what residency to go into if you don't like people

[Dire Straits]

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right off the bat, i hate rads, path, research, or teaching...so those are not things i'd even consider.

i am not much of a "people person" (to put it mildly). and most people think of me as a jerk or stuck-up because i don't bother taking the time to know them or associate with them....big F'ing deal. i just interact with people at the hospital only as much as i need to in order to get my work done. same goes with the patients. that being said, what specialty in your opinion would be most suitable for somebody like me? save the predictable "your attitude isn't right for medicine" garbage because i have too much loans to pay back to leave this crap profession right now. maybe after i pay off my loans and make some good money i'll do something better. but as for now i need to find a specialty like the rest of you chumps. your advice is well appreciated.

 

[USAF MD '05]

right off the bat, i hate rads, path, research, or teaching...so those are not things i'd even consider.

i am not much of a "people person" (to put it mildly). and most people think of me as a jerk or stuck-up because i don't bother taking the time to know them or associate with them....big F'ing deal. i just interact with people at the hospital only as much as i need to in order to get my work done. same goes with the patients. that being said, what specialty in your opinion would be most suitable for somebody like me? save the predictable "your attitude isn't right for medicine" garbage because i have too much loans to pay back to leave this crap profession right now. maybe after i pay off my loans and make some good money i'll do something better. but as for now i need to find a specialty like the rest of you chumps. your advice is well appreciated.

If you hate people, and you hate the above listed specialties, and you hate medicine in general, I would do a transitional year, get my license, and do a consulting gig in the corporate world. God knows, you screwed up when you went to school, Medicine doesn't want you any more than you want it. Good luck.

 

[Solideliquid]

When you say this crap profession, I wonder why you are wasting your time.

Well, you already listed the main fields for the "people hater" in all of us. Some other good ones are surgery or anesthesia. With those two, 90% of the time you are working with patients who are asleep.

 

[Dire Straits]

When you say this crap profession, I wonder why you are wasting your time.

Well, you already listed the main fields for the "people hater" in all of us. Some other good ones are surgery or anesthesia.

because i didn't realize what a sham this profession was until i hit 3rd year. now i've realized it and also realized that i'm in far too much debt from undergrad + med school to bail out now that i'm so close to finishing. at least working for some time as a doctor will give me a secure job that will allow me to pay back the money i owe and make good money on top of that. after that, i'm bailing and doing something else. so i just need to find a specialty i can tolerate until that time.

 

[PTOSIS]

def not surgery, some of the most compassionate docs are surgeons. try radiology.

 

[Dire Straits]

what about pm&r?

agreed about surgery....takes too long just to get out of residency and start making decent money. plus the work hours post-residency blow.

 

[jolene]

I mean this as helpful advice and not a flame. You need to see a psychiatrist/minister/compassionate friend and get some help. With that attitude, you are doomed to a miserable existence no matter what you choose. Enjoying your work is important. Don't blast me, I speak the truth. You may not want to hear it.

 

[Dire Straits]

I mean this as helpful advice and not a flame. You need to see a psychiatrist/minister/compassionate friend and get some help. With that attitude, you are doomed to a miserable existence no matter what you choose. Enjoying your work is important. Don't blast me, I speak the truth. You may not want to hear it.

jolene...i appreciate the advice. there are other things i enjoy doing outside of medicine, but as of now i am in too much debt from undergrad + med school for those to be feasible career options. maybe after i pay off my loans and make some money i will consider them. but for now i need to find a specialty that will minimize my grief until i bail out.

 

[golgi]

jolene...i appreciate the advice. there are other things i enjoy doing outside of medicine, but as of now i am in too much debt from undergrad + med school for those to be feasible career options. maybe after i pay off my loans and make some money i will consider them. but for now i need to find a specialty that will minimize my grief until i bail out.

