What kind of medicine do you want to practice?

[shimmer118]

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What kind of medicine do you see yourselves practicing in the future? I'll start: I want to do aerospace medicine (treatment of pilots and astronauts...) Haven't met anyone else who wants to do that. Am I the only one? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

 

[Wednesday]

Are you in the military?

 

[shimmer118]

No, I'm not....came VERY close to going to the Airforce Academy for undergrad, but decided against it. Now I'm toying with HPSP, but it's not necessary for what I want to do: there are civilian residencies in aerospace medicine at UT and Wright State. We shall see. 🙂

 

[mpp]

That interests me quite a bit as well as long as it is treating astronauts in space. Being an astronaut is still my ultimate goal beyond becoming a competent physician and this might be a step in that direction.

Here is my long-range plan (although things could change anytime). Finish my pilot's license this summer before starting medical school. After medical schoool complete a family medicine residency (with an emphasis on rural medicine). Practice in Alaska for several years and then go do an Aerospace Medicine Residency, then apply to NASA. I may be 55 and dirt poor when this is all over but there certainly have been older astronauts than I.

Do you think you will do immediate aerospace medicine (preventive medicine) or go for something else first? I don't think I could be "just" an aerospace doctor -- not enough children involved (although there are probably few terminal patients which could easily cut down on the stress level). Preventative medicine seems cool and all but somehow being able to make sick people healthy (rather than keeping healthy people healthy) is more interesting to me.

Good luck however you decide to go. It is certainly a unique field...there are only four aerospace residency programs (Navy, Air Force, NASA, and Wright State).

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I think that ultimately I will end up in either pediatric oncology, because I want to work with children, or radiation oncology because of my love of the technology (read physics) aspect of the field . I had the opportunity to work with a pediatric oncologist for three years and it was a life changing experience, thats pretty much how I decide I would want to work in oncology to begin with I guess. 🙂

 

[brandonite]

Originally posted by UCSFreak:
•I think that ultimately I will end up in either pediatric oncology, because I want to work with children, or radiation oncology because of my love of the technology (read physics) aspect of the field . I had the opportunity to work with a pediatric oncologist for three years and it was a life changing experience, thats pretty much how I decide I would want to work in oncology to begin with I guess. 🙂 •••

I've thought about those two residencies too. I have heard complaints from people about unethical treatment of cancer patients in major research hospitals (and I do want to do research), so now I'm wondering about that. I've also wondered if pediatric oncology might be a pretty tough profession emotionally. It's still something I'm interested in, but I'd like to do a clerkship in it before I decide to go that way.

The other residency I'm thinking about is some sort of radiology. I'm a Physics major, so I'd like to apply some of my knowledge of physics to medicine. The only problem with radiology in general is that I've heard (and it makes sense) that there isn't a lot of patient contact - all you do is read films all day - which could get boring. Again, I want to do a clerkship first to get a feel.

But, I'd like to do something that involved physics and technology, but that puts the patient before the machine, if that makes any sense. 😀

 

[BUmiken12]

pediatrics...God-willing

 

[Ceelo]

Emergency medicine. But first I have to get accepted to medical school. 😀

 

[lamyers1]

I'm a path fan, however, I'm also interested in infectous diseases...I want to stay open-minded and see what I actually like in clinicals.

 

[Optimistic]

Believe it or not ........Geriatrics 🙂 Ofcourse after I make it to medschool.

 

[kutastha]

Endocrinology or Anesthesiology, with a lab "on the side".

Andrew

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Cardiothoracic Surgery

 

[scottie]

primary care--probably family practice

 

[AmateurChef]

Oncology and health care finance.

 

[irongirl]

I'm staying open minded, there are many fields I'm interested in... Emergency, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Family Practice (plus, I'm going to go to OHSU which has one of the best primary care programs), but if I had to choose today, I think I'd go with Neonatology. I have volunteered in the NICU for three years and absolutely love it.

 

[gatepig]

Right now I am the most interested in cardiology. I'm also interested in neurology, radiology, and pathology.

 

[Medic171]

family medicine, or psychiatry.

 

[ROCKet_gurly]

Pediatrics...and once I figure what really interests me I want to specialize in something like cardiology or oncology. 🙄

 

[imtiaz]

Neuroradiology, radiology, something that will allow me to play with MRI's all day 🙂 Everything is subject to change though, pending rotations.

