MD What is...[insert field of medicine]!

[blockrudder1]

I'm interested in:
-procedure, working with hands
-plus clinic, love patient interaction
-details, I enjoy various small-detail visually engaging work
-one and done see-them, fix-them
-fast-paced
-ability to pursue entrepreneurial interests

What is...[x field]?

I haven't had a lot of content exposure in medical school, so I'm focused on day-to-day practice based my experiences so far. List some areas of medicine that I might want to explore further!

Thanks!

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[Sephirakra]

EM.

 

[Cornfed101]

-plus clinic, love patient interaction
-one and done see-them, fix-them

These two are contradictory unless you just mean not radiology or pathology by the first statement. I haven't started medical school so take this with a grain of salt, but besides EM you can also look into IR and Gas. I've shadowed both of those specialties and they seem to fit your criteria.

 

[sella.turcica]

Derm

 

[stickgirl390]

ENT

 

[spartan25]

Ophtho


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[Dr G Oogle]

Any surgical subspecialty will let you do that. Especially if you subspecialize within that subspecialty.

 

[blockrudder1]

EM.

That's definitely a consideration

 

[blockrudder1]

ENT

ENT is definitely a possibility. While there is variety within the head and neck, I don't think I could be limited to one small area. But who knows

 

[blockrudder1]

Ophtho


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Eyes freak me out, but I'll definitely reach out!

 

[blockrudder1]

Any surgical subspecialty will let you do that. Especially if you subspecialize within that subspecialty.

I guess you're right. the content behind the fields may excite me later and help me decide, I just feel this pressure with some of the more competitive ones to decide early. Or else face a research year

 

[longhaul3]

ENT, ophtho, interventional [radiology, cardiology, GI, etc.], ortho and gen surg to an extent, anesthesia

 

[Tenk]

Call: any surgical subspecialty
No call: EM, derm

 

[nimbus]

Another vote for ophtho. Checks all your boxes better than any other specialty. Very hands on, detailed, fast paced, fix ‘em and move on.

 

[Cornfed101]

Another vote for ophtho. Checks all your boxes better than any other specialty. Very hands on, detailed, fast paced, fix ‘em and move on.

yeah just don’t sub-specialize in retina... no quick fixes for macular degeneration. On the opposite end of the spectrum I just had a friend join a cash only ophtho practice doing lasik and elective IOL surgery. Lots of quick fixes there.

 

[medhopeful82]

sounds like cardiology would be best to me

 

[Rekt]

I'm interested in:
-procedure, working with hands
-plus clinic, love patient interaction
-details, I enjoy various small-detail visually engaging work
-one and done see-them, fix-them
-fast-paced
-ability to pursue entrepreneurial interests

What is...[x field]?

I haven't had a lot of content exposure in medical school, so I'm focused on day-to-day practice based my experiences so far. List some areas of medicine that I might want to explore further!

Thanks!

Honestly sounds like IR.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Honestly sounds like IR.

IR has clinic?

 

[Rekt]

IR has clinic?

The ones at my hospital do. Maybe just quick follow up? Not really sure why

 

[blockrudder1]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! A few options that I really didn't consider before, definitely added to my shadowing list!

 

[CherryRedDracul]

IR has clinic?

IR is evolving to include more clinic time. At our institution, we do have an IR clinic for outpatient consultation and follow-up. A lot of procedures can be done on an outpatient basis (e.g. establishing dialysis access, chemotherapy port placement, biopsies, varicose vein embolization, uterine fibroid embolization, Y-90 radioembolization, and many more).

 

[Blanky]

Nobody mentioned Pain?

 

[allantois]

Nobody mentioned Pain?

you’ll never fix them

 

[Slack3r]

I'm interested in:
-procedure, working with hands
-plus clinic, love patient interaction
-details, I enjoy various small-detail visually engaging work
-one and done see-them, fix-them
-fast-paced
-ability to pursue entrepreneurial interests

What is...[x field]?

I haven't had a lot of content exposure in medical school, so I'm focused on day-to-day practice based my experiences so far. List some areas of medicine that I might want to explore further!