Dude, sorry you feel that way. I sympathize with you and it sucks being forced to deal with it just because of debt. Well, I think the perfect thing for you is Emergency Medicine. Just work your 8-10 hr shifts (I think ER residency limits work hrs to 60/wk) and get the hell out. I know many attendings who just work 3 12 hr shifts/wk sometimes less. They get paid relatively well. Many (I didn't say all) of the ER docs I know definitely aren't "peopoly people" - they see a patient for 3 minutes and then either discharge them or have medicine/surgery admit them. They love that there is no BS continuity of care. They are cynical and rant about about medicine nonstop. However, because they work only 3 days /wk they have the opporutnity to do many wonderful things in their spare time like real estate, business, publishing, etc...or just sit around, drink beer and watch tv. If I were you I would seriously consider the field - residency is relatively laid back, lifestyle is good and gives you the time/opportunity to explore other avenues of income which you could pursue 100% post-MD retirement. Wish you all the best...

PS - For all you ER docs out there - I know many who really love working with people but there is definitely room for the cynics...

 

[billydoc]

Yeah it's a tough one.
I know it's too late, but when you first applied to school ehat did you see yourself doing? I'm not judging you, but sometimes it's helpful to go back in order to figure out how to go forward.I'd say pick the lesser of two "evils".Who do you hate the most living people or dead people.Rads vs path. I mean...you know you've got to pick your fight here. Alternately pick something more or less low key like FM. At least it's short compare to everything else outthere, and you may have some free time to start working on your next career. Write down all the option, don't just keep them in your head. You'll come up with something. Look at it as just going through the divorce. Doesn't have to be nasty. Just pay your "child support" 😀 and enjoy your new life.It's not the end of the World.
Good Luck to you!

 

[edfig99]

Yeah it's a tough one.
I know it's too late, but when you first applied to school ehat did you see yourself doing? I'm not judging you, but sometimes it's helpful to go back in order to figure out how to go forward.I'd say pick the lesser of two "evils".Who do you hate the most living people or dead people.Rads vs path. I mean...you know you've got to pick your fight here. Alternately pick something more or less low key like FM. At least it's short compare to everything else outthere, and you may have some free time to start working on your next career. Write down all the option, don't just keep them in your head. You'll come up with something. Look at it as just going through the divorce. Doesn't have to be nasty. Just pay your "child support" 😀 and enjoy your new life.It's not the end of the World.
Good Luck to you!

FM low key? are you kidding? FM is the most "people oriented" specialty of them all and is a sure way to drive the OP to slice his wrists!

to the OP -- consider looking into something like a consulting firm that loves recruiting MDs, even those right out of school and without a residency -- become some type of consultant, get your MBA and you'll be able to make more money than you would have as a physician and repay your debt. you can consider law school as well...since you have so much debt, a little more won't make a difference and again, you'll make much more as a lawyer than a doctor -- particularly as a lawyer with an MD (even without residency training). Finally, you can do what a classmate of mine did...started internship, hated it, joined a venture capital firm and is making a good chunk of change and lovin' life.

otherwise, you'll have to see what you hate more -- path/rads or "people specialties".

 

[Quixotic]

Hey, there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. Hell, I didn't go into medicine because I have big heart either. I would recommend either ER or Anesthesia. In ER you only see the patients for a few minutes and much of the time they won't even remember meeting you after they leave. Anesthesia because the people are asleep most of the time plus you get good money and have great hours. Paying back the loans should be on top of your list. If you live frugally and invest correctly, you should be able to easily retire with 8-10 years after finishing residency.

 

[chicamedica]

Hey, there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. Hell, I didn't go into medicine because I have big heart either. I would recommend either ER or Anesthesia. In ER you only see the patients for a few minutes and much of the time they won't even remember meeting you after they leave. Anesthesia because the people are asleep most of the time plus you get good money and have great hours. Paying back the loans should be on top of your list. If you live frugally and invest correctly, you should be able to easily retire with 8-10 years after finishing residency.

that's BAD advice. For both of those specialties, you need to like working with people a lot (and be GOOD at it), because you have to be able to make a strong trusting relationship with the patient in a matter of seconds/minutes, and these are patients you've never met before. You don't have a 1 hour initial appt to spend getting to know them, like clinicians do.

If you go into EM or anesthesia looking to avoid communicating/dealing with patients, you're in for a bitter life.

I vote for rads or path for you, like some others said. The money for those sure wont disappoint. Or, better yet go into venture capital or medical consulting.

EDIT: just saw edfig's post. . .obviously i agree with him 😀

 

[Dire Straits]

chica, i've already said rads and path are definetly out...can't stand either one of them. so far EM sounds like the best option, followed by maybe anesthesia. anybody know about pm&r?

