So when do you get to learn what you want to specialize in?

[Ost3oclast]

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Yes, sure did. Thought I was a shoe in. Even had two LOR's from surgery faculty including the Director of the surgery dept. Needed that USMLE - they put my app in the trash. Sad but true. Was naive and caught up in the moment and didn't research it well enough.

Wow. Well that does give me hope for the future over there. And by the sounds of it, things worked out better for you going FP anyway. I really appreciate the info.

 

[toxicwombat]

Great advice in this thread -- thanks so much cabinbuilder!

 

[zoner]

Great advice in this thread -- thanks so much cabinbuilder!

yeah right? was it just me that was confused about this?

 

[Bnmakr1]

was it just me that was confused about this?

Yes. As a nontrad I expect more out of fellow nontrads.

 

[BabyDoc86]

I think CabinBuilder is my new favorite SDNer. WOW thanks for all of the great info!

 

[ModernAlchemist]

I think CabinBuilder is my new favorite SDNer. WOW thanks for all of the great info!

+1

I hope to be like CabinBuilder one day.

 

[cabinbuilder]

+1

I hope to be like CabinBuilder one day.

Seriously?? I live, I work, I have a family, I struggled, I lost, I won, I shoot from the hip and generally say what others are afraid to.

Anytime guys, just PM me, I will get back with you.

 

[felix2929]

[rant]

I mean, this sounds like one of the best things I've read in a long time, that I'd like to be a part of:
http://www.goarmy.com/content/dam/goarmy/downloaded_assets/pdfs/army-general-surgery-offers-unique-experience.pdf
But, I'm barely hanging onto my sanity as it is. That last deployment year was...interesting. And, I'm getting attached to this kid I just made.
There's no other structured program?
The NIH has the clinical research thing, loan repayment for >20 hrs/wk of qualified research. You don't necessarily have to work in Bethesda. But they ARE hiring most specialties for that hospital (3-400 beds or so), and you can combine the research and loan repayment thing. But, the pay is as gruesome as the cost of living and daily commute. Ten years minimum for loan forgiveness, living close to Bethesda? I wouldnt be on deployments, but my family would pay the price.

I see why people strike out on their own, and competition over promising careers/lifestyles, definitely. But I can't help but wonder how much is out there that I'll never hear about, will be kept under the radar, that some other jerk is grabbing. I'm too old to be a world-class expert, not a genius-level clinician expecting a university program in his name. Guys like me aren't going to be contacted, wined-and-dined. Not expecting heaven-on-a-platter, but it would be nice to be happy at some point. Maybe have a moment when my grass is the greenest, at least in my opinion. I'd fight for it, but I have barely any idea where to even begin.

[/rant]

im so confused. if you already know what you want to do why are you so worried about finding somewhere to do it?

 

[diagonal]

Jesus Christ medical students are annoying.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Jesus Christ medical students are annoying.

The problem with this thread is it's PRE-MED students who are worrying about rotations when they need to worry about getting an acceptance and then passing step I of the boards first. Once they get rolling, which school has a 3rd year elective is going to be such an non-issue.

 

[diagonal]

The problem with this thread is it's PRE-MED students who are worrying about rotations when they need to worry about getting an acceptance and then passing step I of the boards first. Once they get rolling, which school has a 3rd year elective is going to be such an non-issue.

Yeah. And of course everyone wants to be a brain surgeon, but they also want to be able to operate on the abdomen in case they're on a flight that goes down. Oh, that reminds me, do airplanes have the necessary equipment to perform an operation? And if not, would they allow me to bring some of my own tools, as long as I show them I'm a doctor?

There are close to one million things that take place in medical school that you can't understand until you're in the midst of it. Trying to sort it out now is like a pre-schooler asking his mom if she can buy him a combination padlock so he can walk into junior high prepared to Fonzie open his locker.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Yeah. And of course everyone wants to be a brain surgeon, but they also want to be able to operate on the abdomen in case they're on a flight that goes down. Oh, that reminds me, do airplanes have the necessary equipment to perform an operation? And if not, would they allow me to bring some of my own tools, as long as I show them I'm a doctor?

There are close to one million things that take place in medical school that you can't understand until you're in the midst of it. Trying to sort it out now is like a pre-schooler asking his mom if she can buy him a combination padlock so he can walk into junior high prepared to Fonzie open his locker.

👍 That has got to be the most F**ing AWESOMEST reply I have seen in a really long time. Thanks for a good laugh on a sucky clinic day.

 

[toxicwombat]

yeah right? was it just me that was confused about this?

To be honest I'm still a little confused, but cabinbuilder helped a lot and, more importantly, has helped calmed me down and put things in perspective 🙂

 

[felix2929]

I guess if you have zero idea at this point you could always do more shadowing before med school starts to try and expose yourself to the different fields.