MS3: Peds vs. Radiology

[drshakespeare]

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Hey everyone--I've used this site as a guide through undergrad and med school, and it's been very helpful--thanks to everyone contributing to make it a great resource. This is my first time posting, and I really appreciate your ear (or actually, eyes) and any advice or help y'all might have to offer.

I'm wrapping up my third year, so the ball's rolling regarding dean's letter, CV, resume--all the residency app stuff. Mid-year, I had been through rotations like medicine, surgery, and OB-GYN and pretty much came to conclude my personality and strengths would be better fitted for a consult/behind the scenes role, like rads, anesthesia, path. I just wasn't energized by patient interaction and clinic like some people were; instead, it seemed to exhaust me (and that's just in the--let's face it--noncontributory role of the med student). I'm not a very warm and fuzzy person on the outside. So when my radiology elective came around, I was really looking forward to something very different, and I could kind of see myself in that role. The "expert" diagnostician, working with other physicians, getting to focus on one study at a time and not juggling social issues/fielding consults/prepping discharge that is the world of the inpatient primary. Also, everyone in rads was very chill and very much my kind of people. I specifically really liked peds rads, as pediatric disease can be so unique, and they seem to be the last people in the field who really get to touch every modality regularly (in academia, anyway). So, I was pretty sold on it at that point.

Then, peds came, and I got confused. I felt less stiff on the rotation and cared about the patients more. I still didn't care for social stuff, but I enjoyed patient care more because it wasn't your adult COPD/CHF/diabetes/HTN cocktail. It was usually one specific problem to work on and solve. And I also found that I really cared about the special needs kids (cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes, crippling epilepsy) a lot. They just made me think that these are the kids that need so much help, and no one really talks about them. Anyway, I didn't really give peds that much thought by the end of the rotation just because it was getting close to the end of MS3, I was tired, and I just settled in to having already made up my mind. Now, though, I'm finishing the year with a peds subspecialty elective, and I'm really having a great time and starting to seriously reconsider. Again, everyone in peds is happy, they bring me out of my shell, and many of the patients are a lot of fun. Also, a lot of the diseases afflicting them are terribly interesting.

I'm to the point where I'm working on my personal statement, and I just can't seem to find anything to say about radiology. I can think of a whole list for peds, though. Is that my answer? Anyone else out there struggle with a decision like this--if not exactly the same, between similar fields? Am I forgetting to think about something that I should really consider?

What mainly scares me about this is peds seems so, so different from radiology.

 

[michigangirl]

Can you not think of a list for radiology because its been a while since you've rotated there? If the answer is truly no, and you're truly excited about taking care of patients when it comes to pediatrics, I think you have your answer. Although I wasn't debating rads vs. peds, there was a stark contrast in how much I enjoyed patient care with kids vs. adults. It seems you have found your calling. You must have discovered though that peds has a whole host of social issues to deal with, prepping discharge, etc., particularly in residency. But you seem to have a special interest in the chronic kids and the challenging kids-- so if you want to come on board, we'd love to have you 🙂 The water is definitely nice over here.

 

[scootad.]

You should also consider that Peds Rads is a very small field. There are very few positions in Radiology where you can do 100% Pediatric Radiology and they are mostly limited to large academic centers. The competition for those spots may be tough. It's by no means a guarantee that if you pick Rads that you will get to practice only Peds Rads.

 

[dbeast]

Peds neuro combined programs could be a good fit as well. Neurologists tend to be a little less warm and fuzzy then us categorical peds folks and you'll still be in a consulting role for kids with the diseases you mentioned.

In general, though, a good amount of people go through peds residency with the clear intention of subspecializing and proceed to power through the inpatient primary years knowing it's ultimately not what they'll be doing. With that being said, if you absolutely hate social issues/discharge summaries/etc. and can't tolerate it for three years, then you'll have to be very careful with this choice. But for what it's worth, every job has parts that are objectively pretty lame- I don't think any hospitalist loves discharge summaries the same way radiologists don't love the pile of normal chest X-rays in between interesting images.

One important note- social issues for children are significantly easier to handle because they actually do need somebody to look out for them rather than adults who want to camp out in the hospital for free food or get stuck when all the SNF beds are full.

 

[crazyhands]

Hey everyone--I've used this site as a guide through undergrad and med school, and it's been very helpful--thanks to everyone contributing to make it a great resource. This is my first time posting, and I really appreciate your ear (or actually, eyes) and any advice or help y'all might have to offer.

I'm wrapping up my third year, so the ball's rolling regarding dean's letter, CV, resume--all the residency app stuff. Mid-year, I had been through rotations like medicine, surgery, and OB-GYN and pretty much came to conclude my personality and strengths would be better fitted for a consult/behind the scenes role, like rads, anesthesia, path. I just wasn't energized by patient interaction and clinic like some people were; instead, it seemed to exhaust me (and that's just in the--let's face it--noncontributory role of the med student). I'm not a very warm and fuzzy person on the outside. So when my radiology elective came around, I was really looking forward to something very different, and I could kind of see myself in that role. The "expert" diagnostician, working with other physicians, getting to focus on one study at a time and not juggling social issues/fielding consults/prepping discharge that is the world of the inpatient primary. Also, everyone in rads was very chill and very much my kind of people. I specifically really liked peds rads, as pediatric disease can be so unique, and they seem to be the last people in the field who really get to touch every modality regularly (in academia, anyway). So, I was pretty sold on it at that point.

Then, peds came, and I got confused. I felt less stiff on the rotation and cared about the patients more. I still didn't care for social stuff, but I enjoyed patient care more because it wasn't your adult COPD/CHF/diabetes/HTN cocktail. It was usually one specific problem to work on and solve. And I also found that I really cared about the special needs kids (cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes, crippling epilepsy) a lot. They just made me think that these are the kids that need so much help, and no one really talks about them. Anyway, I didn't really give peds that much thought by the end of the rotation just because it was getting close to the end of MS3, I was tired, and I just settled in to having already made up my mind. Now, though, I'm finishing the year with a peds subspecialty elective, and I'm really having a great time and starting to seriously reconsider. Again, everyone in peds is happy, they bring me out of my shell, and many of the patients are a lot of fun. Also, a lot of the diseases afflicting them are terribly interesting.

I'm to the point where I'm working on my personal statement, and I just can't seem to find anything to say about radiology. I can think of a whole list for peds, though. Is that my answer? Anyone else out there struggle with a decision like this--if not exactly the same, between similar fields? Am I forgetting to think about something that I should really consider?

What mainly scares me about this is peds seems so, so different from radiology.

I think you answered your own questions. I was bragging to people that doing my PS for fellowship would take me 2 hours tops because I love it so much and won't have to think about what to write. It is taking me a little longer, obviously but you get the idea.
I chose peds because I like medicine (rather than procedures) but did not like working with adults (it was terribly depressing for me, seeing very old people get sick, have terrible quality of lives, and honestly there is only so much that can be done in many cases). In peds, there are those type of patients (heme/onc, rheumatology come to mind), but are a very, very small percentage. If you do private practice, you probably won't encounter one. The vast majority of pts (98%?) get discharged from the hospital at baseline activity (hyper as heck, giving mother a hard time, etc) which is awesome to see and makes my day.
The discharge stuff and social stuff is the same crap we have to deal with. Once you see/do enough you know what to do and it's not a big deal.
Get scrap paper, get by yourself and scribble down pros and cons and do some self reflection. Then talk to faculty in both areas. Then talk to family, friends, and people you care about to get their input at whats best for you.

Good luck!!