 

[Solideliquid]

I've never rotated in PM&R but I imagine you would have as much patient contact as FP or maybe the IM specialities.

Then again I'm not too sure.

 

[colforbinMD]

PM&R you spend alot of your time dealing with chronic pain patients who are often miserable and hate their lives. You might have some common ground with them. As for EM you would certainly not last a year let alone 3. In the ED you not only often see the worst of people but you must deal with them no matter what. You have to see all patients coming to you without exception by federal law (EMTALA) and what I would imagine would be even worse for you in the ED you would have to work with countless other medical professionals from the techs, to the nurses, to the radiologists, to the consultants. ALL an ED doctor does ALL SHIFT LONG is talk to/deal with other people. Please for both our sakes don't even think about EM
My suggestion other then echoeing the prievious one of seeking help would be to consider the consultant position allready mentioned or perhaps medical journalism. Lot's of money to be had there dealing only with your typewriter.

 

[ThinkFast007]

i mean if u relaly hate working with ppl...PMnR isnt bad. I mean most of the work is done by the physical therapy/occupational therapy. you basically sit back and just boss them around. Also they have tonsssss of spare time. I mean the guys over at my school r literally just on teh internet trading stocks or whatever while the PT/OT does the work. Also unlike anesthesia or EM you really cant 'kill someone' by overlooking something acutely. I mean sure there might be a spinal cord problem or somethign but hey its called neurosurg consult or neurology consult. So all in all, it pays ok, TONS of time, not to much ppl exposre..

 

[GeneralVeers]

EM is definitely not the place for him. As an Emergency Medicine resident (and a cynical one at that) I like most of my people interactions. I like conferring with other specialists, talking with the nurses, and yes, even interacting with the patients (at least the ones not on crack or intoxicated).

This guy needs to stay as far away from Emergency Medicine as possible, for his sake and the sake of his patients.

 

[realruby2000]

Dude, sorry you feel that way. I sympathize with you and it sucks being forced to deal with it just because of debt. Well, I think the perfect thing for you is Emergency Medicine. Just work your 8-10 hr shifts (I think ER residency limits work hrs to 60/wk) and get the hell out. I know many attendings who just work 3 12 hr shifts/wk sometimes less. They get paid relatively well. Many (I didn't say all) of the ER docs I know definitely aren't "peopoly people" - they see a patient for 3 minutes and then either discharge them or have medicine/surgery admit them. They love that there is no BS continuity of care. They are cynical and rant about about medicine nonstop. However, because they work only 3 days /wk they have the opporutnity to do many wonderful things in their spare time like real estate, business, publishing, etc...or just sit around, drink beer and watch tv. If I were you I would seriously consider the field - residency is relatively laid back, lifestyle is good and gives you the time/opportunity to explore other avenues of income which you could pursue 100% post-MD retirement. Wish you all the best...

PS - For all you ER docs out there - I know many who really love working with people but there is definitely room for the cynics...

This is a very inaccurate post. If you are not a people person, you will want to kill yourself after just 1 er shift. You have to put up with people from all walks of life and then you have to talk to consultants CONSTANTLY and especially if you're gonnna admit and then put up with patient's bull**** b/c they were in the waiting room for 8 hours ...you have to be a people person in em...you can be as cynical as you want in private....I know More cynical IM guys than EM. residency isNOT as laid back b/c you have an ass load of off service rotations when ur not in the ED. So either way, EM will force you to talk with people and you will have to put up with a lot of ****.

I agree with one of the other posters...the best thing for you is to do a trans year and get the hell out.

 

[bigdan]

You could switch to the dark side and consult/lecture for drug companies. Or, hell, sell yourself to the devil and do the "medical reviews" for medmal lawyers.

dc

 

[tigershark]

Anesthesia.

Reasonable residency length, tolerable level of patient interaction, excellent pay immediately after residency.

 

[bulgethetwine]

Hey, there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. Hell, I didn't go into medicine because I have big heart either. I would recommend either ER or Anesthesia. In ER you only see the patients for a few minutes and much of the time they won't even remember meeting you after they leave. Anesthesia because the people are asleep most of the time plus you get good money and have great hours. Paying back the loans should be on top of your list. If you live frugally and invest correctly, you should be able to easily retire with 8-10 years after finishing residency.

