Narrowing specialties down

[reidmike]

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Senior Member

Status:Medical Student
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 382

Hey everyone,

I'm sure this topic has been discussed an infinite number of times, but I am wondering if any of you can help me narrow fields down for next years match based on my interests.

So I am a third year right now. So far I've completed psych and neuro rotations and am about a month into internal med. From psych I enjoyed listening to patients' stories and the interesting views they had about the world around them. The thing I didn't like was that it would seem difficult only to be able to treat with meds and many times without them getting much better. In neuro I really liked the neuro exam itself and correlating physical deficits with radiological findings, but I didn't like how it was mostly the same complaints (e.g. migraines, memory loss, etc.). So far in internal I don't really enjoy the hours involved (though I have only experienced inpatient so far), but I have been really interested in the GI cases more than anything else.

Basically, what I want out of my career includes: long term relationship with patients, possibly minor procedures, no high risk stressful surgeries or patients on the brink of death (I tend to be a laid back type), not very research oriented mainly clinically oriented, and relatively flexible hours. I have ruled out general surgery, obgyn, peds, and family medicine at this point. My step 1 was a 242 and so far I've done well in my courses along with one research project related to adhesions that has not been published yet. I helped create an interest group and have been involved in multiple community service events. I have also presented two or three posters including one at a national meeting.

If you all could give me some insight based on my description of some fields that would sort of fit my description/be competitive for I'd really appreciate it! I know I have quite a few rotations left, but just wanted to get your opinion. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

 

[smq123]

Moving to allopathic.

 

[J ROD]

cardio, GI, maybe optho

 

[duckie99]

If you like kids do peds +/- fellowship. If you like adults do IM +/- fellowship. It's pretty easy for you because you want long term patient contact (no rads, path, anesthesia, derm), don't like any surgery (ophtho is surgical), and don't want emergency stuff (no EM) nor like neuro.

You'll probably brush this off but family medicine fits what you are looking for. Not sure why exactly you ruled it out since it has flexible hours, long term contact, minor procedures, no/very little brink of death stuff, etc.

 

[Gara]

You'll probably brush this off but family medicine fits what you are looking for. Not sure why exactly you ruled it out since it has flexible hours, long term contact, minor procedures, no/very little brink of death stuff, etc.

^Second.

OP, I'm curious what made you cross FM off your list?

 

[smq123]

Basically, what I want out of my career includes: long term relationship with patients, possibly minor procedures, no high risk stressful surgeries or patients on the brink of death (I tend to be a laid back type), not very research oriented mainly clinically oriented, and relatively flexible hours. I have ruled out general surgery, obgyn, peds, and family medicine at this point.

Why have you ruled out Family Med? That's basically a perfect description of my current job as a new FM attending. 😕

 

[reidmike]

Why have you ruled out Family Med? That's basically a perfect description of my current job as a new FM attending. 😕

Thanks for the replies everyone... I guess I have a few reasons why I am leaning away from family med even though it seems to fit much of what I want out of my career. First of all, I guess I've been told by many physicians that Family medicine may be largely taken over by PAs and NPs in the future. I am not completely convinced that this will happen, just something I keep hearing. Secondly, I think I just want to stick with more adult care, rather than children. Lastly, I have shadowed in a family med practice and wasn't really excited about most of the content involved in the day to day practice. If anyone can enlighten me with some of the perks of FM, or things that I may be overlooking (which I'm sure there are) that draw people to the field I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

Thanks again for the comments.

 

[Shnurek]

Thanks for the replies everyone... I guess I have a few reasons why I am leaning away from family med even though it seems to fit much of what I want out of my career. First of all, I guess I've been told by many physicians that Family medicine may be largely taken over by PAs and NPs in the future. I am not completely convinced that this will happen, just something I keep hearing. Secondly, I think I just want to stick with more adult care, rather than children. Lastly, I have shadowed in a family med practice and wasn't really excited about most of the content involved in the day to day practice. If anyone can enlighten me with some of the perks of FM, or things that I may be overlooking (which I'm sure there are) that draw people to the field I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

Thanks again for the comments.

