Second thoughts about med, thinking about radiology...thoughts? advice?

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I've been thinking medicine essentially since my first med rotation. I recently had radiology and thought it was an interesting field (though watching/shadowing is pretty boring). But, to be honest I've never thought to doing it prior to this, therefore have not researched it, etc. I was pretty set on medicine until recently, when I started my sub-I medicine rotation. Don't get me wrong, I like medicine and think it's awesome but the actual job seems exhausting and so paperwork heavy. So...I'm having second thoughts and realizing it's getting a little late to change my mind. I've got all my letters set up for a IM residency application.

I'm wondering what would be my chances of matching in the Midwest/West at this point?

I've had 1 radiology rotation, unsure of grades yet but expect high pass or honors.
Step 1: 245
Honored most of my pre-clinical courses; few honors in my clinical clerkships.
No research

Any thoughts or advice would be great.

Thanks,
NB

 

[Mad Jack]

You're worried about how paperwork heavy medicine is so your escape plan is a job that involves writing up reads for 12 hours at a clip? You might not have thought this through all the way...

 

[radman123]

"I like medicine and think it's awesome but the actual job seems exhausting and so paperwork heavy."

Pick your poison. Radiology may be even more exhausting in the community. There are no hospitalists to cover evenings, nights, weekends holidays etc. No limits to how much work can come your way especially on call when you are alone. When I leave my late shifts, there are a couple of cars in the doctor lot, me and the emergency docs and a few other unlucky ones. The volume is truly exhausting. Non stop for 9-12 hours. Your limited exposure during your rotation does not reflect the reality of practice for most radiologists. At least with medicine, you can choose to do subspecialites and have MUCH more flexibility with practice location and type of practice. You can not be outsourced to the lowest bidder across the country. Radiologists are quickly becoming film readers in many places, not doctors. Tread carefully.

 

[shark2000]

"I like medicine and think it's awesome but the actual job seems exhausting and so paperwork heavy."

Pick your poison. Radiology may be even more exhausting in the community. There are no hospitalists to cover evenings, nights, weekends holidays etc. No limits to how much work can come your way especially on call when you are alone. When I leave my late shifts, there are a couple of cars in the doctor lot, me and the emergency docs and a few other unlucky ones. The volume is truly exhausting. Non stop for 9-12 hours. Your limited exposure during your rotation does not reflect the reality of practice for most radiologists. At least with medicine, you can choose to do subspecialites and have MUCH more flexibility with practice location and type of practice. You can not be outsourced to the lowest bidder across the country. Radiologists are quickly becoming film readers in many places, not doctors. Tread carefully.

The same BS again and again. Seriously, what is wrong with you?

Radiology volume is an echo of the volume of other services. If you read non-stop studies in evening or nights, these studies are ORDERED by different busy services. They don't just drop in your list. If most physicians other than hospitalists are sleeping at home in your hospital, where do get all studies from? If most specialists leave the hospital before you and never work at night, then who orders all these NON-STOP studies you are talking about? Do you say that a few hospitalists and 2-3 ED doctors are filling your list with 60 CTs every night but never call any specialist for consult? ED doctors are very very famous for calling specialists for every minor issue.

Show me a hospitalist who covers trauma call, OB call, STEMI call and show me a surgeon who leaves the hospital before radiologists and I will show you 30 radiologists who never work nights or weekends.

Tell me Derm has better lifestyle than radiology and I will totally agree with you. Tell me that spine surgery makes more money and I will totally agree. Tell me that pathologists leave the hospital almost whenever they want and I agree. But don't give me the BS of OB has better lifestyle, surgeons leave the hospital at 4 pm, ED doctors never call other services for consult, .... If you want to talk to me about IM subspecialties, my girl friend is a cardiologist. So don't BS here that their market is good. It is the end of her fellowship and still she has not found a job in our area.

Repeating the same BS over and over again. Seriously what is wrong with you?

 

[radman123]

We cover multiple sites on call. 90% of volume is multiple ER docs (not 2-3) the rest is outpatient facilities and inpatient. It is busy. No limits on number of studies to interpret. No one will care that I was overwhelmed if (when) I miss something on one of these shifts.

