Peds vs OB/GYN>??!!?

[mailee88]

Hi! I have a dilemma
I have always wanted to go into Pediatrics because I absolutely love working with kids. However, when I had my OB/GYN rotation a couple of months ago, I absolutely LOVED it. I loved the Ob part, and REALLY loved the surgery aspect of the Gyn part. Clinics, on the other hand, weren't very appealing, but I didn't mind it. Then I started Peds. I also enjoy it very much. I love talking to the families, the patients...everyone is just so happy in Peds. I'm not sure whether or not to switch to peds! the things that are holding me back are low pay, too much general work (clinics, colds, cough, fever,etc)..I don't know if I can spend the rest of my life seeing kids in clinics. Also, I found that I really LOVE surgery..and I won't get that with peds. However with Ob...i am worred about having a life...having a family...malpractice...and just the basic hard lifestyle...but I know that I will like what I'm doing...I like peds and ob/gyn because they both involve a different patient population than just general medicine...the patients are more fun to deal with and tehy actually care about health because someone else's lives are in their hands (the kid, or the unborn baby...) I love talking to these patients because I feel like I'm actually making a difference and that they actually do want to take care of their bodies or their children...I can't decide!! Please help!!

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[Diane L. Evans]

Think if sx is appealing do OB then subspecialize in Maternal Fetal Medicine. (see high risk moms with neonate exposure

Do Peds and subspecialize in Neonatalogy. downside no sx but can subspecialize in neonatal sx....

good luck
Do OB

 

[kdoc2005]

My advice is to ask yourself how much you like surgery and procedures. If you like them a lot, do Ob Gyn. If you absolutely want kids as your patient population, do peds. The down side of peds is low pay, no surgery, and redundancy. Ob Gyn has its downfalls, too: malpractice, cranky residents, etc. I think to do Ob Gyn you should really like deliveries, surgeries, and be willing to work hard. As the last poster noted, MFM is always a possibility for you.

 

[jbish]

The doc I'll be working with this summer is an Ob/Gyn that specialized in adolescent medicine. She's employed by the Children's hospital. You never know when some 6 year old will end up with a huge cyst that will need to be surgically removed...and (some) 13 year olds have sex so they really should be seeing a Gyn. She spends most of her time doing research with STDs as she also has a MPH but I think you could take Ob/Gyn and specialize with kids if you wanted.

 

[delphynium]

I don't understand why are people always choosing between ObGyn and the other specialties: Surgery, Peds, Internal Med - I mean - don't you get it - ObGyn is simply the best, because it combines all of them - you have surgical procedures, you have the internist way of thinking, and you even have the child that you like so much in Peds ( only it's still in utero but coming soon). So - I don't know about you, but I always debated on this or that specialty, but as soon as I had my ObGyn rotation the debate was over.

 

[Leforte]

You could also do FM with a 1 year OB fellowship. This would allow C-section priviledges, but, of course, would not allow the other surgeries that OB/GYNs do. I think our program here also gives the fellow Lap Tubal Ligation exposure, too (A very easy procedure).

This would allow you to do pretty comprehensive OB as well as take care of the baby and mom afterwards.
Something to look into.

 

[biogirl2003]

Considering the tons of OB/GYNs can't afford the malpractice insurance to practice OB anymore -- it is realistic that an FP could even be insured to do a C-section nowadays??

...just wondering.