switching

[anonymous26]

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hey guys

congratulations to all of you who matched! im actually a pgy2 towards end of year one rad onc.....actually thinking of switching....problem is dont know to what.....but i remember that i was dying to get in at one point......just a message to all those who didnt match, you never really know what the best thing for you is....for example, now i wish that I had never matched......this decision has definately been a struggle though.......i feel like no one can help me with this decision now, im just trying to muster up the guts to actually get up and go.....anywayzzzz, congrats to everyone who matched...best of luck

 

[RexKD]

What do you find so distressing about your current program? Where would you like to be if not rad-onc?

 

[anonymous26]

What do you find so distressing about your current program? Where would you like to be if not rad-onc?

unfortunately, idont know,thats what makes this all so tough, nothing is really calling my name...🙁

my program is great, it really is....the field is ok too, im very concerned
over the future of this field in the next 30 years, its really not clear at all where its going despite people speculating that they know.....im only 26, i have to be worried about this kind of stuff....just a feeling that this might not be the best thing for me, maybe im crazy, but this kind of thing is not predictable

 

[RexKD]

unfortunately, idont know,thats what makes this all so tough, nothing is really calling my name...🙁

my program is great, it really is....the field is ok too, im very concerned
over the future of this field in the next 30 years, its really not clear at all where its going despite people speculating that they know.....im only 26, i have to be worried about this kind of stuff....just a feeling that this might not be the best thing for me, maybe im crazy, but this kind of thing is not predictable

I think your feelings are quite normal. Many residents in other specialties also have fears about their future and the future of their specialty. Rad-oncology's future is bright so you have nothing to fear.

 

[anonymous26]

I think your feelings are quite normal. Many residents in other specialties also have fears about their future and the future of their specialty. Rad-oncology's future is bright so you have nothing to fear.

Thanks for your input....but after being in the field for a year, I do get the sense that if any field were to have an extremely questionable future, this would be at the forefront....cancer care is very primitive, and i think its pretty clear that things will drastically change in the future, and i dont mean 10 years, i mean 30-35 years, which is more the time frame that prospective med students should be looking at, it would be horrible to have to change what you do at a much later stage, so i understand that other fields are curious/concerned, but i dont think to this extent
thanks

 

[RadOncFever]

Thanks for your input....but after being in the field for a year, I do get the sense that if any field were to have an extremely questionable future, this would be at the forefront....cancer care is very primitive, and i think its pretty clear that things will drastically change in the future, and i dont mean 10 years, i mean 30-35 years, which is more the time frame that prospective med students should be looking at, it would be horrible to have to change what you do at a much later stage, so i understand that other fields are curious/concerned, but i dont think to this extent
thanks

I think you are overly concerned. People 30 years ago say cancer will be cured but we are barely scratching the surface today. Sure 50-100 years from now probably genetic engineering or robotics or nanotechnology will change the face how medicine is done. Maybe by then we can do brain transplantation and so person dying from cancer just needs to switch brain to a brand new-cloned body and will be good as new. Who knows? All speculation. As far as I am concerned, there probably won't be a magic pill (as some medical oncologist might want to think) since cancer, like evolution itself, changes and adapts to environmental pressures, so if you don't cut it out of the body or kill it with radiation, chemotherapy will also be a part of cancer treatment. The future of Rad Onc is bright. No question about it.

Maybe medical oncology might be best for your interests? Research is always fun and stimulating in medical oncology to try to find the next Gleevac (although no magic bullet for the other 99% of cancers). Although finding out that maybe Medicine is just not your cup of tea after all these years is not so bad. You are only 26. There was a prior thread of a MD/PhD graduate from Johns Hopkins who after graduation pursued her dream in the restaurant business. Cliche but do what makes you happy. People will respect you for it.

 

[anonymous26]

I think you are overly concerned. People 30 years ago say cancer will be cured but we are barely scratching the surface today. Sure 50-100 years from now probably genetic engineering or robotics or nanotechnology will change the face how medicine is done. Maybe by then we can do brain transplantation and so person dying from cancer just needs to switch brain to a brand new-cloned body and will be good as new. Who knows? All speculation. As far as I am concerned, there probably won't be a magic pill (as some medical oncologist might want to think) since cancer, like evolution itself, changes and adapts to environmental pressures, so if you don't cut it out of the body or kill it with radiation, chemotherapy will also be a part of cancer treatment. The future of Rad Onc is bright. No question about it.

Maybe medical oncology might be best for your interests? Research is always fun and stimulating in medical oncology to try to find the next Gleevac (although no magic bullet for the other 99% of cancers). Although finding out that maybe Medicine is just not your cup of tea after all these years is not so bad. You are only 26. There was a prior thread of a MD/PhD graduate from Johns Hopkins who after graduation pursued her dream in the restaurant business. Cliche but do what makes you happy. People will respect you for it.

i actually love medicine, just have to find my place

secondly, i think thats the problem for me, im glad you are so confident in your opinion above, which after all is just an opinion, i wish i could think and believe that, but i really dont, which makes for the uncomfortable feeling i have now that all my work that i havent even done yet, may at some point be not quite as useful, thanks though, its good for you that you think that though, im jealous

 

[stephew]

I think you said it well; you haven't found radonc to be your niche. It's important now while youre young to do this. Its the rest of your life and you have the options to pick what would make you happy. go do so!
GOod luck.
S

 

[RadOnc10000]

i actually love medicine, just have to find my place

secondly, i think thats the problem for me, im glad you are so confident in your opinion above, which after all is just an opinion, i wish i could think and believe that, but i really dont, which makes for the uncomfortable feeling i have now that all my work that i havent even done yet, may at some point be not quite as useful, thanks though, its good for you that you think that though, im jealous

I feel sorry that you are struggling with this. I think part of it is a systemic problem with medical education, in that we are forced to decide early on what we want to be for the rests of our lives without *really* experiencing what it is like. That said, most people (across pretty much all fields of medicine) are happy with their choice. Is the grass greener on the other side at times? Sure, but that’s part of being human.

