What field of medicine will you go into?

[MSHell]

Well I like surgery but not abdomen so it's probably going to be some surgical subspecialty. I liked ENT when I did it earlier this year and I'm dying to start Ortho Monday (although that might be because I abhor the current rotation). The only problem is the more I go through med school the more I feel the need to "specialize" myself as far away from medicine as possible. Something like radiology where it's just me, a CT scanner and a dark room. Or even further, like doing medical microbiology and never leaving the lab. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind patients, it's their doctors I can't stand. Hopefully, all the pricks are just concentrated at my school, because otherwise I might end up doing ENT in some wilderness like Antartica just to get away from my "colleagues".

I feel the same way. I really can't stand the environment of the university-based hospitals - suffocating, oppressive and high-stress, for no good reason.

I waffle between path and FM because of the autonomy (at least from my point of view).

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[OrnotMajestic]

OB/GYN. It is medicine, surgery, and a certain percentage of your patients are actually relatively happy and healthy. Plus, I like women, and I find women's health to be very important.

 

[AK_MD2BE]

Anybody else here interested in Urology (please...no immature penis/DRE jokes)? As far as quality of life goes, I hear that it is the best of the surgical sub-specialties.

 

[osli]

Currently, I'm into radiology.

Noooooooooooooooo!

Well, just let me know what program you are most interested in so I can adjust the number of open spots accordingly. Wait... you're a year ahead of me... rock on! Rads for teh win!


So far, this is my list:
Rads / DR
Rads / maybe with other imaging fellowship
Rads / DR
.
.
Interventional Rads
.
.
.
Gas ?
ER ?
.
.
.
Ortho

 

[Jwax]

Right now, #1 is tied with general surgery and emergency medicine. Not really sure what is behind that. I really liked neuro the one case I got to watch, but then I realized during head & neck in gross anatomy that the area is waaaaay too tedious for me. So, I'd rather play in the abdomen where you've got a little more wiggle room. EM = always interesting, always different, fast-paced, good hours.

So far, with almost a semester under my belt, I don't think I really want anything that really requires an in-depth knowledge of much of anything, because I don't think I can master anything. Biochem is making me feel stupid. Maybe I'll feel better about it in a few years.

 

[StritchMD2011]

Currently an M1 (so I'll probably change my mind 10 times), but I'm really liking Urology. What can I say, I come from a long line of plumbers... seriously...

Should clarify - my urology experience is mainly based on doing prostate cancer research this summer. Got some decent OR exposure and met lots of the attendings.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Noooooooooooooooo!

Well, just let me know what program you are most interested in so I can adjust the number of open spots accordingly. Wait... you're a year ahead of me... rock on! Rads for teh win!

What, we can't both do radiology? Lol.

 

[osli]

What, we can't both do radiology? Lol.

Well, I'm a kind of math guy... I know at least some of your stats, and do the quick calculation... one guaranteed spot for you is one less spot for me!

j/k well, only because we're not in the same year.

Radiology rocks though. Best of luck!

 

[lilnoelle]

I'm really liking the idea of doing heme/onc.... but I do seem to be interested in whatever field we're focusing on at that particular time.

I like heme/onc because 1)theres lots of really fantastic discoveries going on that are DRAMATICALLY changing how we treat cancers
2)I find the subject matter interesting
3)I love that you REALLY can help your patients. Your patients really need you and there is the potential to doing them a great deal of good.
4)I really like interpersonal stuff and think I'd be good with suffering/dying patients. (I'm not sure how to say that well.... I know what I mean but it is difficult to convey).


I know there would be a LOT of heartbreak and frustration in heme/onc but I think the rewards would make it worth it to me.

Other fields that interest me: Psychiatry, Neurology, Ophthalmology.

 

[LabMonster]

Heme/Onc
Geriatrics
Palliative
IM-Hospitalist

Just because you didn't heal, doesn't mean you didn't help. But hematology, seriously = cool.

 

[jdh71]

neuro-opth.