Thanks!

Sounds like derm. High volume, fast paced clinic, lots of small procedures. Full time is <40 hrs per week, so lots of time for outside pursuits.

 

[907914]

I have very similar interests to OP (like...near identical) except I am comfortable with more longitudinal care and I am opposed to surgery (due to lifestyle during residency, I would love it as a career but not about that time commitment away from family).

I was curious, how is the lifestyle (residency and attending) for IR? GAS? PMR? Would there be any surgical specialties that go against the grain on my preconceived notions?

Hopefully these can help both me and OP...

 

[BorderlineQueen]

I have very similar interests to OP (like...near identical) except I am comfortable with more longitudinal care and I am opposed to surgery (due to lifestyle during residency, I would love it as a career but not about that time commitment away from family).

I was curious, how is the lifestyle (residency and attending) for IR? GAS? PMR? Would there be any surgical specialties that go against the grain on my preconceived notions?

Hopefully these can help both me and OP...

PMR residency idk how it it but attending life is pretty chill. GAS you can work part time or around 40 hrs a week . IR I don’t know anything about it.

 

[blockrudder1]

Sounds like derm. High volume, fast paced clinic, lots of small procedures. Full time is <40 hrs per week, so lots of time for outside pursuits.

It's hard to reach out to derm and show interest this early. Due to the ROAD trajectory of some students, I feel like they are skeptical of all students. Any advice on how to not seem like a lifestyle gunner?

 

[blockrudder1]

PMR residency idk how it it but attending life is pretty chill. GAS you can work part time or around 40 hrs a week . IR I don’t know anything about it.

By procedure I guess I mean: problem -> fix with hands -> no more problem, I really enjoy the tangible changes I've seen in surgery shadowing. I just like clinic more

 

[longhaul3]

It's hard to reach out to derm and show interest this early. Due to the ROAD trajectory of some students, I feel like they are skeptical of all students. Any advice on how to not seem like a lifestyle gunner?

Just ask if you can shadow for a little bit. If you like it, ask if you can help out with some research projects going on. Show interest in the clinical concepts and don't ask dumb questions about the lifestyle. They all know the game, because they're part of it.

 

[nimbus]

I have very similar interests to OP (like...near identical) except I am comfortable with more longitudinal care and I am opposed to surgery (due to lifestyle during residency, I would love it as a career but not about that time commitment away from family).

I was curious, how is the lifestyle (residency and attending) for IR? GAS? PMR? Would there be any surgical specialties that go against the grain on my preconceived notions?

Hopefully these can help both me and OP...

IR and anesthesia are terrible. I see the IR guys at the hospital every weekend. I never see PMR, even on weekdays. Do they even work?

 

[19pieces19]

IR and anesthesia are terrible. I see the IR guys at the hospital every weekend. I never see PMR, even on weekdays. Do they even work?

Anesthesia is not terrible, but IR could definitely be surgical in hours.

 

[nimbus]

PMR residency idk how it it but attending life is pretty chill. GAS you can work part time or around 40 hrs a week . IR I don’t know anything about it.

Average anesthesiologist works 58 hours/week and a lot of nights and weekends. Whenever a surgeon is doing their thing, an anesthesiologist is there.

 

[nimbus]

Anesthesia is not terrible, but IR could definitely be surgical in hours.

I’ve been doing it for 23 years. Lifestyle is terrible with extremely low predictability, and many nights and weekends. Many missed school events, kids sports events, and holidays.

 

[907914]

I’ve been doing it for 23 years. Lifestyle is terrible with extremely low predictability, and many nights and weekends. Many missed school events, kids sports events, and holidays.

Comparing it to your colleagues how would you say it compares? Doesn’t all medicine miss weekends sometimes?

 

[nimbus]

Comparing it to your colleagues how would you say it compares? Doesn’t all medicine miss weekends sometimes?

I work at a level 1 trauma center so take that with a grain of salt.


Seen all day and night on nights and weekends-EM, Trauma, ob/gyn, Ortho, NS, IR, GS, cardiac surgery, cardiology, GI, Urology, pulm/CCM, plastics, OMFS, IM hospitalists.

