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So, what kind of Dr. do you guys think you want to be and why?
How about specialties that you wouldn't want to do and why?
How about specialties that you wouldn't want to do and why?
What kind of Dr. and why?
- Thread starter Toejam
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I want to do neuropsychiatry because of my longstanding interest in the human brain. I'm also interested in preventive medicine and am currently pursuing an MPH.
Don't want to do surgery. Never liked it, probably never will.
Don't want to do surgery. Never liked it, probably never will.
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For now, I'm interested in Ob/Gyn because I think birth is such a miracle and I want to be a part of that positive experience in others lives!!! We also need more females in this specialty. I think women feel more comfortable with an ob/gyn (esp the gyn part)
EMW
EMW
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Right now: ENT.
But it seems to change every other week. I definately need more exposure to all fields.
But it seems to change every other week. I definately need more exposure to all fields.
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probably ob/gyn....
and I don't agree with williestyle....i have worked in labor and delivery for several years..... there are women who prefer female ob/gyn's...and women who prefer male ob/gyn's...but it is my experience that most women don't care if their doctor is male or female....they just want a competant and caring physician.
and..........it just so happens that men are a serious minority in ob/gyn residencies now....so it is actually easier for a male to get an ob/gyn residency than it is for a female.
and I don't agree with williestyle....i have worked in labor and delivery for several years..... there are women who prefer female ob/gyn's...and women who prefer male ob/gyn's...but it is my experience that most women don't care if their doctor is male or female....they just want a competant and caring physician.
and..........it just so happens that men are a serious minority in ob/gyn residencies now....so it is actually easier for a male to get an ob/gyn residency than it is for a female.
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My first choice whould definetly be Emergency Medicine. I like the mix of critical and FP types of illness/injuries. Lots of variety with a fast pace. I'm also interested in Radiology. There's so much technology and inovation it's hard not to be drawn towards it. However as far as what being a Rad Dr is really like, I have no idea.
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i would have to say emergency and/or pediatrics. i work in an ER as a tech now, and it amazes me the amount of peds patients we see in a day. also, on of our female docs is an emergency peds physician (which i didn't now you could be both) and i just feel those areas would be best for me, since i allready have some exp. with pediatric emergency patients.
what i wouldn't want to do is surgery. some people can do it, i just know i'm not one of them. also, oncology. for me, i'd rather deal with an emergency situation that needs immediate care rather than long term illnesses.
selah
what i wouldn't want to do is surgery. some people can do it, i just know i'm not one of them. also, oncology. for me, i'd rather deal with an emergency situation that needs immediate care rather than long term illnesses.
selah
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Radiology will be my #1 choice. Now, it's competitive as hell (especially for us DO's), but....I'm going to do my best to land a rads residency -- I'll relocate to Nebreska if I have to (nothing personal, Nebraskans).
Why? No patient contact. Good money. Take call from home (?)
I would never do Family Practice, Internal Medicine, or Peds due to their being poorly compensated (generally, I know there are exceptions). Plus, I'm not really a patient-contact kinda guy -- just being honest about my weaknesses.
Surgery or any surgical speciality (OB) -- no way -- the liability insurance will kill you in most states.
Anway, looking at these salaires really helped me narrow the list.
Why? No patient contact. Good money. Take call from home (?)
I would never do Family Practice, Internal Medicine, or Peds due to their being poorly compensated (generally, I know there are exceptions). Plus, I'm not really a patient-contact kinda guy -- just being honest about my weaknesses.
Surgery or any surgical speciality (OB) -- no way -- the liability insurance will kill you in most states.
Anway, looking at these salaires really helped me narrow the list.
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in order of highest to sub-highest:
1.) primary care w/own practice (who wouldn't want that)
-shadowing my physician was the greatest day ever
2.) Emergency medicine
-what EMT could resist walking away from emergency medicine
3.) Neurology
-what student, such as myself, could see spending 4 years
on a degree he won't be using in any major form in the
future... sheesh what a waste
1.) primary care w/own practice (who wouldn't want that
)-shadowing my physician was the greatest day ever
2.) Emergency medicine
-what EMT could resist walking away from emergency medicine
3.) Neurology
-what student, such as myself, could see spending 4 years
on a degree he won't be using in any major form in the
future... sheesh what a waste
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SM-UCLA,
I said I think that women would prefer female ob/gyn's ESP the GYNECOLOGY part to emphasize that women are probably more comfortable with a woman doc looking at that part of the body on them as opposed to a male doc. I personally prefer a woman. That's all I was saying
EMW
I said I think that women would prefer female ob/gyn's ESP the GYNECOLOGY part to emphasize that women are probably more comfortable with a woman doc looking at that part of the body on them as opposed to a male doc. I personally prefer a woman. That's all I was saying
EMW
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hey williestyle....
i think my reply sounded harsher than I meant it to be.
i think my reply sounded harsher than I meant it to be.
