PM&R vs. Ortho vs. Urology

[Buster Douglas]

If you were propositioned a spot in the following specialties which path would you take?

Primary Interests:
1) Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders
2) Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
3) Cosmetic surgery
4) Having a life outside medicine

PM&R

Pros: Musculoskeletal & OMT, Low Stress, Ideal lifestyle (9-5, No Weekends or Call), Good Pay (Pain/EMG), Most likely able to match in a good location

Cons: Non-surgical (No Cosmetics), Pain Patient Population

ORTHO

Pros: Musculoskeletal & OMT, Opportunity for Cosmetics (Hand Fellowship), Diverse Patient Population, Good Pay, Prestige Factor

Cons: High Stress, Surgeon Hours (Bad Call), Unlikely to match in a good location

UROLOGY

Pros: Diverse (Typically Low Stress) Procedures, Better than Average Surgeon Lifestyle (Minimal Call), Opportunity for Cosmetics (GU Reconstructive, Gen Cosmetics Fellowship), Good Pay, Prestige Factor

Cons: "Old Man Penis" Population, No Musculoskeletal/OMT, Surgeon Lifestyle, Unlikely to match in a good location

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[Llenroc]

With Urology, it's dead simple:

Do you like cock?

Do you like asses?

If the answer to either of the above is "no"... Uhhh... Might not want to go into Urology.

 

[raspberry swirl]

With Urology, it's dead simple:

Do you like cock?

Do you like asses?

If the answer to either of the above is "no"... Uhhh... Might not want to go into Urology.

a little vulgar perhaps, but ... sort of true. looking at wee-wees and sticking your finger up men's rears is going to compromise 90% of your day.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

And if you go into private practice, "diverse procedures" = TURP/BT and placing stents for general surgeons/gyns with the odd nephrectomy every couple of weeks.

Also, I didn't know you could do a cosmetic surg fellowship after urology.

 

[RxnMan]

Random questions:

You wrote about location - do you have a family that will play a part in the decision? Where would they like to be?

There are engineering and assitive device design aspects to both PM&R and ortho. Do these interest you?

 

[Llenroc]

a little vulgar perhaps, but ... sort of true. looking at wee-wees and sticking your finger up men's rears is going to compromise 90% of your day.

There's a reason why it pays so well. LAWLZ.

 

[TxMed]

honestly...the deciding factor will probably be which you can match into. ortho and urology and EXTREMELY competitive, and nearly impossible for DOs.



tm

 

[AmoryBlaine]

honestly...the deciding factor will probably be which you can match into. ortho and urology and EXTREMELY competitive, and nearly impossible for DOs.



tm

I don't think Ortho is out of reach for a strong DO applicant at all... Urology maybe a bit more difficult but a great applicant who cast a wide net could probably find a spot...

 

[Buster Douglas]

And if you go into private practice, "diverse procedures" = TURP/BT and placing stents for general surgeons/gyns with the odd nephrectomy every couple of weeks.

Also, I didn't know you could do a cosmetic surg fellowship after urology.

In three weeks I've seen 17 very different procedures.

The cosmetic surgery thing... I'm still waiting for replies from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. It seems as though you can go into cosmetics through plastics, ent, gen surg, ophtho, ob/gyn, ortho, oral surgery, and even derm. I could be wrong, but if dermatologists are elgible, urologists should be. There are GU Reconstruction fellowships through urology as well.

 

[DOctorJay]

honestly...the deciding factor will probably be which you can match into. ortho and urology and EXTREMELY competitive, and nearly impossible for DOs.



tm

well I guess it's a good thing we have our own DO ortho and uro programs then isn't it

 

[Buster Douglas]

Random questions:

You wrote about location - do you have a family that will play a part in the decision? Where would they like to be?

There are engineering and assitive device design aspects to both PM&R and ortho. Do these interest you?

I'd like to be in a major city (ny, chicago, miami, cali, etc.), which is one of the reasons why i have been leaning towards PM&R. The uro and ortho programs I've been "offered" are in more rural locations, which neither the girlfriend or I are too fond of.

...and the biomechanical/prosthetic aspects do interest me. I've always wanted to go into PM&R, but people keep telling me I'm crazy for not taking up the other two offers.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

In three weeks I've seen 17 very different procedures.

The cosmetic surgery thing... I'm still waiting for replies from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. It seems as though you can go into cosmetics through plastics, ent, gen surg, ophtho, ob/gyn, ortho, oral surgery, and even derm. I could be wrong, but if dermatologists are elgible, urologists should be. There are GU Reconstruction fellowships through urology as well.

Are you in medical school? If so, please note that I said "in private practice". Medical school does not equal private practice. It may be different elsewhere, but the urologists I know and work with do many more cystos than anything else.

As far as the cosmetics thing goes, that's pretty interesting. I knew about GU reconstruction fellowships, but I just assumed that there wasn't much of a GU aesthetics market out there to warrant fellowships.