Cuz it's freakin awesome.

a.k.a reinterpreting previously "normal" head CTs

(and it's neuro-opHth Don't forget the "H", everyone does, but ophthalmologists get cranky about it)

 

[jdh71]

Ahhhhh, I love this thread - the hope and dreams of the inexperienced . . . a few of you will end up with that sexy, competitive specialty, but the rest of you mere mortals will have your career choices whittled down by "normal" board scores, and a couple of "mere" passing clinical grades leaves you in the cold without an AOA selection. Someone mentioned: "who's going into general practice?" . . . well, I hope now you can maybe begin to see how that happens. Not everyone is superman.

Good luck.

 

[Re3iRtH]

Anybody else here interested in Urology (please...no immature penis/DRE jokes)? As far as quality of life goes, I hear that it is the best of the surgical sub-specialties.

Hmm.... ENT probably takes that one, but Urology comes in a close
second.

Right now Im interested in General Surgery, Urology, and Path

 

[osli]

I always heard that trauma surgeons have the best lifestyle... or maybe it was transplant surgeons?

 

[MSKalltheway]

I always heard that trauma surgeons have the best lifestyle... or maybe it was transplant surgeons?

Trauma surgeons? You're joking with us, right?

 

[Jwax]

I always heard that trauma surgeons have the best lifestyle... or maybe it was transplant surgeons?

I'm going to go with plastic surgeons on that one. Most of their work is optional, therefore very little late night / weekend emergencies. But - they still have to go through surgery residency just like all the others .

It frustrates me to hear the comments about the young and inexperienced who think they are going to get what they want... It is really frustrating because at this stage, I've been given so much opposing advice that it is impossible to believe what anyone above you says. Some say unless you are AOA, 4.0 med student w/great board scores, you can't do anything remotely competitive and you will get "stuck" with general practice. Some say the first two years mean relatively little, do go on boards, and do well on rotation and you can do whatever you want. Sooo it's kinda like back when we were pre-med and all we wanted to know was what exactly it took to get into medical school. The answers is the whole field of medicine is subjective. You are more likely to get into whatever specialty you want with great grades, great boards, and great evaluations (duh), but just because you don't kick arse in those areas doesn't mean that you can't get into whatever field. I'm excluding derm/rad from this because not a single person has ever said you don't have to ace everything to get into them.

To end the rant, I will say that the wisest plan for any of us is to do the best we can do and accept the consequences of imperfection if we are not in the top of the class.

I don't know why I really went off on this. Probably because it is test block week.

 

[jdh71]

but just because you don't kick arse in those areas doesn't mean that you can't get into whatever field. I'm excluding derm/rad

Add radiation-oncology, ophthalmology, urology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, orthopeadics, ENT, anywhere worth doing general surgery, and top 15 IM

But yeah, except all those specialties plus derm and rads, you can wish on a lucky star and try, really, really, really, hard and have a good heart, like Rudy when he wanted to play for Notre Dame . . . and you'll get to do what you want

Good luck.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I'm going to go with plastic surgeons on that one. Most of their work is optional, therefore very little late night / weekend emergencies. But - they still have to go through surgery residency just like all the others .

I rotated through plastic surgery this year and the lifestyle was actually pretty bad. Rounds were at 6:30 AM, and my team stayed at the hospital until midnight sometimes. Maybe the lifestyle is better if you're limiting yourself to cosmetic procedures and aren't at an academic center, but from what I saw, I'm steering way clear!

 

[Slide]

I rotated through plastic surgery this year and the lifestyle was actually pretty bad. Rounds were at 6:30 AM, and my team stayed at the hospital until midnight sometimes. Maybe the lifestyle is better if you're limiting yourself to cosmetic procedures and aren't at an academic center, but from what I saw, I'm steering way clear!

I think the lifestyle you described is universally true for most academic centers regarding to any surgical specialty.

