personality traits

[snowinter]

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Hi guys,

what would you say would be the general personality trend among ophthamologist? (what are characteristics that seem to run in common for ppl who choose this field?)

thanks!

snowinter

 

[rubensan]

JennyW and futuredoctorOD: how would you answer this question?

Snow, I am sure you realized that you've asked a very general question about an entire field. I'll try to answer with a preface that I am not an ophthalmologist yet nor do I pretend to speak for the entire field. I believe that ophthalmologists enjoy being in clinic and in the operating room. In my opinion, they like to work with their hands and enjoy procedures (let's face it, getting some patients properly situated into the slit lamp can be a procedure in itself 😉 ). I believe ophthalmologists like technology and electronic gadgetry (IOL meter, autorefractor, phaco, OCT, PAM, just to name a few). In other words, this is a field where your physical exam generally does not include a stethoscope or tuning fork. They are specialists not generalists, meaning that I enjoy ophthalmology because you can master a body of information rather than merely being familiair with several bodies of info like FP, general IM, general OB/GYN. You also generally get consulted for specific problems rather than being in charge for the care of the entire patient like G Surg and IM. Of course, there are exceptions, USC still has a 12 bed in-patient ophthalmology ward. Abover all, I think that it is a gross misconception that ophthalmology residents are lazy and have a really easy residency. The ones I know work very hard, especially that first year. But that being said, I think they (along with the urologists and ENT docs) are some of the coolest, laid-back and down-to-earth docs in the hospital (at least at USC, UCLA and UC Davis they are).

I'm sure there are some people that don't agree with everything I said, what do other people think?

 

[JudoKing01]

I've met one opthalmologist (private practice) and he's a prick to everyone but two or three people with whom he works with every Tuesday. I think he's probably the exception, not the rule.

 

[snowinter]

Thanks Ruben -- for the reply.

Keep it up guys, I want to hear.

I ask b/c sometimes it seems like there are two things that bias us into choosing a field.
1. wheter we like it or not
but a lot of times subconcisously its
2. if we think we fit in with the personality of the other ppl in the field. and that collective personality will mold and shape us.

For example, when I was on obgyn -- it seemed like to fit in you had to be a pretty *girly girl* who cared about her nails, shoes etc (no offense to anyone reading this ) but it just seemed like someone who was less conscious of their appearance - and wore big thick glasses etc just wasn't the "personality type" there. I really looked for that resident who was the epitomy of "book worm" but coudln't find him/her. (actually it was the rotation where I saw the most clones.. )

Gen surg: seemed like it was about cowboy boots and motorcycles and tatoos

and the list goes on.

keep writing ur ideas of what the personality characteristics/traits that seem more prevalent among opthamologist are-- i realize its a broad question -- and I guess I am asknig for sterotypes.. but then.. I believe there is a collective personality to every field.. which includes those unspoken rulse of how to behave, etc!
thanks

 

[rubensan]

yes, unfortunately we have to decide upon a specialty based upon a 4-6 week rotation. 1 or 2 bad residents can ruin an entire field for a medical student. in addition to asking people on this forum, try to seek advice from ophthalmologists who have finished residency and are in the community. i think any field is a lot different once you are outside the protected walls of academia.

you'll be happy to know that my "pretty girly-girl ob-gyn" wife and her co-residents got a big laugh when I showed her your post after i brought them dinner at the hospital this evening. it wasn't that busy and they were looking through catalogs, helping the senior resident plan her wedding. 😉 but hey, if she goes into infertility medicine, i may not have to work!

Good luck!

 

[snowinter]

Ruben,

i'm glad ur wife got a laugh. but it's also true!! and they all know it.
and you are right about needing more experience with private practice ophthamologist -- i actually havent' even had my ophthamology rotation yet (that will be the first one of my 4th year)
so, sometimes i loose my perspective on the field. even though ive gotten pretty invovled in other respects.

maybe that's why i wanted personality traits--

what do you think about lifestyle /hours obgyn vs ophthamology? (since u have a really good perspective on it)


choosing and sticking with one career choice is so difficult!

 

[rubensan]

what do you think about lifestyle /hours obgyn vs ophthamology? (since u have a really good perspective on it)

OPHTHALMOLOGY!!!! Remember, women in labor are like ICU patients, they need constant monitoring. If you're a private OB in the community that means you come in for every bad strip, pre-eclamptic, pre-term labor, etc. Plus in CA, you get re-imbursed about $900 for a NSVD, maybe $1100 for a C-section and that includes all pre-natal care. That's not a lot of buck for 38 wks worth of work. Plus you have to have a lot of volume to pay your $200,000K malpractice insurance (it's not that high in CA, but it is that high in FL and SC). Don't get me wrong, the field of OB/GYN is still lucrative if you do fellowships in Infertility, uroGYN, GYN-oncology or maternal fetal medicine. As a general OB/GYN you can get into a big HMO like Kaiser where your calls consits of 2-3 12 hour shifts/week, the rest of the days in clinic, and 3/4 weekends off starting around $200K clear (malpractice included, no overhead)...not too bad for people who want a life outside medicine but when you are at work you are busy

Ophthalmology = mostly elective surgeries and very few problems (in constrast to OB) that will bring you into the hospital. Bottom line, busy ophthlamologists arn't in the hospital at 300AM on a regular basis (unless you're a first year USC ophtho resident 🙁 ), busy OBs are.

There will always be a tremendous need for both fields. Women will always keep having babies and people are living longer in general and thus will continue to need refractive surgery, retina docs and all the other services that an OMD provides. However, I have a hunch you will see the light once you do your ophtho rotation.


Good luck!

 

[benit100]

I know it's not really related to this forum, but I just have to say that my OB rotation gave me a VERY different impression!! I go to school in San Francisco, and the majority of the OB/GYN department here consists of women who are anything but "pretty girly-girls". In fact, being too girly was sometimes a liability among some of the intense "down with men" feminists on that service; I didn't realize that the programs elsewhere were so different. Just a random observation... (but if you're interested in OB and want to see a different personality of program, you might want to do an elective here)

Thanks Ruben -- for the reply.

Keep it up guys, I want to hear.

I ask b/c sometimes it seems like there are two things that bias us into choosing a field.
1. wheter we like it or not
but a lot of times subconcisously its
2. if we think we fit in with the personality of the other ppl in the field. and that collective personality will mold and shape us.

For example, when I was on obgyn -- it seemed like to fit in you had to be a pretty *girly girl* who cared about her nails, shoes etc (no offense to anyone reading this ) but it just seemed like someone who was less conscious of their appearance - and wore big thick glasses etc just wasn't the "personality type" there. I really looked for that resident who was the epitomy of "book worm" but coudln't find him/her. (actually it was the rotation where I saw the most clones.. )

Gen surg: seemed like it was about cowboy boots and motorcycles and tatoos

and the list goes on.

keep writing ur ideas of what the personality characteristics/traits that seem more prevalent among opthamologist are-- i realize its a broad question -- and I guess I am asknig for sterotypes.. but then.. I believe there is a collective personality to every field.. which includes those unspoken rulse of how to behave, etc!
thanks