specialty selection thoughts

[bjolly]

I've often heard people advise that when choosing a specialty you should decide if you're more of a medicine person or more of a surgery person first, to narrow it down. I was just wondering where rad onc falls in that continuum. Those who are interested in rad onc (or are actually doing it), would you describe yourselves as closer to being medicine type people, or surgery type people?

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[stephew]

good question. its a little bit country, and a little it rock and roll.

I've often heard people advise that when choosing a specialty you should decide if you're more of a medicine person or more of a surgery person first, to narrow it down. I was just wondering where rad onc falls in that continuum. Those who are interested in rad onc (or are actually doing it), would you describe yourselves as closer to being medicine type people, or surgery type people?

 

[CNphair]

Ummm...neither. That is why I never quite figured out what my "backup" to rad onc was.

About half way through my prelim year, I can tell you that I am definitely NOT a medicine person. Honestly, I would find a new career before doing this for a lifetime.

On the other hand, I also have very little tolerance for the bravado of surgeons.

I met several people on the interview trail last year who were also interested in surgical specialties....like urology or gyn onc. And a few said they might do heme-onc (though that may have just been the politically correct answer). Overall, I think rad onc is attracting a pretty wide range of personalities these days...you deal with a multi-disciplinary approach (like general medicine) but also have a more definitive treatment course (like a surgeon). And you get to do it without rounding for 3 hours a day or coming in at 4 AM.

 

[IndyXRT]

If medicine and surgery are the only choices, I suppose I would be more of a medicine person. However, my real answer would be neither. I honestly spent 3rd year of medical school building into an ever increasing panic because I really didn't like anything. In my experience, you will find both mindsets (and everything in between) in radiation oncology. Depending on how you want to structure your practice, you could conceivably skew things either way.