 

[Reimat]

Ahhhhh, I love this thread - the hope and dreams of the inexperienced . . . a few of you will end up with that sexy, competitive specialty, but the rest of you mere mortals will have your career choices whittled down by "normal" board scores, and a couple of "mere" passing clinical grades leaves you in the cold without an AOA selection. Someone mentioned: "who's going into general practice?" . . . well, I hope now you can maybe begin to see how that happens. Not everyone is superman.

Good luck.

Yea - I wonder if all first/second year classes have such high hopes. I know that even as a 2nd year, many of my classmates who were shooting for ophtho are now looking into psych/neuro/IM.

That said, I am still keeping my hopes high and thinking:
1) Radiology (Neuro, IR, or Neuro IR)
2) IM (Hem/Onc, Cards)
3) Rad Onc

But honestly, how can I really know what I want to do until I hit the wards?

 

[jdh71]

Yea - I wonder if all first/second year classes have such high hopes. I know that even as a 2nd year, many of my classmates who were shooting for ophtho are now looking into psych/neuro/IM.

That said, I am still keeping my hopes high and thinking:
1) Radiology (Neuro, IR, or Neuro IR)
2) IM (Hem/Onc, Cards)
3) Rad Onc

But honestly, how can I really know what I want to do until I hit the wards?

The wards will help you solidify a direction. Rad Onc >> Rads >> IM in terms of difficulty to get into. Do well on Step 1, work hard to honor your clerkships (AOA helps a lot), take Step 2 early and do better will help more than you can imagine, because they will get you the interview. PD's will look at more than just those factors, but you're app will never find it's way to their scrutinizing gaze if you don't get the interview. Research in those areas will help a lot. The good news about HemeOnc and Card is that you can match into solid university IM programs outside of the traditionally top 10 or 20 IM programs which will all almost have a HemeOnc and Cards fellowships - these programs tend to consider their own highly (but then it's the same game all over again, you won't be able to show up to Cards, even at your home program with a weak app and expect to get a spot, you will have to have a Cards app)

Look, I know it sucks, and maybe it shouldn't be this way, but we all can't be Urologists and someone has to be the in the bottom half of the percentiles. It's just life. It's just reality. I can play basketball everyday for hours for the next foreseeable future, but I aint going pro

 

[H_Caulfield]

we all can't be Urologists and someone has to be the in the bottom half of the percentiles. It's just life. It's just reality. I can play basketball everyday for hours for the next foreseeable future, but I aint going pro

It's easy to tell the LIFESTYLE issue has a deathgrip on specialty selection when working primarily on penises is widely considered "going pro." You're right...SOMEBODY has to be in the bottom and be rejected from all that male genitalia. Darn...

 

[MSKalltheway]

It's easy to tell the LIFESTYLE issue has a deathgrip on specialty selection when working primarily on penises is widely considered "going pro." You're right...SOMEBODY has to be in the bottom and be rejected from all that male genitalia. Darn...

Are you suggesting those towards the bottom work on the female genitalia instead?

 

[jdh71]

It's easy to tell the LIFESTYLE issue has a deathgrip on specialty selection when working primarily on penises is widely considered "going pro." You're right...SOMEBODY has to be in the bottom and be rejected from all that male genitalia. Darn...

or be rejected form all those eyes, or be rejected from all those fake boobs, or be rejected from using hi-tech space lasers to blast cancers, or be rejected from hanging out in dark rooms looking at head CT's . . .

Urology was merely used as one example - most of your competitive specialties are so because they have limited the number of training spots available, thus assuring themselves a higher salary - supply and demand baby!

 

[osli]

take Step 2 early and do better will help more than you can imagine

If you have a great step 1 score you'd have to be an idiot to take the step 2 early.

And I'm still thinking rads. Someone has to match into it every year... might as well be me. Sure beats the hell out of your "I'm not smart enough, not good enough, and don't deserve it" attitude.

 

[jdh71]

If you have a great step 1 score you'd have to be an idiot to take the step 2 early.

