Radiologists of SDN, why should I apply into DR?

[thecanadianIMG]

I like DR. Other options include IM (to do cardiology later on), and gen surg (MIS later on).

My priorities include:
1) Lifestyle/Salary - Sorry if this upsets people, but I have heavy student loans, aging parents who have no retirement fund, and of course my own desires. Please don't come at me and preach to me that I should have done finance or whatever, I love medicine, I knew what I was getting into, and yes, money does matter to me.

2) Work-life balance - I hear a lot that DR is "overworked" and so on, but after doing RVU calculations, you can be making ~$2000/6 hours. So... Yeah, solid 6 hours of back to back work and I get paid a lot more?? Fair to me. I don't want to live to work, I want to work to live. I want to travel. See the world. Have fun. Go out to bars and meet people. Go for dinner and not feel rushed or paged. Have time for my future kids.

I am a bit torn, wondering if I will miss the wards and seeing patients - but when I think about having to do a prostate exam or walk into cardiology and it smells like fecal matter because a patient has defecated into a cup, I really think twice about that. And rounds do suck... Just always wondering if I will be upset that I don't get to see patients anymore as I did enjoy certain places (like pediatric emergency).

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[DOFOSHO]

there are groups that would probably pay you 2000/6hrs but it would be doing only fluoro defecography.

 

[thecanadianIMG]

there are groups that would probably pay you 2000/6hrs but it would be doing only fluoro defecography.

This is not true. Reading scans can lead to that much if RVU based.

 

[Lnsean]

I like DR. Other options include IM (to do cardiology later on), and gen surg (MIS later on).

My priorities include:
1) Lifestyle/Salary - Sorry if this upsets people, but I have heavy student loans, aging parents who have no retirement fund, and of course my own desires. Please don't come at me and preach to me that I should have done finance or whatever, I love medicine, I knew what I was getting into, and yes, money does matter to me.

2) Work-life balance - I hear a lot that DR is "overworked" and so on, but after doing RVU calculations, you can be making ~$2000/6 hours. So... Yeah, solid 6 hours of back to back work and I get paid a lot more?? Fair to me. I don't want to live to work, I want to work to live. I want to travel. See the world. Have fun. Go out to bars and meet people. Go for dinner and not feel rushed or paged. Have time for my future kids.

I am a bit torn, wondering if I will miss the wards and seeing patients - but when I think about having to do a prostate exam or walk into cardiology and it smells like fecal matter because a patient has defecated into a cup, I really think twice about that. And rounds do suck... Just always wondering if I will be upset that I don't get to see patients anymore as I did enjoy certain places (like pediatric emergency).

Honestly, with the exception of a few specialties, most fields pay pretty decent attending salaries. I would look at what aspect of the job you can and cannot tolerate. The cool things will lose its luster after you've done it for the 10th time. You will be doing this for 40 years, don't come home hating yourself and your job when you're 50. I know the IM subspecialties are pretty cush but you have to pay for it in terms of a grueling residency and fellowship.

 

[thecanadianIMG]

Honestly, with the exception of a few specialties, most fields pay pretty decent attending salaries. I would look at what aspect of the job you can and cannot tolerate. The cool things will lose its luster after you've done it for the 10th time. You will be doing this for 40 years, don't come home hating yourself and your job when you're 50. I know the IM subspecialties are pretty cush but you have to pay for it in terms of a grueling residency and fellowship.

Even cardio? Cardio attending lifestyle?

 

[GoPelicans]

Even cardio? Cardio attending lifestyle?

I'm sure there are exceptions but in general cariodlogists work pretty hard

 

[thecanadianIMG]

I'm sure there are exceptions but in general cariodlogists work pretty hard

I see. Are you in rads?

 

[JWP07]

Rads is the best field in my opinion. I'm very happy with my choice. You will rarely find an unhappy radiologist, can't say the same for the other specialties unfortunately.

 

[GoPelicans]

I see. Are you in rads?

Yes PGY2 resident

 

[thecanadianIMG]

Rads is the best field in my opinion. I'm very happy with my choice. You will rarely find an unhappy radiologist, can't say the same for the other specialties unfortunately.

Why do you think that they are the happiest?

 

[thecanadianIMG]

Yes PGY2 resident

How do you like it? Tell me about your day to day!

 

[risus_sardonicus]

Why do you think that they are the happiest?

Dude these questions have been beaten to death here. Please utilize the search function. You are asking radiologists if they like their job, ofc majority of them will say they love it. That’s why they chose that speciality.

The only way you’d know — do a sub-I in rads at a large academic center, one with IR fellow ship, spend your days observing the diagnostic side and watch the procedures. You will know immediately if it’s something you like.


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[JWP07]

Dude these questions have been beaten to death here. Please utilize the search function. You are asking radiologists if they like their job, ofc majority of them will say they love it. That’s why they chose that speciality.

The only way you’d know — do a sub-I in rads at a large academic center, one with IR fellow ship, spend your days observing the diagnostic side and watch the procedures. You will know immediately if it’s something you like.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

I agree with this. I'm the happiest doing radiology but for someone else it might be IM or emergency. Just have to go through medical school and rotate through different specialties in 3rd year to see what field interests you the most.

I considered Plastics, Derm, ER, and Anesthesia. Over time I learned I didn't want to do these specialties. Interesting fact was I took the Assessment Test that is provided by AAMC that basically ranks your top specialties depending on how you answer them. I took the test in the beginning of my 2nd year of med school and you know what specialty was ranked #1 for me to do? It was Radiology. I thought it was ridiculous as I never considered it. Halfway through my 3rd year I decided I wanted to do Rads. For those of you wondering what specialty to pick, you can take the Assessment Test and see what results you get. It's free. Of course, take it with a grain of salt.