To be armed with this attitude and to enter into EM is the most idiotic thing I've heard since the post about wanting to stay in medicine simply because this guy's debt was so high.

Oh, wait a minute, I'm still in the same TWILIGHT ZONE THREAD!!!

Try computer science.

 

[chicamedica]

chica, i've already said rads and path are definetly out...can't stand either one of them. so far EM sounds like the best option, followed by maybe anesthesia. anybody know about pm&r?

Well, like I said, anesthesia requires you to be very compassionate and very good at establishing an immediate rapport with the patient. Patients you'll be dealing with are nervous and scared, going into surgery (which is a frightening experience). You'll be dealing with the patient's family too, who will also be worried, sometimes more worried about the anesthesia than the actual surgery. You have to actually like working with people and have a lot of empathy to make this rapport and help everyone feel at ease (and trust you). Even when the patient is unconscious, you have to actually care about them. otherwise, like someone said, it's very easy to kill someone, God forbid. The anesthesiologist is the patient's guardian. You also have to be a great team player because a lot of the work is cooperation with lots of your colleagues. Code resuscitation, for example. That is not a one-person job. Do a rotation, you'll see.

Don't go into this field only to become a disgrace to it. Most anesthesiologists I've worked with are some of the most personable people in the hospital and truly love working with people. The ones who went into it only for the money/lifestyle because they didn't like any field are the ones who are the most bitter--they stick out like a sore thumb and noone likes working with them.

EM, as several others have said, is totally out for you.

I said rads or path, simply because those ARE the only fields that provide no patient contact. Some people think anesthesia is, but many dont know what anesthesia is really like. It's a behind the scenes job, and they are the kind of people who dont care about recognition.

But yeah, I agree with the person who said CS. I'd say research, except clinical research requires you to see patients. Either that or like i said before. . .medical consulting or venture capital (someone from last year's class at my school went into that immediately after getting his MD).

 

[VentdependenT]

Anesthesia.

Reasonable residency length, tolerable level of patient interaction, excellent pay immediately after residency.

I'd probably avoid Anesthesiology and shoot right for the radiology position. You should be able to make your pt feel at ease and if you don't give a $hit these people will panic for fear of just being a body with a surgeons signature on it. Paniced people will sue your a$$ off if something goes wrong.

Plus you have to deal with an insane number of personalities in order to keep the OR running smooth. Lots of people behind the scenes let alone dealing with potentially malignant primadonna attitudes of some of your medical peers.

Rads, yah you have to take phone consults but its people asking for your opinion. Kind of nice. You have the final word. You do your stuff and get the hell out. If that gets a little to regimented then IR can be persued. Rads is a challenging field and required lots of reading but it allows you to be fairly insular if thats whats desired....plus the pay is pretty outstanding.

OR you could just shoot for DERM. My dermatologists I've seen took about 2min-5min to examine, diagnose, and treat me....then they are gone like a tumbleweed after the door slammed. Can be lucrative. The epitome of a consultants field.

Medical consulting sounds interesting but I just don't know enough about it to make any sort of recommendation.

 

[trixmd]

You might consider doing a prev med residency and going into pharma. Usually they like people with lots of experience in a clinical specialty (cardio, pulm, etc - the other "-ologies" which use chemistry to keep people alive). However, they also like doctor types with good solid backgrounds in epidemiology, with publications.

Check out the various pharm companies job listings..

Good Luck -

Trix

 

[Stinger86]

It's a shame you don't like rads or path.

If you decide you don't like PM&R either, you're in trouble.

Good luck

 

[Mike59]

Pathology rocks man, do it!...

Pathology is intellectual, you truly learn about disease and your brain IS the gold standard for diagnosis. It's a sweet gig that pays well and if you ever have to deal with a patient, it's because they're flat out on the autopsy table. In addition, you're a "doctor's doctor", highly respected by all your hospital colleagues since you are making diagnoses for them day in day out.

Problem solved?