Step 2 has been the only statistically significant indicator of success in residency - PDs are beginning to recognize the importance of Step 2 over Step 1 - some places will not put you on their rank list these days without a reported Step 2 by the ranklist deadline . It will only help you find a residency by doing well. You may gamble however you choose.

And I'm still thinking rads. Someone has to match into it every year... might as well be me. Sure beats the hell out of your "I'm not smart enough, not good enough, and don't deserve it" attitude.

It might be you. And you've totally misread what I've been trying to say, which is unequivocally NOT what you are intimating. You WILL have to do well in everything PERIOD to match Rads - if you do well in everything, then you are free to follow your dreams. If you do not do well . . . I guess you can still try and apply, but you're not going to match because you are not going to get enough interviews, if any at all. I'm trying to prepare all you idealists for the harsh and unfair reality of the match.

Like I said before . . . good luck

 

[osli]

I think what you may have overlooked is that SDN is a perfect example of self selection. MCAT and board scores here seem inflated because typically only those with good scores post. Go look in the USMLE forums... a "SDN score" is popular vernacular.

Similarly, if you ask people to post about what specialty they are thinking about, you'll get a lot of replies from people who are fairly confident in their ability to match into something other than FP, peds, or psych. Not confident just out of cockiness, but probably because they have survived several med school tests and see that they can hang with the above average crowd. Classic self selection. Why do you think match rates into most specialties are pretty high? It's because people tend to apply to what they know they are competitive for. While that isn't going to be quite as strict in a thread like this, students probably already have a decent idea of their academic prowess and what specialties they should be looking at.

Besides, I didn't see a lot of plastics, derm, neurosurg and ENT posted in this thread. A smattering, perhaps, not even at the top of people's lists. IM, gas, and EM have near average board score entrance stats, and yes you can even specialize in IM after having made an "average" board score and gone to a non-top-10 residency.

As for rads, I know what that takes. The USMLE is likely my biggest hurdle. I'm a good test taker... hopefully the stuff I've learned the first two years doesn't fall out of my brain entirely.

But a dose of reality never hurt anyone, I guess.

 

[osli]

OK, so I looked back at the thread and see that ortho seems way over-represented. Maybe some disappointment in that area. Only one neurosurg, and a couple of derms... one of them second on someone's list that made like a bazillion on the step 1.

 

[Biscuit799]

OK, so I looked back at the thread and see that ortho seems way over-represented. Maybe some disappointment in that area. Only one neurosurg, and a couple of derms... one of them second on someone's list that made like a bazillion on the step 1.

What USMLEWorld score correlates with a bazillion on Step 1? I've only been making gazillions on QBank, but I figure I can study for a week and bump it up some...

 

[osli]

What USMLEWorld score correlates with a bazillion on Step 1? I've only been making gazillions on QBank, but I figure I can study for a week and bump it up some...

I think it is generally accepted that you need above 80% of a bazillion on UWorld, so I guess that would be around 800 gazillion.

 

[deleted77919]

OK, so I looked back at the thread and see that ortho seems way over-represented. Maybe some disappointment in that area. Only one neurosurg, and a couple of derms... one of them second on someone's list that made like a bazillion on the step 1.

NSGY is a tiny field, very few people apply, and slightly fewer get in. 10 extra people applying one year (or 10 fewer) can significantly skew the stats. I wouldn't expect many sdners to be gunning for nsgy simply because only a very small percentage of us medical school graduates will apply.

 

[wanabdoc]

Ahhhhh, I love this thread - the hope and dreams of the inexperienced . . . a few of you will end up with that sexy, competitive specialty, but the rest of you mere mortals will have your career choices whittled down by "normal" board scores, and a couple of "mere" passing clinical grades leaves you in the cold without an AOA selection. Someone mentioned: "who's going into general practice?" . . . well, I hope now you can maybe begin to see how that happens. Not everyone is superman.

Good luck.

Awww, you're such a romantic.

I think you missed your calling as an idealistic poet.