 

[watto]

Forensic and adolescent psych.
(In addition to writing an irresponsible dieting book to make $$)

 

[Atlas]

Assuming I get into a medical school, I'd hopefully like to pursue either Nephrology, PM&R, or Emergency Medicine. In other words, my options are open. 😀 In reality, I could care less...I JUST WANT TO GO TO MED SCHOOL!!!! Take care.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

I am surprised nobody has said this yet--Obstetrics/Gynecology. I would like to work with high risk pregnancies, especially. (that's IF I get into med school)

 

[mvalento]

infectious disease + lab research in AIDS, TB, malaria, something like that...

i'd also like to teach at a med school...

bud

 

[eagle26]

Psychiatry or pediatric hematology/oncology...I think there was an earlier thread on this but I can't remember when or where....

 

[aldo16]

good 'ol general surgery right here.....i know it's a crazy life and i'll make like 1/5 the money of a "pimple doctor" but.....it's just too irresistable to me..plus if money/lifestyle was all i wanted, i would stay in the business world, (where i am now)

(of course i'm not saying that I wouldn't consider a fellowship in plastics or peds in a couple years!!)

 

[andi11]

I am really interested in cardiology, but I also love children. So I am thinking pediatric cardiology. Neonatology is also a possibility. Of course, theres the little thing of getting into med school first.

 

[leorl]

Sports medicine!!!! Interested in paths that can get me there, especially PM&R (I like musculoskeletal med anyway) & ER. Maybe orthopedic surgery, but probably unlikely. I dunno, there are so many fields out there!

 

[Mr. Eastern Medicine]

I would really like to practice Internal Medicine with the acupuncture and herbal medicine.
But I am also considering in Orthopaedic or Rehabilitation medicine, because I just think that the acupuncture would be a great addition to ortho or rehabs.
I was also thinking of going to the Chiropractic school, but realized that the Chiropractic practices are so limited.

 

[UCMonkey]

Once I get into med school, I'm thinking Emergency Medicine or Surgery (possibly trauma or general surg), quite possibly in a military setting. All is subject to change pending rotations though.

 

[Jedi In Training]

Emergency Medicine

 

[Smoke This]

My naive thought is thoracic surgery. If I decide against that after rotations or something, it would probably be due to lifestyle, in which case I would want to do something less time-intensive like ER or family practice.

 

[Jamier2]

My favorites are at different ends of the spectrum (much like my two favorite types of music, bluegrass and heavy metal). I love the idea of Family Practice or Orthopaedics. 🙂

 

[Kadyra]

I'm interested in almost everything I hear about. The top things on my list are (so far):

orthopaedic surgery
neurology
infectious diseases

 

[rohitbest]

Aerospace Medicine
Emergency Medicine

or maybe

Ortho

but prob wont' be able to do all 3

 

[jargon124]

I'm interested in:

Neuroradiology (only bad thing about this is that it takes 5 yrs residency + 2 yrs fellowship - that's a long time!)
Neurological Surgery (seriously long hours in residency, but talk about cutting edge science/medicine)
Plastics (just sounds cool 🙂 plus did you hear they are putting in breast implants laparoscopically through the belly button these days?)

Of course, gotta get into a school first...and even then I'm sure I will change my mind hundreds of times as I move along.

 

[megkudos]

Jargon124-
I like the quote --

"You can't get thiamine from a bottle of gin." - My biochem prof

Isn't that cuz the government wanted to fortify hard liquor with vitamins in order to prevent alcoholics from getting certain deseases? And they decided against it cuz they thought it would send the wrong message or something.

I am pretty sure that my biochem prof told us this and it might have nothing at all to do with your quote but hey--I thought it was pretty interesting....

 

[coop]

i'm interested in neurology, orthopedics/sports medicine, as well as pathology and molecular medicine... to be sorted out in the next 3 years 🙂

 

[riotgurl]

I'm open to anything at this point. I really have my heart set on surgery, but I'm really worried about the lifestyle that goes along with it. EM is an option, as are ob/gyn, pediatrics, maybe even psychiatry. Decisions, decisions.....