 

[lvspro]

Hey dire
I gotta agree w/chicamedica, and ventdependent about not choosing anesthesia. All the anesthesiologists I've met are exceptionally good at social interactions, and quite compassionate to boot. One of the things that turns people to anes. is the "brief but intense" relationships with the pt. These pts are typically scared out of their wits about going under the knife. Nothing would be worse for these pt's than a "I'm just here to do my job" physician in the perioperative period. It increases liability, and slows perceived healing time. As much as you hate rads/path... if you can get in you would be much better off doing one of these. Tons of $$$, lots of free time, no Pt interaction, and minimal contact with other people... relatively speaking.

 

[edfig99]

one other field to consider, if your somewhat tech oriented...
biomedical informatics. so still keep a toe in medicine but the other 9 thinking +/- programming and problem solving. involves a team mentality, but not nearly what's required in the hospital. otherwise, with any of the other mentioned specialties that involve patient care + your attitude re: "people" = multiple lawsuits and your increasing liability for a medical staff.

 

[WilcoWorld]

So far EM, Surgery, and Family Med have been suggested for the person who doesn't like working with people. This advice is so great I'm surprised I haven't see Psych suggested yet.

I know that you want to pay off your debts, that's respectable, but who ever said you had to do it through clinical medicine? I think you are being penny wise & pound foolish. It's been said by many practicioners that patients are more likely to sue docs they don't like than the docs who give them bad care. There is even some evidence to support this. So, if you practice medicine to pay down $200k of debt, but rack up a cool million in law-suits while you're at it, you are not making financial sense. That's not to say anything of the minimum of 3 years you'll spend in residency rather than in some other, more lucrative venture.

Yes, you are in deep, but there are other ways out that don't include a clinical practice. The consulting gigs mentioned above are just some of them. I urge you to pursue those instead of any residency, no matter how many sociopaths are reportedly successful in those fields.

BTW/FYI: The most cynical attending in my EM program says some really stunning stuff in the charting room, but when he's in with the patients his demeanor is tremendously kind. In EM we learn how to shift gears quickly, so what you hear from us in the lounge & on these forums may not be very representative of what our patients see.

 

[(nicedream)]

Venture capital? Doesn't that take, well...capital???

As far as anesthesia/EM - it's easy to fake being personable and compassionate for short periods. The OP didn't say he doesn't care about them - he said he's not a "people person" and dislikes people. You can dislike something and still care about it and respect it.

Of course rads would be ideal - maybe since you're only planning on doing it a few years anyway you should just tough it out in this. Lots of $$$.

 

[Mirror Form]

chica, i've already said rads and path are definetly out...can't stand either one of them.

So you don't like working with people, but you also don't like not working with people. Great! Maybe you just don't like any kind of work?

 

[shorrin]

def not surgery, some of the most compassionate docs are surgeons. try radiology.

Have you ever been in an OR? 😉

 

[Dire Straits]

As far as anesthesia/EM - it's easy to fake being personable and compassionate for short periods. The OP didn't say he doesn't care about them - he said he's not a "people person" and dislikes people. You can dislike something and still care about it and respect it.

yeah, i can put on a charade of caring for a limited amount of time. that's how i'm getting through/putting up with med school.

that being said, i've heard about just doing an internship and then working as a doctor in a clinic. that way i wouldn't have to go through a full residency and could start making decent money a year out of med school. plus i could work part-time as a doctor while pursuing other interests. yeah i know i'd be working basically as a "GP" seeing mostly the type of patients a family physician would see...but i figure as long as i have the option of working part-time, making a steady income to pay off my loans ASAP and also have the time to purse other interests then it won't be as bad.

also, does anybody know about working for an insurance company doing insurance physicals and claims...do you need to be board certified for that or can you just have done an internship?

