unhappy?!

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Birdstrike said:
It's great to hear someone this positive about EM. But I think your last line misses a huge point. Yes, there area few "screw ups" that just picked the wrong profession. That happens in any profession. Regardless, outside of the world of physicians, it's normal to make major career changes more than once in a lifetime. Yet as a physician, you're supposed to pick your job at age 26, and not change it at all for thirty to forty years? That's a very hard thing to do, and especially hard to do in EM. Someone like you, 20+ years into it, that hasn't struggled with any significant burnout, is the exception to the rule. I feel like I picked the right profession in choosing EM. I feel that it was perfect for 10 years. Then life changed around me, I changed, and the fit was not so perfect anymore.
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Some good points -I started med school after a few starter careers, figuring out what I didnt want to do. I cant imagine being rushed thru, picked out of high school and complete a BS/MD program in 6 years, Hell, when I graduated high school, I never intended to go to college. I dont know how people decide on a career at that age

Like a marriage, a long term career in EM takes work. Some will just stick with their given situation and stay miserable. Some say *uck it and bail, or, if you have a considerable amount of time and money invested, you may want to work at making it work. Ive reinvented my career in EM several times ( whole other story) over the last 20 yrs and have finally settled into something that works for me ( for now). It hasnt been all sunshine and butterflies.

I think there not a small number of physicians( not just EM) who fixiated on a career in medicine too early in their lives. Sorta like marrying your high school sweetheart. For some people, it works out fine but there are alot of folks who spend the rest of their lives wondering what they missed out on.
 
ABBY109 said:
Some good points -I started med school after a few starter careers, figuring out what I didnt want to do. I cant imagine being rushed thru, picked out of high school and complete a BS/MD program in 6 years, Hell, when I graduated high school, I never intended to go to college. I dont know how people decide on a career at that age

Like a marriage, a long term career in EM takes work. Some will just stick with their given situation and stay miserable. Some say *uck it and bail, or, if you have a considerable amount of time and money invested, you may want to work at making it work. Ive reinvented my career in EM several times ( whole other story) over the last 20 yrs and have finally settled into something that works for me ( for now). It hasnt been all sunshine and butterflies.

I think there not a small number of physicians( not just EM) who fixiated on a career in medicine too early in their lives. Sorta like marrying your high school sweetheart. For some people, it works out fine but there are alot of folks who spend the rest of their lives wondering what they missed out on.
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It hasn't been all "rainbows and unicorns" for me either.

Did you read this article by Greg Henry?

http://www.epmonthly.com/columns/oh-henry/ems-mid-life-crisis/

I think many people would be very interested in hearing about your mid-career reinventions.
 
Random thoughts:

I'm an ED Director. It's a lot of work, but since we're a pseudo academic department, I split the work with the Department Chair (and I weasel out of a lot of it). Still we've had serious staffing issues since November... just got to make it until July! I'm working way more hours than administration thinks I should, but since I make the schedule, I tend to try to fair to everyone... except myself. Which will change soon, but this month and May may be pretty rough. Oh well.

I brew my own coffee. Currently loving an amaretto-flavored one from (gasp) Target. It was a gift. I may very well buy more.

And I like my coffee like I like my men.
.
.
.
.


Sweet and wearing sunblock.
🙂
 
Birdstrike said:
Have you ever been driving down the street and passed a runner in an all out sprint, face red and contorted, dripping with sweat, sucking air, chest caving in? If you asked him at that moment if he was "happy," he probably won't say yes. Yet every morning, for some reason, he's on that street pounding the pavement, when he could be in bed, eating a donut and mocha-latte. Why? Because he's driven to do something special, and more than what's easy. Does that make him stupid? Some might say yes. Others might say, "Thank God for people like him."

#thebirdstrikesagain
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Awesome.

Thanks Birdstrike.
 
EMIM2011 said:
Why does it appear as if most EM folks are not happy with their work? I don't feel like any attendings or residents in the field truly, truly enjoy being at work. It appears as if it is more about "getting through a shift", to enjoy the decent pay and free time....a stark contrast to many other specialties (e.g., Peds, Intensivists, Subspecialty Surgeons). I feel like Anesthesiologist often appear to have the same attitude/issues.

Thoughts? Explanations?
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It's a rare person that finds a job they're willing to do for free. It's the holy grail of career choice. I was willing to do it for 5 years for free (AKA med school and residency) but am no longer willing to do so. I think I could write as a career and enjoy it enough to do it for free (as I currently do it for almost free enough hours a week that it probably qualifies as a full-time job). But I would much rather spend 30 hours a week at something I like a lot (although not quite enough to do it for free) and make a ton of money that allows me to spend the other 138 hours a week doing what I want.

I sometimes think about the end of a shift, but I never think about money at work. I remember mowing lawns for a living and walking down the row multiplying my $7 an hour by the 10 hours I was going to walk behind that mower that day. Then multiplying it by the 6 days I was going to work that week....$420 a week, $1680 a month, 4 months in the summer before school starts again, grand total of $6720 to get through the school year on, divide by 8 months and I get $840 a month. Rent is $240, food is $100....and $500 extra a month! Woo hooo!

Now $500 means talking to 3 patients for 10 minutes, touching them in a few places, and typing on the computer for a few minutes. Yea...this is better.
 
I like my coffee just like the women I married -cold and bitter
 
I like my women like I like my coffee:

Scalding hot and all over my lap.
 
Back at my usual pub in Jersey, I used to order a "Working Girl" martini: Dirty, shaken hard, and ice cold.
 
one thing Ive noticed is that not many people complain about obamacare on this board...what's up with that? Are EP's in favor of it , or do you guys not care? just wondering.
 
wjs010 said:
one thing Ive noticed is that not many people complain about obamacare on this board...what's up with that? Are EP's in favor of it , or do you guys not care? just wondering.
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Uh...people complain about Obamacare all the time around here. The sky is constantly falling.
 
I find the previous three posts, read in order, very funny.
 
Thanks for the laughs. Nearly sprayed Riesling all over my laptop...

I love you guys.
🙂
 
dchristismi said:
Thanks for the laughs. Nearly sprayed Riesling all over my laptop...

I love you guys.
🙂
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Love Riesling, I don't care that all my peeps make endless fun of me when I order it at the bar. Also love me some Moscato.
 
UnderwaterDoc said:
Love Riesling, I don't care that all my peeps make endless fun of me when I order it at the bar. Also love me some Moscato.
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meee too, but being a woman makes it more acceptable somehow!!

Cupcake Moscato is a bit buttery sweet, omg....
 
Moscato is too sweet for me, but a crisp Riesling is perfect. Well, on the odd night I'm not drinking a red, which is my usual. Or when its 8 thousand degrees outside here in the summer. Then white is perfect, but I'm not much for chardonnay.
 
Gewürztraminers are also very good. I tend to the sweeter, less dry white wines, and dessert wines. A nice Tokaji or tawny port makes my day.
 
UnderwaterDoc said:
Love Riesling, I don't care that all my peeps make endless fun of me when I order it at the bar. Also love me some Moscato.
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You and I have identical wine preferences. It's nice to see I'm not the only one who's friends constantly joke about it.
 
Unhappy?
I'm at a conference. At Disney World. During Spring Break.

Yeah, life sucks. Although it did rain today.
 
Ninja, you're at Disney World?
Dude, why didn't you say so?

I'm right down the road! Sorry about the sucky weather. Tomorrow should be nicer, but still on the cool side.

PM me if you want to grab a drink. Always happy to meet a fellow SDNer.
 
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