To Do Or Not to Do, That is The Question

[aspiringdoc]

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To do or not to do a residency.....
What are your options after completing med school if you choose to not do a residency.
Research, and......anything else? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

[DrMom]

If you are wanting to actually have a practice of any sort, you would be foolish (IMO) to not complete a residency. Many HMOs and PPOs prefer to deal with physicians who are board certified, and will only have contracts with a few who are not. Without a residency, you'd be even lower on the totem pole, which would make it hard to make a living. Also, some hospitals would not allow you to have any priveledges (sp).

BTW: I used to to physician credentialing for hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies.

 

[Long Hair and a Beard]

Here's a link for alternatives to a routine patient care job:

<a href="http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20010200/3314al.html" target="_blank">http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20010200/3314al.html</a>

 

[aspiringdoc]

Thanks for posting that link. It had some really interesting ideas.

I do plan on doing a residency, I have just heard of some who do not and I was wondering what options one would have other than research.

Even though I am still premed and not yet in medschool, I am already thinking ahead as to what specialty I would like to go into. I, like most, am terrified of making the wrong choice.I like the variety that family and emergency medicine offers . Additionally, certain residencies are very competitive, such as radiology, and have a long residency.

Here in Canada, a family medicine residency is two years. I also have the option of doing a year of emergency medicine residency after completing a family med residency, and then I would be able to do family med and/or emergency med. I must admit, the idea of doing locum tenens is very appealing. Lots of variety, meet new people, see new places, build up a lot of contacts within the medical community, and so forth. As well, as the article link pointed out, in doing locum tenens you have none of the headaches of being in private practice, and have the autonomy of working where and when you want.

The trick too,is to make sure you read the fine print in your contracts and to negotiate anything unfavourable.

So thanks again for posting it! 🙂