popularity of rads and anesthesia here

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So this is just an observation I've had while being on this board for a while... rads and anesthesia seem to be the two major areas of interest for the people who post here.

I just found it interesting as to why that might be. I mean I have read many threads where people post that's what they want to do. Where are all the general surgeons? IM? ob/gyn? EM? pathology? ophtho?

What is it about people interested in rads and anesthesia that make them want to post on this interent forum?


and yeah, I am interested in rads too...

The same actual reason most people want to go into them (though a bit misguided in the case of rads since it's no longer THAT cushy)... money and lifestyle
 
I couldn't justify trading an easy schedule/high salary in exchange for a job I don't find interesting whatsoever.

You're gonna make bank anyways if your smart with money, might as well pick your dream specialty and give botox injections to stuck up celebs. (In b4 "derms save lives")
 
yeah well I mean why do other people interested in other fields not post on this board for the most part? Obviously waaay more people go into those fields than just anesthesia and rads.

We just don't have a good representation of med students here unfortunately.

I'm not interested in anesthesia at all... so there you go, that's one dude. A number of the posters are residents who are in their general surgery or IM residencies.

Obviously if you have threads about lifestyle and such you're going to get a ton of people discussing lifestyle fields. Doesn't mean others don't exist, it's prob just not the right section of the forum

Also keep in mind people change their minds/priorities when they go further in their education in medicine
 
I think Rads is overepresented due to people interested in Rads = interested/competent in computers = more likely to be on the interwebz 24/7.
 
So this is just an observation I've had while being on this board for a while... rads and anesthesia seem to be the two major areas of interest for the people who post here.

I just found it interesting as to why that might be. I mean I have read many threads where people post that's what they want to do. Where are all the general surgeons? IM? ob/gyn? EM? pathology? ophtho?

What is it about people interested in rads and anesthesia that make them want to post on this interent forum?


and yeah, I am interested in rads too...

Case in point that not everyone wants to do rads/anes...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=11152683&postcount=37
 
FWIW, in my medical school class we have like ~25 IM, ~15 EM, ~10 Anesthesias, ~5 Rads.

yeah similar at my school as well. I think last year only like 3 people did rads. However, these people just seem overrepresented on this board. Takes away some from getting other opinions and ideas I think. Oh well. I was just curious is all.
 
yeah similar at my school as well. I think last year only like 3 people did rads. However, these people just seem overrepresented on this board. Takes away some from getting other opinions and ideas I think. Oh well. I was just curious is all.
Pre Step 1 everyone is ROAD. Post Step 1, people get realistic.
 
Haven't had the chance to see it yet, but I want to.

The thing I am currently thinking about with regards to fellowships are that I have to be comfortable in a field if I cannot match into that fellowship. So, for example, if I can't get IR I need to be comfortable in diagnostic rads. Same should go for any field if you ask me.

So if you really like procedures and the flow of the ER I would stick with EM if I were you. If you like the OR more do anesthesia. However, if you like rads and are comfortable possibly not getting that fellowship in 5 or 6 years then that's fine. But you'll have to do diagnostic rads if you can't get a fellowship spot. I say this because you said you couldn't do rads.
 
The same actual reason most people want to go into them (though a bit misguided in the case of rads since it's no longer THAT cushy)... money and lifestyle

Last years application cycle for rads applicants, we seemed well aware of money and lifestyle changes due to occur in the field. A lot of us are attracted to the field because we like technology and diagnostics, and don't enjoy patient care, leaving us with very few options that don't include 5 AM mornings. I would still have applied to rads If salaries were half what they are now, and I know many who agree. Radiology salaries didn't use to be very competitive, but it still was one of the most highly matched fields after IM, surg, OB.
 
The thing I am currently thinking about with regards to fellowships are that I have to be comfortable in a field if I cannot match into that fellowship. So, for example, if I can't get IR I need to be comfortable in diagnostic rads. Same should go for any field if you ask me.

So if you really like procedures and the flow of the ER I would stick with EM if I were you. If you like the OR more do anesthesia. However, if you like rads and are comfortable possibly not getting that fellowship in 5 or 6 years then that's fine. But you'll have to do diagnostic rads if you can't get a fellowship spot. I say this because you said you couldn't do rads.
Yeah, I am not really interested in IR as far as I know, I just havent been exposed to it so couldn't really speak to it specifically.
 
The thing I am currently thinking about with regards to fellowships are that I have to be comfortable in a field if I cannot match into that fellowship. So, for example, if I can't get IR I need to be comfortable in diagnostic rads. Same should go for any field if you ask me.

So if you really like procedures and the flow of the ER I would stick with EM if I were you. If you like the OR more do anesthesia. However, if you like rads and are comfortable possibly not getting that fellowship in 5 or 6 years then that's fine. But you'll have to do diagnostic rads if you can't get a fellowship spot. I say this because you said you couldn't do rads.

take a look at the match rate for IR... it's like 90%

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddatasms2011.pdf
 
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Pre Step 1 everyone is ROAD. Post Step 1, people get realistic.

I hope you're right. I start in a couple of months and my classmates are already talking about how cushy dermatology is, how much money they will make, things they will buy, etc. Well not all of the them, just the pretty/ditzy ones
 
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everybody who applies is already super-qualified for it... applicants self-select the fields they have a high chance of getting into. it is usually discouraged that those with a 205 Step 1 score for example apply into derm.

From what I've heard applicants self-select for IR not because of competitiveness reasons but for other ones - lifestyle, don't want to see patients etc. The IR personality is supposed to be significantly different than the DR one. Take this with a grain of salt as I'm just repeating what I've heard on here and AM
 
From what I've heard applicants self-select for IR not because of competitiveness reasons but for other ones - lifestyle, don't want to see patients etc. The IR personality is supposed to be significantly different than the DR one. Take this with a grain of salt as I'm just repeating what I've heard on here and AM
Self-selection isn't really an issue in radiology fellowship applications. All you need is to be in good standing at your program and you can apply--usually successfully--to whatever.
 
well, i do read A LOT online and study a ton; always attached to a computer. my only break is this forum and the gym. i'm applying to rads.
 
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