Rarely seen or just for short periods of time on nights and weekends-ophtho, ent, pain, nephrology, ID.

Never seen-FP, IM outpatient, rheum, derm, path, allergy, outpatient Peds, psych, PMR.


It is possible to get a “mommy track” outpatient job in anesthesia with few if any nights and weekends. I have partners who have gone that route. However, they take a disproportionate hit in income.

 

[WinslowPringle]

Agree with ophthalmology, derm as options

Also, plastic surgery with plans for private practice primarily cosmetic. Options for lots of in-OR surgeries, in-office procedures, clinic time, small details and visually engaging work, fast pacing, and definitely entrepreneurial.

 

[Cornfed101]

It is possible to get a “mommy track” outpatient job in anesthesia with few if any nights and weekends. I have partners who have gone that route. However, they take a disproportionate hit in income.

or be willing to live in a place like North Dakota. I have a good friend living there that hardly works any nights or weekends and makes well above the national average... just sayin

 

[nimbus]

or be willing to live in a place like North Dakota. I have a good friend living there that hardly works any nights or weekends and makes well above the national average... just sayin

Very possible. I can only speak from my own experience. I’ve never been to North Dakota.

 

[907914]

is possible to get a “mommy track” outpatient job in anesthesia with few if any nights and weekends.

Not a mommy but I am a daddy, so this sounds like my kind of gig (growing up in a relatively low net-wealth household, anything about $200K is plenty in my books)

 

[nimbus]

Not a mommy but I am a daddy, so this sounds like my kind of gig (growing up in a relatively low net-wealth household, anything about $200K is plenty in my books)

That is definitely doable working part time with a very good lifestyle.

 

[907914]

That is definitely doable working part time with a very good lifestyle.

And what is the level of procedures? Is it possible to part time do the OR on larger surgeries without the on call?

 

[nimbus]

And what is the level of procedures? Is it possible to part time do the OR on larger surgeries without the on call?

We have people who job share or work in our outpatient pool but also fill in in the hospitals. They usually work daytime hours and decide which days they work and which days they don’t. They don’t do the larger cases because it’s better for them to be done by people who do them all the time. If you’re doing breast augs most of the time, you probably have no desire to do an aortic dissection that rolls through the door. It’s a trade off.

 

[Slack3r]

It's hard to reach out to derm and show interest this early. Due to the ROAD trajectory of some students, I feel like they are skeptical of all students. Any advice on how to not seem like a lifestyle gunner?

If you’re genuinely interested in learning about what they do, they’re more often than not happy to teach. Just be normal, ask questions, and try not to be annoying.

 

[blockrudder1]

Is a research year inevidible for some of these specialties? I go to a top 10 with research readily available, but I cant see how someone can be that productive over just a summer and dedicated research time

 

[ImBatmanOK]

I'm interested in:
-procedure, working with hands
-plus clinic, love patient interaction
-details, I enjoy various small-detail visually engaging work
-one and done see-them, fix-them
-fast-paced
-ability to pursue entrepreneurial interests

What is...[x field]?

I haven't had a lot of content exposure in medical school, so I'm focused on day-to-day practice based my experiences so far. List some areas of medicine that I might want to explore further!

Thanks!

I'm an IR doc. And it sounds like my job.

-procedure, working with hands
---I do procedures almost all day, every day.

-plus clinic, love patient interaction
---Most of our procedures can be done without pre/post op visits. But some other cases (uterine embo, varicocele, elective TIPs, oncology, etc.), the patients SHOULD be seen before and after, as outpatients, to talk about the procedure, obtain consent and discuss expectations.

-details, I enjoy various small-detail visually engaging work
---whether IR or diagnostic radiology, everything we do is visual.

-one and done see-them, fix-them
---describes our procedures pretty well.

-fast-paced
---Hmm. Not sure how to answer this one, TBH. Is IM not fast paced? Is EM fast paced?

-ability to pursue entrepreneurial interests
---Varies depending on practice type, but we have grown our service line and continue to add procedures.