 

[billydoc]

Dude,this post basicaly vindicates me when I suggested FM.Everybody thinks it's idiotic.But remember I also said you're gonna have to pick your fights.The hours in FM compare to just aboutanything outthere...not so bad.Which means you don't have to wait until you're out of residency completely. so may be you could start working on your other projects right away.Either way you slice it, you will have to work with patients,families, staff etc. Take the easiest and the shortest way out.If you're not going to stick with the profession,then why prolong the agony? FM is getting much easier (in some programs) after the internship year,and you don't have to get yourself in some cut-troat competetive,and very envolved fields,where you may not even last to finish them.Do something light,and if it's something serious you refer it out.But you don't need to be a superdoc,and you'll make the transition easier for you,and hopefuly won't kill any of your patients in the proccess.
May force be with you, and may G-d protect all of your patients. 😀

yeah, i can put on a charade of caring for a limited amount of time. that's how i'm getting through/putting up with med school.

that being said, i've heard about just doing an internship and then working as a doctor in a clinic. that way i wouldn't have to go through a full residency and could start making decent money a year out of med school. plus i could work part-time as a doctor while pursuing other interests. yeah i know i'd be working basically as a "GP" seeing mostly the type of patients a family physician would see...but i figure as long as i have the option of working part-time, making a steady income to pay off my loans ASAP and also have the time to purse other interests then it won't be as bad.

also, does anybody know about working for an insurance company doing insurance physicals and claims...do you need to be board certified for that or can you just have done an internship?

 

[f_w]

Please:
- take a year off
- see a shrink
- don't reconsider your position on radiology

You, your patients, the staff working with you and your colleagues are in for a miserable future.

People like you end up killing their patients during internship because that way they only have to dictate a discharge summary and not bother with prescriptions or home-care. Or more likely, they kill themselves, either through diversion of schedule II drugs or ETOH. Please, get help.

(How did you end up in medical school ? Are you from one of these traditional families where the free choice of professions means: rabbi/imman vs surgeon ?)

 

[sz]

OP, have you liked anything in the 3yrs of med school?
My suggestion, don't do residency at all, find a research job (not clinical) with some large biotech company ... with some legwork and a pinch of luck, it can actually pay very well.

If you MUST do a residency ... radiology suits you best ... and it would be a way more lucrative charade then FM.

 

[(nicedream)]

yeah, i can put on a charade of caring for a limited amount of time. that's how i'm getting through/putting up with med school.

that being said, i've heard about just doing an internship and then working as a doctor in a clinic. that way i wouldn't have to go through a full residency and could start making decent money a year out of med school. plus i could work part-time as a doctor while pursuing other interests. yeah i know i'd be working basically as a "GP" seeing mostly the type of patients a family physician would see...but i figure as long as i have the option of working part-time, making a steady income to pay off my loans ASAP and also have the time to purse other interests then it won't be as bad.

You made me think of maybe a good option. What about doing FM and then working in a free clinic part-time? You wouldn't make a ton of money, but you wouldn't even have to fake caring. The people you would be treating wouldn't have a choice of who to go to - and whatever care you would provide would be better than no care. Best of all, many of them wouldn't speak english - and people would think you were doing it out of altruism!!

 

[DOctorJay]

what about pm&r?

agreed about surgery....takes too long just to get out of residency and start making decent money. plus the work hours post-residency blow.

if you don't like people please do not go into PM&R. rads or path would be much better options. PM&R is all about the patient's function and you need to develop a long term relationship with them as well as be their number one advocate.

-J

 

[Dire Straits]

Please:
- take a year off
- see a shrink
- don't reconsider your position on radiology

You, your patients, the staff working with you and your colleagues are in for a miserable future.

People like you end up killing their patients during internship because that way they only have to dictate a discharge summary and not bother with prescriptions or home-care. Or more likely, they kill themselves, either through diversion of schedule II drugs or ETOH. Please, get help.

(How did you end up in medical school ? Are you from one of these traditional families where the free choice of professions means: rabbi/imman vs surgeon ?)

f_w, no need for you to get melodramatic. the doctors who kill themselves are usually the ones who've built their entire lives around their medical career...it's basically all they've got going for them. and if they run into a major problem with their career it permeates into their entire life since they don't have much going for them outside of medicine. as long as you don't take it so seriously and see it as just another way to bring home a paycheck it's not that big of a deal. sure you had to study longer than most people to get there and you can glorify it for being bigger than what it really is if you want/need to make yourself feel better about putting up with all the hardships...but in the end it's a job you get a paycheck for doing like anybody else who gets up everyday to go to work.

since i will need to pay back these massive loans and have something to comfortably live on, i will need a stable job with a relatively high stable income so i can do just that. so if i at least do an intern year i can work as a doctor somewhere even if i don't finish residency. and doing an intern year will always allow me to come back to work in a clinic or as a locum doctor if i need the money in the future. but it's not something i'm going to put my entire life into.

p.s. and to answer your other question...no i don't come from a family of doctors or anything like that. if i did i would plead with them to pay off my loans so i could bail and never look back. 🙂

 

[f_w]

Looks like I hit a nerve there. You need help, professional help, and you seem to know it.