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I definitely have to rank Emergency Medicine #1. The fast pace and variety of illnesses you see is something that is special to the E.R. Waking up everyday and not being able to know what you are going to experience that day is something I find quite intriguing. However, unlike the previous posters, i am also interested in doing some sort of surgery, in order to become a Trauma surgeon, hence the TraumaDR
hmmm another option i am considering is becoming a pulmonary specialist. last year only 58 doctors went into pulmonary medicine after medical school!!
I dont think i would like to go into oncology. After a year of volunteering at a childrens hospital it was difficult to deal with these long term patients with cancer. It was hard to see them as cancer patients and not as normal children
hmmm another option i am considering is becoming a pulmonary specialist. last year only 58 doctors went into pulmonary medicine after medical school!!
I dont think i would like to go into oncology. After a year of volunteering at a childrens hospital it was difficult to deal with these long term patients with cancer. It was hard to see them as cancer patients and not as normal children
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Some of you may or may not know that I'm a podiatrist and I'm going back to DO school next year. One thing I learned is that it's MUCH better to do some rotations, talk to some docs and get a really good feeling what the reality is within any given specialty. You need to find out what you like, what you're good at and what you can comfortably imagine doing in the next 20 years or so.
Podiatry is pretty hands on including surgery. I am nearly incompetent when it comes to mechanics and 3D movement (two talents that come in handy in podiatry). I'm a lot better theorizing and imagining abstract scenarios (like doing mental detective work when someone comes in with a vague complaint). I also learned that my mind works much better as a generalist rather than a specialist (I feel more comfortable knowing a moderate amount about a lot of things rather than a lot about a limited field). I also discovered that surgery isn't as interesting to me as I thought it would be.
So, my choices are the following:
1. Emergency Medicine. Set hours, generalist, variety of pathology, not terribly competitive, portable (can be employed in most parts of the U.S.) and the pay is good.
2. Primary Care. I think I would like Internal Medicine, but I know from what other docs have told me that the hours can be brutal. Also, your patients don't tend to get better. There can also be a lot of call. You are the gatekeeper, though, and you'd certainly be busy no matter where you worked.
3. Radiology. Really competitive (especially DO), no patient contact, which can have pluses and minuses, good hours, great pay. These people are geniuses, though. I did a month at L.A. County when I was a pod resident and the attendings blew me away.
4. Family Practice. Money's not so great, but my wife is an attorney! Good general medicine without a lot of terrible pathology, needed everywhere (especially underserved areas), competition from NP's and other peripheral health providers. I've heard, though, that it can be kind of monotonous.
I wouldn't want to do OB/GYN because of the malpractice and the possible psycho who might target me...
No surgery. Too much call and too much residency (it's more brutal than you might think)
No ortho. If I can't be comfortable with podiatry....
No derm. Why? Because I could never get a residency!!!
Podiatry is pretty hands on including surgery. I am nearly incompetent when it comes to mechanics and 3D movement (two talents that come in handy in podiatry). I'm a lot better theorizing and imagining abstract scenarios (like doing mental detective work when someone comes in with a vague complaint). I also learned that my mind works much better as a generalist rather than a specialist (I feel more comfortable knowing a moderate amount about a lot of things rather than a lot about a limited field). I also discovered that surgery isn't as interesting to me as I thought it would be.
So, my choices are the following:
1. Emergency Medicine. Set hours, generalist, variety of pathology, not terribly competitive, portable (can be employed in most parts of the U.S.) and the pay is good.
2. Primary Care. I think I would like Internal Medicine, but I know from what other docs have told me that the hours can be brutal. Also, your patients don't tend to get better. There can also be a lot of call. You are the gatekeeper, though, and you'd certainly be busy no matter where you worked.
3. Radiology. Really competitive (especially DO), no patient contact, which can have pluses and minuses, good hours, great pay. These people are geniuses, though. I did a month at L.A. County when I was a pod resident and the attendings blew me away.
4. Family Practice. Money's not so great, but my wife is an attorney! Good general medicine without a lot of terrible pathology, needed everywhere (especially underserved areas), competition from NP's and other peripheral health providers. I've heard, though, that it can be kind of monotonous.
I wouldn't want to do OB/GYN because of the malpractice and the possible psycho who might target me...
No surgery. Too much call and too much residency (it's more brutal than you might think)
No ortho. If I can't be comfortable with podiatry....
No derm. Why? Because I could never get a residency!!!
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FP - Diverse, eash scheldue, wide range of cases and patients
ER - Dealing with both critical and non-crtical criteria, diversity of patients and cases.