As far as you wanting to switch, I suspect it is driven by more than just your concern about the future of the field. If you really enjoyed what you are doing, you would probably be less concerned with what will happen 30 years from now and more concerned with learning everything there is to learn and enjoying the ride. Also, you would relish the chance to help cancer patients in the present. The "future" question has come up often enough on this forum that it is more than a little stale. No one can really do more than guess as to what will happen. In my discussions with practitioners in Rad Onc, Med Onc, and Surg Onc (and who would know better?), the VAST majority of folks thought that radiotherapy will be around for a long, long time....longer than our lifetime and likely longer than the lifetimes of the little kiddies that are born as you read this. Could something come along to drastically change the way we treat cancer? Sure, but it is very unlikely to happen any time soon. I actually hope for the sake of our patients and their families that it does happen. If this were to make radiotherapy entirely expendable (unlikely) and would force me to somehow shift my practice and learn something new years into my career, I would hope that I would welcome this with open arms. It is, after all, one of the reasons I went into medicine in the first place.

I agree with Steph. You are still very young. If you don't like what you are doing and there is something better for you out there, chase that dream with everything you have. Don't let the medical education system force you into a job that you will not enjoy. However, I would contemplate this decision carefully, since I personally know several people who got cold feet about their original fields (including medicine, ophthalmology, and radiology) only to realize later that the fields they switched into didn't make them any happier. But I'm sure you've thought about all of this yourself...

Good luck!

P.S. Don't worry about leaving your program in the lurch if you decide to switch. There are plenty out there who would love to get into our field and currently can’t.

 

[RexKD]

As far as you wanting to switch, I suspect it is driven by more than just your concern about the future of the field. If you really enjoyed what you are doing, you would probably be less concerned with what will happen 30 years from now and more concerned with learning everything there is to learn and enjoying the ride. Also, you would relish the chance to help cancer patients in the present. The "future" question has come up often enough on this forum that it is more than a little stale. No one can really do more than guess as to what will happen. In my discussions with practitioners in Rad Onc, Med Onc, and Surg Onc (and who would know better?), the VAST majority of folks thought that radiotherapy will be around for a long, long time....longer than our lifetime and likely longer than the lifetimes of the little kiddies that are born as you read this. Could something come along to drastically change the way we treat cancer? Sure, but it is very unlikely to happen any time soon. I actually hope for the sake of our patients and their families that it does happen. If this were to make radiotherapy entirely expendable (unlikely) and would force me to somehow shift my practice and learn something new years into my career, I would hope that I would welcome this with open arms. It is, after all, one of the reasons I went into medicine in the first place.

Well said.

 

[doc05]

what about rad-onc don't you enjoy? from my limited exposure, it seems to be a great field. best of luck with whatever field you choose.

 

[stephew]

wow it occurs to me; if youre only 26 you've got to be one of the youngest int he field i have ever known.

 

[anonymous26]

wow it occurs to me; if youre only 26 you've got to be one of the youngest int he field i have ever known.

im only one year younger than i should be, i went straight through, but skipped just one year of college, but i feel young at least!

 

[stephew]

im only one year younger than i should be, i went straight through, but skipped just one year of college, but i feel young at least!

you'll have to update you screen name in a year.
They offered to let me skip 8th greade but I was already the youngest in my class so I didn't.

 

[anonymous26]

funnn you say that!

actually, 26 is a lucky jewish number, so is 18, both those are the main lucky jewish numbers 🙂, so im not changing my screen name!

🙂

 

[stephew]

funnn you say that!

actually, 26 is a lucky jewish number, so is 18, both those are the main lucky jewish numbers 🙂, so im not changing my screen name!

🙂

i didnt know that. I didnt think there was numerology in Judism.

 

[carrigallen]

in my humble opinion, the credibility of the opening poster is a bit questionable.
An account created 4-04-05, the date of posting, posts a vague dissatisfaction with the future of the field in '30-35' years.
Next, the individual accidentally claims to be 4-5 years younger than the average resident at this stage of training.
Finally, the numbers 18 and 26 are Hebrew divine numbers, not 'lucky' numbers, in contrast to Chinese numerology. They have special word associations with God.

 

[anonymous26]

in my humble opinion, the credibility of the opening poster is a bit questionable.
An account created 4-04-05, the date of posting, posts a vague dissatisfaction with the future of the field in '30-35' years.
Next, the individual accidentally claims to be 4-5 years younger than the average resident at this stage of training.
Finally, the numbers 18 and 26 are Hebrew divine numbers, not 'lucky' numbers, in contrast to Chinese numerology. They have special word associations with God.

lol, yes, youer right, i should have presented them as "divine" numbers, instead of lucky, to be better understood, im jewish orthodox, i would hope i know. yes, i take great pleasure in making up posts. you are right. lol i registered so i could pose my situation. 18+3 years college+4 years med school plus internship=26 and im a first year resident my friend 🙂, its ok, im trying my best not to be defensive, just think its funny that you question a benign poster. Gnight, im kinda buzzed now, i hope everyone had a good saturday night. thanks for your responses....but im still not sure what to do🙂.

 

[radonculus]

Dear Anonomyous26 I am currently a PGY2resident in radiation oncology in search of transfer opportunities. Have you told your program your intentions? If so will they be seeking a replacement for your position?