I am not saying that other specialists have it easy. I am making an observation that where I work, the only specialists in the hospital at 11 pm are ER docs, rads and a few others. You can still see your family, relax a little if you are taking telephone call. Our surgeons must have it easy because most things like appendicitis wait til the am. Hospitalists cover the inpatient bs.

As far as markets, medicine is not a good place to be right now. But radiology is real bad and heading worse. At least in some of the clinical fields you cant get outsourced to the lowest bidder. Sorry about your girlfriend, but cardiology is also slumping bad right now. There are fields however that give you many more options and are in demand.

Nothing wrong with me. Perhaps my experience differs from yours? Maybe your glasses are more rose covered than mine or your a more optimistic person?

 

[shark2000]

We cover multiple sites on call. 90% of volume is multiple ER docs (not 2-3) the rest is outpatient facilities and inpatient. It is busy. No limits on number of studies to interpret. No one will care that I was overwhelmed if (when) I miss something on one of these shifts.

I am not saying that other specialists have it easy. I am making an observation that where I work, the only specialists in the hospital at 11 pm are ER docs, rads and a few others. You can still see your family, relax a little if you are taking telephone call. Our surgeons must have it easy because most things like appendicitis wait til the am. Hospitalists cover the inpatient bs.

As far as markets, medicine is not a good place to be right now. But radiology is real bad and heading worse. At least in some of the clinical fields you cant get outsourced to the lowest bidder. Sorry about your girlfriend, but cardiology is also slumping bad right now. There are fields however that give you many more options and are in demand.

Nothing wrong with me. Perhaps my experience differs from yours? Maybe your glasses are more rose covered than mine or your a more optimistic person?

You mentioned in your post that you are a hospital employee. How come do you cover multiple sites at night? To my knowledge, every hospital has one ED.

Do you think ED doctor won't call surgery if an acute appendicitis come at 11 pm and keep the patient in his service for 8 hours? In our hospital if ED keeps patients in their service for more than 6 hours, they should have a good reason for it. This is how ED works: Acute appendicitis --> go to surgery service. They don't care whether you operate now or never operate. They just want you to admit the patient to your service. And not everything is as benign as appendicitis.

I don't disagree that there are fields that have better market than us. For example GI. When I was a medical student/junior resident not long time ago the job market was radiology >>cardiology >> GI. Now the job market is GI >>> cards=rads. Can you guarantee that if someone goes for GI, its market will stay good in 7-8 years? Things change rapidly and following a moving target is stupid unless you are either lucky or very exceptional (no matter what field you do, if you have 200 papers and 5 million dollar grant, you are guaranteed a well paid job anywhere you like).

 

[colbgw02]

You're worried about how paperwork heavy medicine is so your escape plan is a job that involves writing up reads for 12 hours at a clip? You might not have thought this through all the way...

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'writing up reads' (guessing you mean dictating), but if we consider paperwork euphemistically to mean clerical/charting work, then I think it's fair to say that radiology is very light on this.

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'writing up reads' (guessing you mean dictating), but if we consider paperwork euphemistically to mean clerical/charting work, then I think it's fair to say that radiology is very light on this.

We call a radiology report a "read" in my facility, and common parlance when requesting a radiologist to get one entered into EMR is "can you write up that read for me?" or similar. Radiologists here all manually enter their reports, they do not get dictated. It was thus the most monotonous way I could describe a radiologist's work using what is evidently local hospital slang. We're not very formal around here, if you can't tell. And attendings outside of rads do fairly little paperwork in these parts. It mostly falls on the residents. Given the number of reports our radiologists turn out every hour, I have no doubt that they're typing more than our IM or surgical attendings.

 

[colbgw02]

We call a radiology report a "read" in my facility, and common parlance when requesting a radiologist to get one entered into EMR is "can you write up that read for me?" or similar. Radiologists here all manually enter their reports, they do not get dictated. It was thus the most monotonous way I could describe a radiologist's work using what is evidently local hospital slang. We're not very formal around here, if you can't tell. And attendings outside of rads do fairly little paperwork in these parts. It mostly falls on the residents. Given the number of reports our radiologists turn out every hour, I have no doubt that they're typing more than our IM or surgical attendings.