 

[raspberry swirl]

Are you in medical school? If so, please note that I said "in private practice". Medical school does not equal private practice. It may be different elsewhere, but the urologists I know and work with do many more cystos than anything else.

aren't you a PA? no offense, but how would you know what medical school does or does not equal? maybe medical school doesnt always equal private practice, but thats at the discretion of the doctor ... the OP would be licensed to practice whatever he was taught in med school/residency (which is more than cystos...)

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

The fun of an internet message board. The opinions of idiots are allowed! Nice


As far as the cosmetics thing, urology is an approved pathway to enter a plastic surgery fellowship. Not cosmetic, but plastics! It's fairly unlikely to be accepted to plastics from Uro but is possible. you could make your mark doing gender reassignment surgery if you were so inclined.

Urology is generally considered to have some of the most variety of any surgical subspeciality.

Plenty of: cystos,prostates,nephrectomies,stones,circs,vasectomies,infertility, urodynamics, congenital stuff, bladder/prostate/renal/testicular CA. retroperitoneal Lymph node biopsy, etc etc. The opinions of the uninformed are basically meaningless but take them for what you want.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

The fun of an internet message board. The opinions of idiots are allowed! Nice


As far as the cosmetics thing, urology is an approved pathway to enter a plastic surgery fellowship. Not cosmetic, but plastics! It's fairly unlikely to be accepted to plastics from Uro but is possible. you could make your mark doing gender reassignment surgery if you were so inclined.

Urology is generally considered to have some of the most variety of any surgical subspeciality.

Plenty of: cystos,prostates,nephrectomies,stones,circs,vasectomies,infertility, urodynamics, congenital stuff, bladder/prostate/renal/testicular CA. retroperitoneal Lymph node biopsy, etc etc. The opinions of the uninformed are basically meaningless but take them for what you want.

I'm sorry, but that was completely uncalled for. I specifically stated that the people I know do mostly cystos, but it might be different elsewhere. I also stated that I knew nothing about plastics/cosmetic fellowships. I may not be in medical school yet, but I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to give a view from what I see. There was absolutely no need to be an dingus about it.

As to the post above yours, I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't do those things, just that it seems like the private practice docs I know don't really have those kinds of cases that often. As stated above, I thought that I pretty clearly indicated that I was just going by what I saw, not making a sweeping generalization of the entire specialty. I apologize if that wasn't clear.

I stick to the pre-med forums from now on. Sorry for the intrusion.

 

[Buster Douglas]

...As far as the cosmetics thing, urology is an approved pathway to enter a plastic surgery fellowship. Not cosmetic, but plastics! It's fairly unlikely to be accepted to plastics from Uro but is possible. you could make your mark doing gender reassignment surgery if you were so inclined...

yeah, that was the idea. niche market.

GU Reconstruction plus Non-facial Cosmetics. As you said, it is fairly unlikely to be accepted to plastics from urology. From what I've been reading on the websites below, I'd think you'd be able to do cosmetics through urology. I guess we'll see what the email replies say.

The American Board Of Cosmetic Surgery

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

 

[Knight_MD]

With Urology, it's dead simple:

Do you like cock?

Do you like asses?

If the answer to either of the above is "no"... Uhhh... Might not want to go into Urology.

I don't like examining either, but I'm considering Urology as my #1 choice. It always gets me the most interested. And as for its procedures, they are so diverse you could practically choose which ones you do... As for the P/R, it's also part of the Gyna/Obs, and GS assesment for ano-rectal diseases... (though not as often)...

The penile disorders aren't as common as calcular and urinary disorders, so they are far from a "career deciding" issue.. (plz Urologists say u agree...)

Moreover, the medical part in Urology makes it stand out from the rest of surgical subspecialities... Anyway, I guess I'll learn more in my upcoming internship year.

 

[Rook16]

I guess I dont really get the thread, these specialties are so ridiculously different.

 

[raspberry swirl]

I'm sorry, but that was completely uncalled for. I specifically stated that the people I know do mostly cystos, but it might be different elsewhere. I also stated that I knew nothing about plastics/cosmetic fellowships. I may not be in medical school yet, but I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to give a view from what I see. There was absolutely no need to be an dingus about it.

As to the post above yours, I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't do those things, just that it seems like the private practice docs I know don't really have those kinds of cases that often. As stated above, I thought that I pretty clearly indicated that I was just going by what I saw, not making a sweeping generalization of the entire specialty. I apologize if that wasn't clear.

I stick to the pre-med forums from now on. Sorry for the intrusion.

it wasn't what you said, but how you said it.

 

[Llenroc]

You know, I was back in the urology clinic on Friday (at the cancer hospital), and for some reason I really liked it. If I was going to do surgery, I'd do urology. I'm definitely doing my surgery rotation 4th year in Urology.

Couple of things that will keep me from being a "Cock Doc" though:

1) horrible, horrible grades, average board score
2) When I asked the Urology resident about work hours, he started to reminisce about his first year in General Surgery and how "nice" it was.
3) 12 hour surgeries