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Curious about this. Understand you won't avoid politics no matter what you do, but figure this might be a little bit better in procedural fields versus others. Maybe psych.
What medical specialty has the least amount of "office politics" in residency and attending?
- Thread starter Twixmoment
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I have a feeling that no one escapes this.
Will be practice/hospital dependent more than specialty dependent.
Will be practice/hospital dependent more than specialty dependent.
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Ha!
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But to answer your question…
Residency - will depend on the individual program & institutional culture
Post-residency, aka attending - will depend in practice setting & office/institutional culture
Academics, especially at some institutions, can be a place where certain personalities can congregate. Likewise, private practice can have drama depending on financial structures.
Residency - will depend on the individual program & institutional culture
Post-residency, aka attending - will depend in practice setting & office/institutional culture
Academics, especially at some institutions, can be a place where certain personalities can congregate. Likewise, private practice can have drama depending on financial structures.
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Well... FMG/IMG mills have little office politics.
Mostly because there's a lot less oversight (meaning it's not a great learning environment...)
On the other hand, FMG/IMG's are exploited like crazy.
I'll take "office politics" over exploitation.
Other than that, whatever specialty has the fewest folks with personality disorders/psych disorders is probably going to have less office politics, on average. So perhaps avoid psych. And surgery. And anything dealing with kids. And any specialty that required someone to go through pre-med. We're all crazy.
If you go into solo practice you get rid of all the "office politics." But then you have more uncertainty/no help. Politics is the price we pay for civilization. Just find a tribe you can work with.
Mostly because there's a lot less oversight (meaning it's not a great learning environment...)
On the other hand, FMG/IMG's are exploited like crazy.
I'll take "office politics" over exploitation.
Other than that, whatever specialty has the fewest folks with personality disorders/psych disorders is probably going to have less office politics, on average. So perhaps avoid psych. And surgery. And anything dealing with kids. And any specialty that required someone to go through pre-med. We're all crazy.
If you go into solo practice you get rid of all the "office politics." But then you have more uncertainty/no help. Politics is the price we pay for civilization. Just find a tribe you can work with.
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Some animals have to live in the zoo (academics) because they can't survive out in the wild. And zoo animals can get really weird.
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Really depends on how you define “office politics” IMO
I’m in private practice so I don’t deal with hospital admin BS but our PP group is still like a family which comes with good and bad little quibbles at every meeting.
If you work for a hospital then in general the more you make them (Spine, Cardiac, Ortho Surgery, GI/Cards/HO) then the more they will leave you alone but they will still constantly nudge you to be a good little widget on their excel spreadsheet.
I’m in private practice so I don’t deal with hospital admin BS but our PP group is still like a family which comes with good and bad little quibbles at every meeting.
If you work for a hospital then in general the more you make them (Spine, Cardiac, Ortho Surgery, GI/Cards/HO) then the more they will leave you alone but they will still constantly nudge you to be a good little widget on their excel spreadsheet.
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Zoo animals also don’t have any idea how the rest of the world works. Occasionally they escape from the zoo, and get really confused. Sometimes they break things.
As for the original question: office politics has more to do with your workplace than your specialty.
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I would like to submit Apollyon's comment for the SDN Quote of the week!
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Well, truth be told, I've been saying this for a whole lotta years!
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Quote of the decade(s).
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Any specialty that allows solo practice will have the option for less politics.
However, you need to realize, most specialties fit into "a system," ergo, involve politics.
The example I'll give is that solopreneurs in psychiatry is a great, doable gig. Minimal politics. However, my specific job is employed in an academic medical center. That has just as much (if not more) politics than any other specialty.
My advice - instead of loathing politics... Get good at it. It has way more to do with your quality of life than your actual skill in practice. In training, make sure you ask advice about how to 'git gud' about politics as well as training.
However, you need to realize, most specialties fit into "a system," ergo, involve politics.
The example I'll give is that solopreneurs in psychiatry is a great, doable gig. Minimal politics. However, my specific job is employed in an academic medical center. That has just as much (if not more) politics than any other specialty.
My advice - instead of loathing politics... Get good at it. It has way more to do with your quality of life than your actual skill in practice. In training, make sure you ask advice about how to 'git gud' about politics as well as training.
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Now I will too!