Interesting. I have never heard of that, so maybe you're not in the U.S.? I think that would severely limit productivity, and I don't think it's representative of what the OP should expect from radiology in the U.S., be it in residency or beyond.

 

[greg1184]

We call a radiology report a "read" in my facility, and common parlance when requesting a radiologist to get one entered into EMR is "can you write up that read for me?" or similar. Radiologists here all manually enter their reports, they do not get dictated. It was thus the most monotonous way I could describe a radiologist's work using what is evidently local hospital slang. We're not very formal around here, if you can't tell. And attendings outside of rads do fairly little paperwork in these parts. It mostly falls on the residents. Given the number of reports our radiologists turn out every hour, I have no doubt that they're typing more than our IM or surgical attendings.

Most radiology places I have encountered have dictation software. I rather dictate out of my ass than do charting every day. What you describe is certainly not the norm from what I have seen.

 

[Mad Jack]

Interesting. I have never heard of that, so maybe you're not in the U.S.? I think that would severely limit productivity, and I don't think it's representative of what the OP should expect from radiology in the U.S., be it in residency or beyond.

I'm in the US, and at a pretty reputable hospital. Maybe they do dictate most of their reads, but they're just not the ones I see since I'm 99% of the time I'm looking at critical films in the ICU? Any dictated films state "Dictated on XXXX" below the provider film if they were dictated, which I almost never see.

If everything's dictated, well, what the hell, radiology sounds pretty sweet.

 

[DrBowtie]

I'm in the US, and at a pretty reputable hospital. Maybe they do dictate most of their reads, but they're just not the ones I see since I'm 99% of the time I'm looking at critical films in the ICU? Any dictated films state "Dictated on XXXX" below the provider film if they were dictated, which I almost never see.

If everything's dictated, well, what the hell, radiology sounds pretty sweet.

I can't imagine anyone just types reports. Transcription services or speech to text self edited by the Radiologist.

 

[DermViser]

"I like medicine and think it's awesome but the actual job seems exhausting and so paperwork heavy."

Pick your poison. Radiology may be even more exhausting in the community. There are no hospitalists to cover evenings, nights, weekends holidays etc. No limits to how much work can come your way especially on call when you are alone. When I leave my late shifts, there are a couple of cars in the doctor lot, me and the emergency docs and a few other unlucky ones. The volume is truly exhausting. Non stop for 9-12 hours. Your limited exposure during your rotation does not reflect the reality of practice for most radiologists. At least with medicine, you can choose to do subspecialites and have MUCH more flexibility with practice location and type of practice. You can not be outsourced to the lowest bidder across the country. Radiologists are quickly becoming film readers in many places, not doctors. Tread carefully.

I don't think you realize how much inpatient clinical medicine truly sucks.

 

[shark2000]

I'm in the US, and at a pretty reputable hospital. Maybe they do dictate most of their reads, but they're just not the ones I see since I'm 99% of the time I'm looking at critical films in the ICU? Any dictated films state "Dictated on XXXX" below the provider film if they were dictated, which I almost never see.

If everything's dictated, well, what the hell, radiology sounds pretty sweet.

So, if you don't know about something, please don't comment on it. Even in the old days, radiologists had transcriptionists.

More than half of the posts here are mixed with personal biases, mistakes, trolls, assumptions, ....

 

[Mad Jack]

So, if you don't know about something, please don't comment on it. Even in the old days, radiologists had transcriptionists.

More than half of the posts here are mixed with personal biases, mistakes, trolls, assumptions, ....

Actually I'm quite glad I said something stupid. I'd pretty much written off radiology because the paperwork side of things liked ridiculous, but now I've learned it's not so bad. Maybe rads deserves a second look.

 

[DrBowtie]

Actually I'm quite glad I said something stupid. I'd pretty much written off radiology because the paperwork side of things liked ridiculous, but now I've learned it's not so bad. Maybe rads deserves a second look.

There are multiple days a week where I literally never touch a piece of paper.

