If the sun explodes, Dermatologists will statistically have the best lifestyle in the 8 minutes before we are obliterated in glorious cosmic fire.
 
Lucca said:
Depends on the type of apocalypse. Infectious Disease doc might come in handy in the early stages of a Zombie Apocalypse, but in a post-nuclear hellscape id rather have a group of oncologists and radiologists nearby. If it's bioterrorism ID comes in handy again. If it's total anarchy and civil collapse then Trauma/ER/surgeons will be in high demand.

If the sun explodes, Dermatologists will statistically have the best lifestyle in the 8 minutes before we are obliterated in glorious cosmic fire.
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I was gonna say ID obv but I figured i was biased
 
wholeheartedly said:
Yeah, but there really is a combined EM/IM residency so that's probably be a good one. I know one dual boarded doc who did additional training in disaster medicine after.
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Yeah, I know. I'm sure some EM residents learn how to do appies just in case they're ever involved in some horrendous disaster.
 
A Psychiatrist, preferably trained in psychotherapy -- Has medical training, and can help keep morale up, deal with survivors guilt, help those with symptoms of PTSD, keep the group going, etc etc. No use having some whizz bang Doctor on the front lines if what's left of society is losing the will to live.
 
Any doctor...
Do they all know medicine? Yes
I am fairly sure that all doctors are capable of treating the sniffles and managing patients with general health issues.
Are they familiar with treating basic injuries/trauma?
I am fairly positive any doctor would know what to do with a broken arm or a deep laceration, or a hemorage...

The rest doesn't matter because when SHTF you won't have the tech to do transplants, neurosurgery, etc

It will be back to a basic stethoscope, and a BP cuff, etc
 
I want a general surgeon.

Give me a fifth of whiskey and a frying pan and I'm an anesthesiologist.

Loot a drug store for the antibiotics and you don't need a GP.
 
Obviously other docs would be useful and may be more necessary, but I think a pediatric surgeon would be very valuable. They're a truly general surgeon that handles most of the non-brain body surgically and they also have some pediatrician-like knowledge.
 
Doggo said:
What specialty of physician would you pick if you could only have one in your zombie/[insert your fav apocalypse] survivor community?
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Trauma Surgeon. Dr. Hunt, you're hired.

seriously though. Trauma surgeons are able to handle high impact injuries and also exposed to a lot of emergency medicine. Although I guess an anesthesiologist wouldn't be bad either...
 
EODguy said:
Yeah but devastating human population (numbers) would be the best possible thing for both the planet, and future generations.
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Easy there Malthus. Hope you aren't planning on writing that in your amcas application.
 
A veterinarian that specializes in large animals and livestock.

Maintaining livestock will be infinitely more important than what little a physician can do without our tools. Enough of their skills could carry over to people if need be, and their techniques are often designed to minimize resource use and cost. The most useful things that physicians know are sanitation and infectious disease principles, since we'll be sans drugs, blood products, equipment, and anesthesia. Vets also know most of the same general principles, and specifically learn how to minimize infection risk in tight spaces. They also know general obstetric principles, which would make them less than useless in giving birth.

Let me just put it this way- how many times in your life would you have died without a physician? Now, how many days would you last without eating? I'm gonna go with the guy that can help keep a group alive and feed them. Hell, your best resource isn't a physician at all, it's someone who knows how to farm. A physician is a luxury.
 
Mad Jack said:
A veterinarian that specializes in large animals and livestock.

Maintaining livestock will be infinitely more important than what little a physician can do without our tools. Enough of their skills could carry over to people if need be, and their techniques are often designed to minimize resource use and cost. The most useful things that physicians know are sanitation and infectious disease principles, since we'll be sans drugs, blood products, equipment, and anesthesia. Vets also know most of the same general principles, and specifically learn how to minimize infection risk in tight spaces. They also know general obstetric principles, which would make them less than useless in giving birth.

Let me just put it this way- how many times in your life would you have died without a physician? Now, how many days would you last without eating? I'm gonna go with the guy that can help keep a group alive and feed them. Hell, your best resource isn't a physician at all, it's someone who knows how to farm. A physician is a luxury.
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Spay and neuters for everyone!!!
 
If the Book of Revelations is literally correct and Jesus comes again to usher in his kingdom then I would personally want to be a PCP.

For "he who matches primary care on earth will be the first to match Derm in heaven. Verily, it will be easier for a nurse practitioner to score a 280 on the Step 1 than for a Dermatologist to enter the kingdom of Heaven."

Gospel of Lucca



Jk see y'all in hell
 
Lucca said:
If the Book of Revelations is literally correct and Jesus comes again to usher in his kingdom then I would personally want to be a PCP.

For "he who matches primary care on earth will be the first to match Derm in heaven. Verily, it will be easier for a nurse practitioner to score a 280 on the Step 1 than for a Dermatologist to enter the kingdom of Heaven."

Gospel of Lucca



Jk see y'all in hell
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Lmfaoo
 
RogueBanana said:
for the love of god I hope this fact never changes
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I dont see why they couldn't swim, even if it is just randomly. They'd be decomposing with a lot of muscle loss. That would mean an increasing fat to weight ratio, meaning they should float easily.
 
chrisjh said:
I dont see why they couldn't swim, even if it is just randomly. They'd be decomposing with a lot of muscle loss. That would mean an increasing fat to weight ratio, meaning they should float easily.
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If they could swim in the traditional sense that would imply they had much better muscle coordination than previously thought. A zombie that can coordinate its limbs to swim might also be able to climb and run (aka my biggest zombie fear)
 
Doggo said:
If they could swim in the traditional sense that would imply they had much better muscle coordination than previously thought. A zombie that can coordinate its limbs to swim might also be able to climb and run (aka my biggest zombie fear)
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Screw that. My biggest zombie fear is this **** deciding mammals look tasty:
IMG_0779.jpg

Which is pretty much the plot of The Last of Us.
tumblr_mgu4pr2opu1rbispdo1_500.gif
 
Thought about this more.

Scratch the ID doc. Only get doctors that bring the real physician role to the table- surgeons, GP/IM, and disaster EM.

Then also have scientists with you. That's a safer bet than the ID docs
 
Lost In Transcription said:
Thought about this more.

Scratch the ID doc. Only get doctors that bring the real physician role to the table- surgeons, GP/IM, and disaster EM.

Then also have scientists with you. That's a safer bet than the ID docs
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You realize ID is a fellowship of IM, right? (And peds.)
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
You realize ID is a fellowship of IM, right? (And peds.)
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....yes. Obviously. 😛 My initial goal with med was to do ID so I shadowed the hell out of ID docs.

They are still most comfortable with the specialization, as opposed to someone in IM who does more all encompassing roles or does more actual procedural medicine.

My point was if you want the researchy/knowledgable ID dude, just get a scientist.
 
Lost In Transcription said:
Thought about this more.

Scratch the ID doc. Only get doctors that bring the real physician role to the table- surgeons, GP/IM, and disaster EM.

Then also have scientists with you. That's a safer bet than the ID docs
Click to expand...
EM doctors will provide the only real benefit. Chronic conditions will be a first world problem, that will no longer exist.
 
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