Need help choosing my career...I am very confused :(

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Maxim

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Hello to everybody,
this is my first message on this board. I just found this forum and I saw many interesting threads...and now I am starting my first one...I am sorry if it will be a bit long...but I need some suggestions :(

I am a 23 years old medical student in Italy, I just finished my 5th year and in October I will start my last year, the sixth.
In Italy at the beginning of the sixth year a student should decide what kind of specialty he/she is going to choose as he/she will have to start "working" (without getting paid of course ) at the chosen department. This is because during the whole year the student must prepare a "thesis" to show at the graduation ceremony...and it is really a HUGE work...so this is my situation, in October I have to decide my future career and life !!

In my mind there is a contest between 2 specialties: Plastic Surgery vs Radiology

Here are the reasons why I chose these 2 specialties:
I really like surgery, and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery I think is one of the few surgical specialties where the surgeon can operate almost everywhere in the body (except of course the abdomen, brain etc), it never gets boring as one day a surgeon could operate a melanoma...the next day could do a free flap to reconstruct a breast.
The problem with plastic surgery is that it lacks almost completely the diagnostic medical approach; no brainstorming, no medical challenge...it's just manual work (with a lot of skill of course).
Other cons of plastic in my opinion are: lifestyle, very long learning time and very challenging environment.
As for all the surgical specialties the STs will have a really hard life, only working and thiking about surgery. Furthermore, becoming a good plastic surgeon requires really a LONG period of time...and after 6 years of medicine..well I would like to leave the "student status" as soon as possible .

What I like about Radiology is the possibility to encounter a really broad spectrum of diseases, medical and surgical ones. I like the link that radiology has with technology and also the fact that a radiologist is more indipendent than a surgeon.
Plus, as maybe it's wise to think what we could be in 30-40 years, lifestyle of radiologists I guess is much "better" than the one of plastic reconstructive surgeons, with less stress, less hours, less night shifts etc...
Furthermore, I understood that getting a ST place in Radiology is MUCH MUCH easier than getting one in Plastic Surgery.
The things I don't like about Radiology is the lack of contact with patients (except during ultrasounds or interventional radiology). A radiologist could spend a day without seeing ONE patient...only CT scans, MRIs, xrays etc..just in front of 3-4 high definition screens


Finally, although we are/will be doctors the economical side is also important. Both plastic and radiology are economically rewarding.
As far as I understood, before earning enough money being a plastic surgeon a lot of years are going to pass (and I am not really into aesthetic surgery...but still, an aesthetic plastic surgeon needs a lot of money just to start working privately, plus he/she needs to be REALLY good...); on the other hand radiologists start earning money before and there is big plus that a radiologist can find a job MUCH easier than a plastic surgeon...anywhere in the world (just try to look for a job as a radiologist...).

But I have to say that if I had to choose with my heart I would go for Plastic surgery (it's the specialty I would have liked to do since I was in the high school...but after working a bit at the plastic department this idea changed a bit)..using my head (considering especially the kind of lifstyle I will have for the next 6-7 years) I would choose Radiology!!!

so...what do you think? :) Do you agree with what I said?

Anyway, thank you very much for reading the whole post :) ...now you know what I think about these 2 specialties. I read that there are some STs in both of them I hope they can help me decide! But anyone is accepted!!


Maxim

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Thanks for the fast reply :)
that is what I was thinking too...but then, after asking around, I understood that also a Radiologist has a "little" surgical work to do...in interventional radiology!
Is that correct?
 
mm ok I understand..so that is the surgery I should expect in the radiology field :oops:
In Italy Radiology is a sixth year subject (dunno why :rolleyes:)..while Plastic is in the 4th year so I have tried it (I went to Stockholm, in Karolinska Hospital to do a rotation in Plastic...very good experience..but then it showed the "defects" of this specialty).
I spent only 1 day with a radiologist...and well, the day has been a bit boring to be sincere (scans and scans, a couple of ultrasounds, and 2-3 thoraxcentesis...but it was only 1 day..).
I guess I have to ask if I can spend a bit more in the Radiology ward...
 
:D I meant the radiology department
 
hello :)
I have arranged an appointement with a radiologist in my hospital ...hope to get a clearer vision of Radiology.

Anyone else has an opinion? I accept all the suggestions!
 
I think this is something you'll have to answer for yourself.

People who poll for an opinion about their possible career are likely to end up in a career that isn't right for them.

You've picked two options that are drastically different. One has limited patient contact and focuses on diagnosis.

The other is centered around the OR and is hands-on.

They have nothing in common. Other than high compensation.
 
maxim,
can you tell us more about what it was you didn't like about your plastic surgery rotation?

I think doing more time than 1 day in radiology before you decide whether to pursue it or not is VERY wise. It must be hard on you all (European med students) trying to make these types of decisions at such a young age. I didn't even enter med school (in US) until age 25. It's bad financially to have to borrow so much money at that age, but I think it was helpful in that I knew what I liked vs. not in a job/career. Even then, choosing a specialty was difficult.

I think you have to be careful about advice you get on here if it isn't from Europeans. I mean, what do we US folks know about doing residency (or being an attending doctor) in Italy? I'd say not much.

I agree that radiology and plastics are quite different, but it's possible for one person to be interested in more than one thing....or to be attracted to one thing but worry about the lifestyle and/or work culture in that particular specialty.

Is it possible for an Italian medical student to start out in one specialty and then switch to another? Once you pick are you stuck in that particular track? How final is your decision.

ciao
US medicine fellow
 
maxim,
can you tell us more about what it was you didn't like about your plastic surgery rotation?

I think doing more time than 1 day in radiology before you decide whether to pursue it or not is VERY wise. It must be hard on you all (European med students) trying to make these types of decisions at such a young age. I didn't even enter med school (in US) until age 25. It's bad financially to have to borrow so much money at that age, but I think it was helpful in that I knew what I liked vs. not in a job/career. Even then, choosing a specialty was difficult.

I think you have to be careful about advice you get on here if it isn't from Europeans. I mean, what do we US folks know about doing residency (or being an attending doctor) in Italy? I'd say not much.

I agree that radiology and plastics are quite different, but it's possible for one person to be interested in more than one thing....or to be attracted to one thing but worry about the lifestyle and/or work culture in that particular specialty.

Is it possible for an Italian medical student to start out in one specialty and then switch to another? Once you pick are you stuck in that particular track? How final is your decision.

ciao
US medicine fellow

Hello dragonfly,
Thank you for your post...I am very sorry for being so late in answering...I will try to do it now.
First, I agree with you, in Europe a student begins really early the medical education (at 18-19 years old), and it lasts 6 years+1 year to get the registration to work as a doctor. Then it's possibile to decide the specialty.

After 1 month of thinking a lot..I still don't know what to choose!!
Some days I am almost sure to choose Radiology...but then, during some internet surfing, I read something about Plastic and I fall in love again with this specialty.
In Italy, it is possible to change specialty although it's not very wise, unfortunately here the medical education isn't very clear of nepotism, so it might hard to get in another specialty after some years of doing another one.
Anyway I am thinking to go to UK to finish my medical education or maybe Sweden where I spent 5 months rotating in various wards.

So I still have the same doubts...but I have some news that could help me out....I will spend 1 week in the Radiology department here where I study...and I am going to meet an italian plastic surgeon who works in England...hoping that the comparison of the 2 different worlds will lead me to a decision!

Finally, I am still open to any kind of suggestion or thought....feel free to write me whatever you think! :)

Thank you again...
 
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