Foresnic Pathology - Sounds like a mystery and a challenege, figuring out how a person was killed or died. Although, working around dead people all day, I'm afarid it will take its toll on me.
Phychitry( excuse the spelling ) - I've always loved helping people threwout verbal manners, I believe my empathy is one of my best qualities. It has gotten to the point where I can tell what people are going to say before they open there mouth based on, standing positions, previous statements and such.
ER - Dealing with both critical and non-crtical criteria, diversity of patients and cases.
Foresnic Pathology - Sounds like a mystery and a challenege, figuring out how a person was killed or died. Although, working around dead people all day, I'm afarid it will take its toll on me.
Phychitry( excuse the spelling ) - I've always loved helping people threwout verbal manners, I believe my empathy is one of my best qualities. It has gotten to the point where I can tell what people are going to say before they open there mouth based on, standing positions, previous statements and such.
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Badassy,
Regarding ER... you forgot to mention dealing with: drug seekers, homeless alcoholics, drug seekers, malingering workmans compensation cases, and did I mention drug seekers?
When I was on ER, about one-third of my patients were drug seekers. One, in particular, was also a physicianfeliac -- when I walked into the room she leaped into my arms embracing me tightly screaming, "Oh doctor, my pa-a-a-a-a-in!!!" I was thinking, "Oh patient, get your hands off my b-u-u-u-u-t-t!!"
Seriously, ER is a great field. It requires that you be a combination of an internist, a family physician, and a psychiatrist (mostly a psychiatrist). I'm just not smart enough to pull that off.
Regarding ER... you forgot to mention dealing with: drug seekers, homeless alcoholics, drug seekers, malingering workmans compensation cases, and did I mention drug seekers?
When I was on ER, about one-third of my patients were drug seekers. One, in particular, was also a physicianfeliac -- when I walked into the room she leaped into my arms embracing me tightly screaming, "Oh doctor, my pa-a-a-a-a-in!!!" I was thinking, "Oh patient, get your hands off my b-u-u-u-u-t-t!!"
Seriously, ER is a great field. It requires that you be a combination of an internist, a family physician, and a psychiatrist (mostly a psychiatrist). I'm just not smart enough to pull that off.
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Yeah, Sawbones is right. There are a lot of malingerers and drug seekers who end up at the ER. Especially if you're in the big city. That is a downside, but if you're in a busy ER it should all balance out.
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Also, if you are in a facility with lots of PAs and ARNPs, then they can filter a lot of the "riff raff" and leave the exciting stuff for you (the chest pains, abdominal pains, and other hard-corps medical problems).
When I was on my rotation, I was given the option of hanging out on either the MAJOR EMERGENCY side (largely staffed by MDs and DOs) or the MINOR EMERGENCY side (largely staffed by PAs and ARNPs). Most of the MINOR EMERGENCY patients were drug seekers. I spent a few hours on that end of the ER before I said, "Forget this... I'm going to see some REAL patients" and then spent the rest of my rotation on the MAJOR side of the ER.
Speaking of drug seekers... we had a guy come in carrying a newspaper article about a law that was recently past concerning "A Patient's Right to Pain Management." He quietly sat on the table waving this newspaper article and said, "I'm in pain, and by law you must give me something. I prefer demerol. Thank you." Our P.A. laughed at him hysterically and simply said, "Beat it."
Nuts.
When I was on my rotation, I was given the option of hanging out on either the MAJOR EMERGENCY side (largely staffed by MDs and DOs) or the MINOR EMERGENCY side (largely staffed by PAs and ARNPs). Most of the MINOR EMERGENCY patients were drug seekers. I spent a few hours on that end of the ER before I said, "Forget this... I'm going to see some REAL patients" and then spent the rest of my rotation on the MAJOR side of the ER.
Speaking of drug seekers... we had a guy come in carrying a newspaper article about a law that was recently past concerning "A Patient's Right to Pain Management." He quietly sat on the table waving this newspaper article and said, "I'm in pain, and by law you must give me something. I prefer demerol. Thank you." Our P.A. laughed at him hysterically and simply said, "Beat it."
Nuts.
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Classic.
I did my rotations at L.A. County, which is nothing short of bedlam. It was a little bit like riding on a bronco naked with no equipment. They had a "major" and "minor" side, too. It was the same thing there. Drug seekers, lonely people, simple lacs and belligerent alcoholics on the minor side and GSW, auto accidents and cardiac arrest on the major. All in all, never boring.
I did my rotations at L.A. County, which is nothing short of bedlam. It was a little bit like riding on a bronco naked with no equipment. They had a "major" and "minor" side, too. It was the same thing there. Drug seekers, lonely people, simple lacs and belligerent alcoholics on the minor side and GSW, auto accidents and cardiac arrest on the major. All in all, never boring.
