Seeking advice regarding reapplying or staying the course

[undecided023094029]

Current 2nd year IM resident who had initially applied rads and didn't match. Initial plan was to reapply, however I didn't hate IM and decided maybe I would just do my 3 years and get a job as a hospitalist to start making money. Starting to regret this decision and thinking about reapplying radiology. Obviously I will have lost year. Here are my thoughts on each and I would appreciate your input, advice, and motivation. I get that the grass is not always greener. My biggest concern would be that I make the jump and then realize I don't actually love radiology like I thought I did. I don't think I would necessarily hate the work of a hospitalist, just imagine I wouldn't do it career long and would have to move into administration or outpatient after a while.

Radiology Pros
-higher base salary than hospitalist
-does not work the 7/7 12 hour shifts and gets a lot of weekends, nights, and holidays off meaning I would have more time to spend with my kids
-less day to day bull**** and I genuinely do enjoy being the one making the diagnosis, I don't need the appreciation from the patient

Radiology Cons
-5 more years of training after this, meaning my student loans will just continue to pile on interest (kicker would be if PSLF sticks around I will have 7 years of low payments done)
-future job market concerns, which frankly I don't buy into as far as AI goes but the concern is still out there
-would likely spend an additional 4-5 years in a city nowhere near my extended family

Hospitalist Pros
-start making money in 18 months, start paying off loans, live like a normal human financially
-relatively easy, low stress work, 3rd year of residency would be a cake walk
-would be able to secure a job in my hometown easily in 18 months

Hospitalist Cons
-7/7 12 hour shifts means I really won't see my kids for 7 straight days and will miss many events, weekends, holidays
-salary obviously less than radiologist
-dumping ground, lack of respect

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[redalert]

I don't think it hurts to apply because by the time you match you'll be almost done with your IM residency. In the worst case scenario you'd be working as a hospitalist if you don't match/don't like radiology which isn't really all that bad...

 

[Aurum]

If you can tolerate hospitalist and/or primary care just stay the course. Either are decent gigs. With hospitalist you can moonlight on off weeks to supplement income and with primary care you can actually be your own boss and tailor your practice to your preferences. Tacking on an additional 4-5 years of training at this stage of the game is tantamount to forfeiting a million dollars. You also seem to have geographic restrictions, in the current rads job market that shouldn't matter but who knows if all the practices in your area are bought out by RadPartners by the time you finish.

If you are super unhappy with IM that is a different story, but it seems like you can deal with it well enough.

 

[stcl]

I think even if you go immediately to apply for radiology next year, you'll still finish the IM residency: If you're a PGY-2 right now, then I'm assuming you would be applying next year in Sept. 2020 as a PGY-3. Your match day would be in March 2021 to start radiology residency in July 2021 (Edit: that's IF you get an NRMP physician "R" position to start as an R1. If a regular Advanced spot, you'd be starting in 2022).

For now, you can use the next 6+ months to think about it some more and prepare your application for radiology next fall. For my part, I'm incredibly glad I chose radiology, absolutely zero regrets. Each day of intern year is more and more confirmation that I made the right choice. In fact, many of the attendings in my internship have told me they wish they could do radiology. I think you have to decide which you enjoy more, radiology, or internal medicine. Another option is to do a Medicine fellowship like cardiology, which has lots of imaging. Then you'll be done in 3 years instead of 5.

I'd definitely recommend finishing your internal medicine residency, so you can be board certified and keep all your options open. Especially since you said you can tolerate it / don't hate it, and your 3rd year will be "a cake walk." That way no matter what (whether you don't like rads as much, or AI, or whatever) you can still work as a medicine attending as a back up plan.

 

[Tiger100]

As a person who has been in practice for a long time and who is married to another physician, I tell you to "follow your heart". Medicine is a very time-consuming and demanding career. Do what you like more and don't overthink. If you like to read CTs and MRs and do some procedures, then switch to radiology. if you enjoy seeing patients, doing H&Ps and treatment plans, then stick with IM.

But if you think about switching to radiology, then switch. People regret things that they have not done more than things that they have done. My 2 cents.