 

[H_Caulfield]

These threads about which specialties are most respected and popular are really harmful. It's hard for a lot of competitive people to even BE ABLE to go into a specialty if it's in the dumps, or if reimbursement isn't up to par, etc. Which specialties can rightly be considered those aforementioned "sexy competitive specialties" changes SO FREQUENTLY that it isn't even worth considering which are competitive.

From what I understand, a few years ago anesthesia and radiology were for bottom-dwelling students while general surgeons were sexy and rich. Enough said? Let's just all ignore the hype and go into what we're interested in. General surg for me (even if ortho guys will, until tables turn again, put their noses up at me), since it's awesome and I'll have several more years to decide specifically what I want to do. The freedom of leaving plastics, CT, vascular, and about 12 other things open for consideration is, in my opinion, just priceless. Especially if you can't make up your mind about anything...

 

[Mayhem]

I feel the same way. I really can't stand the environment of the university-based hospitals - suffocating, oppressive and high-stress, for no good reason.

I waffle between path and FM because of the autonomy (at least from my point of view).

That's probably the best decription of my hospital I've ever heard. It's so unbearable that every rotation I'm on I go out of my way to leave. I've even begun bribing people to get switched to the group going to the county hospital.

Path and FM are reasonable choices but I don't think FM is for me. They have to know too much and I already have lists of things that I plan to stop trying to remember as soon as I graduate (most of O&G falls on this list among other things)

 

[michaelb1478]

Step 2 has been the only statistically significant indicator of success in residency - PDs are beginning to recognize the importance of Step 2 over Step 1 - some places will not put you on their rank list these days without a reported Step 2 by the ranklist deadline . It will only help you find a residency by doing well. You may gamble however you choose.



It might be you. And you've totally misread what I've been trying to say, which is unequivocally NOT what you are intimating. You WILL have to do well in everything PERIOD to match Rads - if you do well in everything, then you are free to follow your dreams. If you do not do well . . . I guess you can still try and apply, but you're not going to match because you are not going to get enough interviews, if any at all. I'm trying to prepare all you idealists for the harsh and unfair reality of the match.

Like I said before . . . good luck

I feel like this point of view is a bit overly cynical. Speaking as a Rads resident I was not number 1 in my class. I made mostly A's and B's the first 2 years with a C thrown in there as well. I did excel in my clinical year and I did do well on my step 1. I got interviews at several strong programs and the one I matched is quite strong. However, there were people with scores lower than mine who did match. The programs they matched in were not as strong as some others, but at the end of the day they will still be radiologists. I disagree about taking step 2 early if your score on step 1 is good. Most residencies do not look at it unless your step 1 was poor. (I took it in mid Feb my senior year) Bottom line is for rads high 220's and top third to top half of the class will give you a good chance, but apply widely.

 

[jdh71]

I feel like this point of view is a bit overly cynical. Speaking as a Rads resident I was not number 1 in my class. I made mostly A's and B's the first 2 years with a C thrown in there as well. I did excel in my clinical year and I did do well on my step 1. I got interviews at several strong programs and the one I matched is quite strong. However, there were people with scores lower than mine who did match. The programs they matched in were not as strong as some others, but at the end of the day they will still be radiologists. I disagree about taking step 2 early if your score on step 1 is good. Most residencies do not look at it unless your step 1 was poor. (I took it in mid Feb my senior year) Bottom line is for rads high 220's and top third to top half of the class will give you a good chance, but apply widely.

Realistic sometimes sounds "overly cynical"

Bottom line - your grades, scores, and LoRs were good enough to get you interviews. The interview and the rest of your app got you the spot. You need the interview - it's the foothold. And just like with MCAT scores and GPAs coming into medical school, scores and grades for particularly competitive specialties is going up.

Hoping and trying will not cut it.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Realistic sometimes sounds "overly cynical"

Bottom line - your grades, scores, and LoRs were good enough to get you interviews. The interview and the rest of your app got you the spot. You need the interview - it's the foothold. And just like with MCAT scores and GPAs coming into medical school, scores and grades for particularly competitive specialties is going up.