 

[yesno]

Common, it's obvious that radiology has less tedious "paperwork". They have templates, which is why it can be more convenient to type in a phrase rather than "dictate". Ive seen IM doctors use templates and dictations with varying success also. Usually the ones who actually examine a patient have to type/dictate an individual note for each patient, because it's supposed to be a 'story'. But the real difference is when they have to document the list of medications and/or changes, list of past medical "diagnosis", and read all those notes from their past medical history, 90% of which is garbage and a waste of time. And how about those notes with Discharge to Nursing homes or Hospice. Or how about you interviewed a patient for 20mins and in the end you have to call a hospital out-of-state for his records which provides a better mecical history than whatever he gave you.

 

[MedicineMike]

I don't think you realize how much inpatient patient care truly sucks.

^^this!

 

[radman123]

I don't think you realize how much inpatient patient care truly sucks.

I know it sucks, I am not that old and remember. But IM as an attending can be mostly outpatient if you want. Having a job in a place you like and being able to switch jobs if you want is important. Right now this is difficult to impossible in radiology.

 

[cbtk18]

Radmam123 is so useless. He needs to be banned. His trolling is so transparent and does nothing but promote a toxic environment that is misleading in a place that is supposed to be an educational tool to people with a true interest in the field.

 

[cbtk18]

.

 

[cbtk18]

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[radman123]

Radmam123 is so useless. He needs to be banned. His trolling is so transparent and does nothing but promote a toxic environment that is misleading in a place that is supposed to be an educational tool to people with a true interest in the field.

If I had 250k in loans and about to start radiology, I would feel the same way about some guy posting stuff you do not want to hear. But do not shoot the messenger.

 

[DermViser]

I know it sucks, I am not that old and remember. But IM as an attending can be mostly outpatient if you want. Having a job in a place you like and being able to switch jobs if you want is important. Right now this is difficult to impossible in radiology.

You don't think outpatient IM sucks? Really? Doing 8 medical problems in 15 min. visits?

 

[tco]

Actually I'm quite glad I said something stupid. I'd pretty much written off radiology because the paperwork side of things liked ridiculous, but now I've learned it's not so bad. Maybe rads deserves a second look.

Thank goodness. I was worried.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[TUGM]

I've been thinking medicine essentially since my first med rotation. I recently had radiology and thought it was an interesting field (though watching/shadowing is pretty boring). But, to be honest I've never thought to doing it prior to this, therefore have not researched it, etc. I was pretty set on medicine until recently, when I started my sub-I medicine rotation. Don't get me wrong, I like medicine and think it's awesome but the actual job seems exhausting and so paperwork heavy. So...I'm having second thoughts and realizing it's getting a little late to change my mind. I've got all my letters set up for a IM residency application.

I'm wondering what would be my chances of matching in the Midwest/West at this point?

I've had 1 radiology rotation, unsure of grades yet but expect high pass or honors.
Step 1: 245
Honored most of my pre-clinical courses; few honors in my clinical clerkships.
No research

Any thoughts or advice would be great.

Thanks,
NB

To the OP: You probably won't match because your SDN user name is what it is.

 

[colbgw02]

To the OP: You probably won't match because your SDN user name is what it is.

So much this.

 

[meister]

You can't compare radiology reports to medicine notes and all the other documentation requirements foisted on modern day clinicians. All I have to talk about during the day are my findings on studies, no one is pestering me for diagnosis codes or pulse ox numbers during ambulation or for prior authorizations for an indicated medication.

 

[atomi]

So, if you don't know about something, please don't comment on it. Even in the old days, radiologists had transcriptionists.

More than half of the posts here are mixed with personal biases, mistakes, trolls, assumptions, ....

Or in this case, the opinion of a pre-med in a resident forum advising a senior medical student.

 

[Silent Cool]

I'm sorry, did someone say Anesthesia?

 

[deleted103644]

I can't imagine anyone just types reports. Transcription services or speech to text self edited by the Radiologist.

Honestly if you can touch type well and use text expanders, for something like ICU films typing could make sense.

Dragon/Nuance has a monopoly on medical voice recognition and is a piece of $h!4. I end up typing a fair amount of the time.