That's like saying ophthalmologists will be taken over by optometrists...get real

 

[RadicalRadon]

That's like saying ophthalmologists will be taken over by optometrists...get real

Thanks for the replies everyone... I guess I have a few reasons why I am leaning away from family med even though it seems to fit much of what I want out of my career. First of all, I guess I've been told by many physicians that Family medicine may be largely taken over by PAs and NPs in the future. I am not completely convinced that this will happen, just something I keep hearing. Secondly, I think I just want to stick with more adult care, rather than children. Lastly, I have shadowed in a family med practice and wasn't really excited about most of the content involved in the day to day practice. If anyone can enlighten me with some of the perks of FM, or things that I may be overlooking (which I'm sure there are) that draw people to the field I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

Thanks again for the comments.

I personally think it makes sense financially and from duration of training standpoint to have an army of lower paid PA/NP carry out primary care with oversight of this group by a limited number of general practitioners. They would function to triage effectively with complicated cases handled by the GP (although the GP would most likely refer if it's not an easy malady...).

 

[PTPoeny]

Thanks for the replies everyone... I guess I have a few reasons why I am leaning away from family med even though it seems to fit much of what I want out of my career. First of all, I guess I've been told by many physicians that Family medicine may be largely taken over by PAs and NPs in the future. I am not completely convinced that this will happen, just something I keep hearing. Secondly, I think I just want to stick with more adult care, rather than children. Lastly, I have shadowed in a family med practice and wasn't really excited about most of the content involved in the day to day practice. If anyone can enlighten me with some of the perks of FM, or things that I may be overlooking (which I'm sure there are) that draw people to the field I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

Thanks again for the comments.

One thing about family medicine is that it can be a lot of different things. While it was an interesting format for a roation, for my family medicine rotation I spent 1 week at each of two different private practices, 2 weeks at a residency program and two weeks being somewhere different every day (wound care clinic, diabetes clinic, urgent care, ect) Can you deal with kids during residency if you never have to see one afterwards?

 

[NightSwim]

That's like saying ophthalmologists will be taken over by optometrists...get real

Yeah, primary care doctors are definitely not going away. That would be a disaster,for everyone. Your school probably requires a primary care rotation, so you'll see why. The biggest pro of primary care imo is the variety. Anything and everything walks in through the door.

I vote internal medicine w/option of primary care or further specialization

 

[Smokemont]

Yeah, primary care doctors are definitely not going away. That would be a disaster,for everyone. Your school probably requires a primary care rotation, so you'll see why. The biggest pro of primary care imo is the variety. Anything and everything walks in through the door.

I vote internal medicine w/option of primary care or further specialization

I agree. If you like adult medicine then do IM. You can stop after your 3 yr residency or do fellowship with a ton of choices.

 

[DrBowtie]

Rheumatology is what you seek.

Long term relationships
Procedures like joint aspirations
Radiographic correlation
Flexible/Cush hours.

 

[J ROD]

Rheumatology is what you seek.

Long term relationships
Procedures like joint aspirations
Radiographic correlation
Flexible/Cush hours.

yeah, add that one! 👍

 

[IlDestriero]

Derm.

 

[reidmike]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm also considering neuro. What is your opinion of the field?

 

[FSU2013]

You have almost another year to figure it out and rotate through some options. Honestly, you should reconsider family med - sounds like is right up your alley.

 

[duckie99]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm also considering neuro. What is your opinion of the field?

neuro you have lots of cool cases but also a good amount where you cannot do a whole lot to treat the disease. Hospital and outpatient work. Can be ICU or pure clinic. Pretty much no procedures after residency (your PA/NP will do the LP or you'll just send the patient to radiology).


And yeah you've got a whole year. I wouldn't stress. Your factors for what you are looking for are pretty broad. Think about stuff like where you want to live, how specialized you want to be, kids vs no kids (patients), how important salary is, etc.

 

[drizzt3117]

derm.

+1