Hoping and trying will not cut it.

Honestly, I don't know if anybody here really needs this lesson. We all know there are limiting factors in our residency choices, and those include grades, step scores, letters and research. Also, you're making it sound like if you're not the absolute best student ever, you're doomed to family medicine, which is hardly accurate.

 

[soccergl31]

Definitely interested in heading more towards primary care...

1. Pediatrics
2. IM
3. Family Practice

 

[sprinkibrio]

Emergency Medicine
Psychiatry
Some specialty in OBGYN
Some specialty in Pediatrics
Cardiology
Surgery

 

[-Goose-]

1. Ortho
2. IR
3. GS --> X subspecialty (plastics, surg onc, breast, vascular?)
4. ENT
5. Uro
6. Neurosurgery - was gung-ho about this until recently. The light came on, I guess.

Other things I've preliminarily eliminated, but might reconsider 3rd year:

Ob/Gyn - in theory, this sounds like a well-balanced and pretty cool specialty. The salary is pretty good (although malpractice is high -- but salary is after malpractice). Cool subspecialties as well (GynOnc). I hear so many horror stories.

EM - some cool stuff, good pay, minimal hours. Working nights would suck for me though.

Gas - If I get really jaded.

IM-CCM/Pulmonlogy

 

[-Goose-]

.

 

[jdh71]

Also, you're making it sound like if you're not the absolute best student ever, you're doomed to family medicine, which is hardly accurate.

No way! You can also do IM, Peds, PM&R, etc. You are not doomed to only fam, but def not doomed to Urology or NeuroSurg

You have to be realistic and understand that there are MORE 4th year applicants across the board every year since the early 00's because of the call to expand medical school classes and create new medical schools at least one new allopathic school is in the works in Texas and one in California - probably more elsewhere as well.

Why the call for all of these medical professionals? It's all those baby boomers they've been threatening us with and they all getting older and will be having LOTS of medical problems. Do we need a thousand more NeuroSurgeons? Nope. We do need at least a thousand more Fam Practice, IM primary care types to keep these guys straight on the meds and health maintenence? Yeah . . . probably.

So with that now known, Ill let you do the math. Do you think you will need to be more or less competitive in an arena with more applicants?

 

[pseudoknot]

You have to be realistic and understand that there are MORE 4th year applicants across the board every year since the early 00's because of the call to expand medical school classes and create new medical schools at least one new allopathic school is in the works in Texas and one in California - probably more elsewhere as well.

I don't see what any new medical schools "in the works" have to do with our match unless we take 5-10 years off after graduating.

Why the call for all of these medical professionals? It's all those baby boomers they've been threatening us with and they all getting older and will be having LOTS of medical problems. Do we need a thousand more NeuroSurgeons? Nope. We do need at least a thousand more Fam Practice, IM primary care types to keep these guys straight on the meds and health maintenence? Yeah . . . probably.

I think that baby boomers will also require care from specialists. The sky is not falling.

 

[MrBurns10]

Anybody else here interested in Urology (please...no immature penis/DRE jokes)? As far as quality of life goes, I hear that it is the best of the surgical sub-specialties.

Several people in my class are future urologists. I did the subrotation while on surgery and the procedures are really cool. Seeing what a testicle actually looks like, scrubbing in on a penile implant insertion, and suturing a scrotum were up there as my most awesome experiences so far. If I went into surgery I would definitely try to do uro, but since I'm not...

My first choice right now is rads, maybe neurorads or breast imaging. But I'll have to wait and see how I like my rads elective in May...for all I know I could hate it. OB-REI also interests me (also doing an elective in this) and Psych was a cool rotation. Neonatology is also a possibility as I love babies.

 

[jdh71]

I don't see what any new medical schools "in the works" have to do with our match unless we take 5-10 years off after graduating.