How in the world did you end up in medical school ?

 

[Dire Straits]

Looks like I hit a nerve there. You need help, professional help, and you seem to know it.

great, the old "i hit a nerve" response. maybe it was me who "hit a nerve" in you by saying the stuff about people who build their entire lives around medicine. perhaps you are one of them and that is why you are taking it so personally...maybe.

How in the world did you end up in medical school ?

just like how a lot of people got into med school...good grades, good MCAT score, token volunteer work, told them what they wanted to hear at my interviews, etc. don't take it so personal, not everybody is in this profession to be a martyr.

 

[f_w]

Sorry, the question should have been: Why did you decide to go through all the steps to get into medschool if there is nothing about medicine you like ?

(Btw. I had a life before medicine, I continue to have a life outside of medicine and if I ever get bored with my profession, I won't have a problem to move on to something else. No martyr here.)

 

[Lemont]

Anesthesiology --- you do not have to deal with patients as much as people are trying to make it out. There are people in every specialty who exagerrate how much they have to work with patients. I have heard some pathologists refer to themselves as a 'patient-oriented' specialty because they make decisions on frozen samples sent to them from surgery.

"Hi, I'm Dr. ___. I am the anesthesiologist for your operation. I know you might be feeling anxious about your operation today, but let me assure you that we will take very good care of you. I'm now going to put this mask over your face and you will start getting sleepy"

"Hi, it's me Dr.___ again. The operation went fine and you're waking up now"


That's about it most of the time.

 

[GasEmDee]

Sorry, the question should have been: Why did you decide to go through all the steps to get into medschool if there is nothing about medicine you like ?

(Btw. I had a life before medicine, I continue to have a life outside of medicine and if I ever get bored with my profession, I won't have a problem to move on to something else. No martyr here.)

In medicine, it can be easy to trudge on in the training process without evaluating whether or not the career choice makes sense. Not every step of training gives you a complete picture of the next (e.g., basic sciences classes dont give you a full picture of your clinical years in medical school, which themselves dont give a complete view of residency, etc.) I think it takes a tremendous amount of courage to realize late in the training process that medicine may not be the right choice, given how much has been invested.

You said you have had a life prior to medicine. Not everyone finds their life calling on their first attempt.

The OP has come to a realization about himself and has asked for earnest advice. I think he deserves a fair response that is not laden with melodrama or self-righteousness. He would not be the only person on earth to have questioned his career choice .

 

[chicamedica]

Anesthesiology --- you do not have to deal with patients as much as people are trying to make it out. There are people in every specialty who exagerrate how much they have to work with patients. I have heard some pathologists refer to themselves as a 'patient-oriented' specialty because they make decisions on frozen samples sent to them from surgery.

"Hi, I'm Dr. ___. I am the anesthesiologist for your operation. I know you might be feeling anxious about your operation today, but let me assure you that we will take very good care of you. I'm now going to put this mask over your face and you will start getting sleepy"

"Hi, it's me Dr.___ again. The operation went fine and you're waking up now"


That's about it most of the time.

Except, the OR is not the only place the anesthesiologist works with the patient. There are pre-ops on the floor, ICU care, talking to families (including in such situations where the patient almost dies in the OR--or DOES die). Countless ethical issues have to be dealt with. Point is, you really have to care for and like the patient. Another concern is that you will not fit in well with the culture of this specialty.

Surgery would be more your style, I think. Lots of "non-people" people there. Short but sweet encounters with the patient. Point is, you're allowed to be curt and taciturn as a surgeon, because people expect that.

 

[Annoyances]

Except, the OR is not the only place the anesthesiologist works with the patient. There are pre-ops on the floor, ICU care, talking to families (including in such situations where the patient almost dies in the OR--or DOES die). Countless ethical issues have to be dealt with. Point is, you really have to care for and like the patient. Another concern is that you will not fit in well with the culture of this specialty.