Brought up new medical schools to emphasize my point - med school classes across the the country are expanding and have been expanding, and there will be more people trying to match when you do, then when I did. The more applications the lower your chances of finding that residency spot - there will always be someone more awesome than you - that's life.

I think that baby boomers will also require care from specialists. The sky is not falling.

I did not say the sky was falling, nor did I say that the boomers will not need care from specialists. Nice straw man - did you have fun knocking him down? My point was that medicine for boomers will not require thousands and thousands of new sub-specialists, but it will require thousands and thousands of new primary care docs. Simple. See?

 

[pseudoknot]

I did not say the sky was falling, nor did I say that the boomers will not need care from specialists. Nice straw man - did you have fun knocking him down? My point was that medicine for boomers will not require thousands and thousands of new sub-specialists, but it will require thousands and thousands of new primary care docs. Simple. See?

I don't really see how there was any "straw man" since you go on to restate the same point, which more precisely stated is that the growth in medicine resulting from the aging population will only be reflected in primary care fields. This doesn't make logical sense and you haven't supported it with anything. Changes in the population alone would not produce changes in the proportions of specialists, unless there is some political shift toward primary care (which is very unlikely given, among other things, the way RVUs are assigned). So, if the patient population goes up by x, so should the number of FM docs, cardiologists, etc.

 

[mjl1717]

mostly likely primary care--F.P. or I.M.

 

[tulane06]

Neurology
Infectious Disease
Endocrinology
General IM (Hospitalist)
Path

 

[jdh71]

I don't really see how there was any "straw man" since you go on to restate the same point, which more precisely stated is that the growth in medicine resulting from the aging population will only be reflected in primary care fields.

I'm going to ejamicate you on the straw-man . . . you see when you misrepresent an opponent's argument or point, and then go onto to claim victory with an argument counter to the misrepresentation you have knocked down the strawman - won an argument against a point that was never made. I never said that the aging population will not need specialists, nor did I say that that growth in the primary care field will only come from primary care. You have, two posts in a row, created a straw-man - strong work young jedi! The only problem is that it happens to be intellectually lazy and dishonest - it's considered really, really, really bad form to debate this way . . . FYI

This doesn't make logical sense and you haven't supported it with anything.

And you are right it does not make logical sense that there will only be an increase in the primary care sector - congratulations! You have successfully knocked over the straw-man.

Changes in the population alone would not produce changes in the proportions of specialists, unless there is some political shift toward primary care (which is very unlikely given, among other things, the way RVUs are assigned). So, if the patient population goes up by x, so should the number of FM docs, cardiologists, etc.

The number of specialists will go up some, but these numbers will not go up in the same way as primary care specialties because of need - now pay attention - for the future we do not needs thousands and thousands of new neurosurgeons, or ophthalmologists, or plastic surgeons, we DO need thousands and thousands of new primary care docs. Residency spots will adjust accordingly and appropriately.

 

[-Goose-]

I'm going to ejamicate you on the straw-man . . . you see when you misrepresent an opponent's argument or point, and then go onto to claim victory with an argument counter to the misrepresentation you have knocked down the strawman - won an argument against a point that was never made. I never said that the aging population will not need specialists, nor did I say that that growth in the primary care field will only come from primary care. You have, two posts in a row, created a straw-man - strong work young jedi! The only problem is that it happens to be intellectually lazy and dishonest - it's considered really, really, really bad form to debate this way . . . FYI



And you are right it does not make logical sense that there will only be an increase in the primary care sector - congratulations! You have successfully knocked over the straw-man.



The number of specialists will go up some, but these numbers will not go up in the same way as primary care specialties because of need - now pay attention - for the future we do not needs thousands and thousands of new neurosurgeons, or ophthalmologists, or plastic surgeons, we DO need thousands and thousands of new primary care docs. Residency spots will adjust accordingly and appropriately.

Good lord dude. Simmadownnow!





There are a sh*tf&C*ton of people going for rads-- I know its already competitive as hell. looks like its only gonna get worse.