Surgery would be more your style, I think. Lots of "non-people" people there. Short but sweet encounters with the patient. Point is, you're allowed to be curt and taciturn as a surgeon, because people expect that.

I am in intern now and every day I question why I went into this freaking field. It's gotten to the point where I hate it. I too can't wait until I end make enough money to pay off my huge debt and then may do something else with my life. I despise it. I've only been an intern for a bit but I feel completely jaded by medicine.

 

[Doczilla]

Dire-
I agree with some of the above posts. Take some time off and step back from the decisions at hand. Perhaps with a little R&R, you'll be able to see a little better what choices are more appealing. I've noticed that senior residents and attendings tend to confide their worries and frustrations in the medical students. This unfortunately serves only to discourage the students, and it's something that as we advance in our careers we should avoid doing.

That said...
Forget EM. More than any other specialty, in EM you have to have a very close working relationship with the nursing staff (not that close, pervert). If you are not a "people person", they will read it immediately and dedicate their lives to making you miserable. You've go to be nice, not just on the surface but deep down as well. Also, as an ER doc, you will set the tone for the patient's interaction with the healthcare system. You can positively or negatively influence their attitude over the whole admission.

EM relies on patient compliance more than many specialties. If you're sending someone home, they have to understand when it's time to come back to the ER or something terrible might happen to them. They have to take their antibiotics or the cellulitis could become septic arthritis or sepsis. You as the ER doc have to impress this upon them, and that's infinitely easier if they like you. Disposition in an ER paitient sometimes takes some creative thinking, especially if the patient doesn't want to be admitted. Proper dispo will save lives and improve satisfaction. If you just don't give a s#it, this will elude you.

PM&R is about motivating patients and relieving pain, two things you really seem to have no interest in doing. I would avoid this.

Can't speak authoritatively on doing anesthesia, so I'll let some of the others here reflect on that. Many of them do consults for pain management, so a little compassion will go a long way.

Doing physicals for insurance companies pays decently if you do a lot of them and requires a license, i.e., an internship. No liability here either. You won't get rich quick doing this but it beats working at Wal Mart.

You may also consider being a medical director for a spa, CPR/AED training center, or school. Many organizations require minimal "oversight" from an MD in order to sell AEDs, have lifeguards, have school nurses, etc. Choose wisely, because you wouldn't want to get tied up in a great deal of liability. Being a medical director for an EMS would be a bad idea for you.

Other jobs that may interest you:
On site doc for large industrial operations, construction sites, movies, etc. Medical consultant for a publisher. Consultant for a law firm (in a limited capacity. To truly be useful, you would need to be board certified in a specialty.) Get your fingers in enough of these pies and it might add up to full time work.

Hope this helps. Good luck in whatever you do.

'zilla

 

[yaah]

You say you hate (or won't do) radiology or pathology, but why?

A couple of the above comments misrepresent pathology a little (as they always do). Nearly 100% of path deals with living patients, unless you do a lot of autopsies or are a forensic pathologist.

And there is occasional patient contact in path (doing FNAs or bone marrow biopsies) although in general you don't have to do these in practice.

Anyone who is going into path for reasons other than liking the field is going to be sorely disappointed and bitter.

 

[cytoborg]

You say you hate (or won't do) radiology or pathology, but why?

A couple of the above comments misrepresent pathology a little (as they always do). Nearly 100% of path deals with living patients, unless you do a lot of autopsies or are a forensic pathologist.

And there is occasional patient contact in path (doing FNAs or bone marrow biopsies) although in general you don't have to do these in practice.

Anyone who is going into path for reasons other than liking the field is going to be sorely disappointed and bitter.

I was just waiting for someone from the path forum to chime in. 😀

The only thing I would add is that path is very people-oriented in the sense that we are consultants to other physicians and often supervisors/managers of laboratory staff, so we are constantly interacting with a people in virtually every department and need to enjoy the challenge of getting along with a diverse array of personalities. I don't think any specialty in medicine can get away from being "people-oriented," it's just a matter of what population you are dealing with. Whether you are convincing a patient to take his BP meds or convincing a surgeon he is STILL not in the lesion...you gotta like people to at least some degree or you will be miserable.