What specialty would suit me best?

[reree17]

*inb4 'wait until med school to decide' lecture - I know that its a bit early to decide on specialties, and I am aware that I would likely change my mind once I do rotations. I'm just intrigued about specialties, that's all*

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
7) I can work for long periods of time
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
9) I like babies
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
12) I would love to work on the face

Serious answers please.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Have you done any shadowing yet? Get some experience with different specialties and then decide how you feel. Youl have no way of knowing whether or not these specialties interest you without seeing them for yourself.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

*inb4 'wait until med school to decide' lecture - I know that its a bit early to decide on specialties, and I am aware that I would likely change my mind once I do rotations. I'm just intrigued about specialties, that's all*

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
7) I can work for long periods of time
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
9) I like babies
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
12) I would love to work on the face

Serious answers please.

Might want to rephrase that one for the personal statement

 

[DeltaPlaya]

yes

 

[TheMightySmiter]

*inb4 'wait until med school to decide' lecture - I know that its a bit early to decide on specialties, and I am aware that I would likely change my mind once I do rotations. I'm just intrigued about specialties, that's all*

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
7) I can work for long periods of time
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
9) I like babies
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
12) I would love to work on the face

Serious answers please.

To number 4...uh...something other than medicine? Being brutal here, but medicine is not really a career for family-oriented people. I'm sure you've already thought about this so I won't harp on it too much, but there aren't many specialties that have hours suitable for a family-oriented life. You've already ruled out a couple of them (derm, rads). You can pretty much say goodbye to surgery of any kind if you want a lot of time to spend with family. Maybe EM? Ophthalmology?

 

[JESSFALLING]

Your criteria are very limiting...these seem to be the only ones that fit.

Gynecology and obstetrics,
Ophthalmology,
ENT,
Pediatric gastroenterology,
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine,
Plastic Surgery,
and maybe Urology

#4 is pretty unrealistic, esp. in MS/residency. Medicine is itself a lifestyle. Lovers love, haters hate.

 

[reree17]

To number 4...uh...something other than medicine? Being brutal here, but medicine is not really a career for family-oriented people. I'm sure you've already thought about this so I won't harp on it too much, but there aren't many specialties that have hours suitable for a family-oriented life. You've already ruled out a couple of them (derm, rads). You can pretty much say goodbye to surgery of any kind if you want a lot of time to spend with family. Maybe EM? Ophthalmology?

What is plastics like? I have always liked plastics.

 

[Donald Juan]

Emergency medicine. Long shifts, but lots of days off, usually not on call.

Although, I'm not sure about how you say you have issues with skin wounds, but you would like to cut up bodies. Am I to understand you only like skin wounds that you yourself have inflicted?

 

[NewYorker9]

Time commitment could potentially be an issue for you with almost any field, with family medicine and peds probably offering you the best schedule. If you disregard the time issue, maybe you should think about plastics or ENT? Just shadow a bunch of physicians, you never actually know until you try it

 

[LizzyM]

Tools? Faces? Pressure? Long periods? Middle of the night assignments?

Consider anesthesiology. You don't get to cut into people but you do get to stick stuff down their throats and into their veins, too. (Also spinals if you do labor analgesia or some sugeries and chronic pain management treatments)

Lots of tools and technical stuff. Scheduled time on and time off. A little call but not much. It has been a women-friendly specialty for as long as women have been going into medicine.

 

[reree17]

Everyone is saying I should disregard spending quality time with my family. I may be willing to make the sacrifice, but how could I balance my home life and work life? If I was to do surgery, how much time would I spend with my family?

 

[reree17]

Tools? Faces? Pressure? Long periods? Middle of the night assignments?

Consider anesthesiology. You don't get to cut into people but you do get to stick stuff down their throats and into their veins, too. (Also spinals if you do labor analgesia or some sugeries and chronic pain management treatments)

Lots of tools and technical stuff. Scheduled time on and time off. A little call but not much. It has been a women-friendly specialty for as long as women have been going into medicine.

Sounds perfect What other aspects does it have? Would I be able to be satisfied enough in this field if it meant I couldn't perform surgery and cut people?

 

[Web MD]

Wait until med school to decide

 

[reree17]

Wait until med school to decide

 

[AntiHouseMD]

The point to remember is that you have a lot of time to decide what type of doctor you want to become. There's no need to stress over it now.

Anesthesiology involves a lot of body processes and chemistry. This website has a few profiles on anesthesiologists and may be able to help you out.

http://anesthesiology.duke.edu/modules/anes_day/index.php?id=1

 

[JESSFALLING]

Everyone is saying I should disregard spending quality time with my family. I may be willing to make the sacrifice, but how could I balance my home life and work life? If I was to do surgery, how much time would I spend with my family?

I don't think that anyone should disregard family. It's essential though that they be on the same page with you and that they realize that becoming a physician is a long, challenging process which will fatigue the 'best of them' at times. I second the poster above that Family Medicine might provide you with a nice lifestyle (although it doesn't meet all of your other criteria) because the hours are controllable. Some Family Meds also do Obstetrics/Minor Surgery...esp. in rural areas. This could give you a wide range of practice options which you could adjust over the course of your career to meet your/family's needs. Additionally, FM is only a 3 year residency.

If you really want more OR time, then you should also really consider LizzyM's suggestion...



Life is a often a trade-off. What is your motivation for becoming a doc in the first place?

 

[Geekchick921]

ENT was my first thought.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

What is plastics like? I have always liked plastics.

Everyone is saying I should disregard spending quality time with my family. I may be willing to make the sacrifice, but how could I balance my home life and work life? If I was to do surgery, how much time would I spend with my family?

You might be able to get away with having better hours in plastics than in other surgical subspecialties if you have your own practice, but the hours will still be tough. You have to do the surgeries, round on your patients, do paperwork, etc. etc. The vast majority of surgeons spend 60+ hours a week working.

Of course, those of us posting here aren't even in med school yet, so your best bet in researching specialties would be the specialty forums here.

 

[reree17]

I don't think that anyone should disregard family. It's essential though that they be on the same page with you and that they realize that becoming a physician is a long, challenging process which will fatigue the 'best of them' at times. I second the poster above that Family Medicine might provide you with a nice lifestyle (although it doesn't meet all of your other criteria) because the hours are controllable. Some Family Meds also do Obstetrics/Minor Surgery...esp. in rural areas. This could give you a wide range of practice options which you could adjust over the course of your career to meet your/family's needs. Additionally, FM is only a 3 year residency.

If you really want more OR time, then you should also really consider LizzyM's suggestion...



Life is a often a trade-off. What is your motivation for becoming a doc in the first place?

What obstetrics procedures do some family meds perform? Does this increase their salary?
My motivation for becoming a doc is too long, and a bit cliche. Basically the summary of it all is that I think health is one of the most significant aspects of our lives and if I was able to improve the health of someone that would be amazing, it was triggered from when I was 9 and just learnt first-aid at brownies, a 3 year old kid at the park fell of the swings and bruised his knee. I happened to have my kit on me and when I helped him the smile on his face gave me one of the best feelings I have ever had, to this day. Surgery I always find fascinating, I preferred watching operations to cartoons, lol. So yeah helping people is really the dominant factor. Also my dad is a doc (obs/gyne) and I admired what he did.

 

[LizzyM]

ENT was my first thought.

ENTs do have rather sweet hours because much of what they do is outpatient surgery these days (except some of the big cancer operations), they are doing some pretty neat stuff (see the front page of the Wall Street Journal today, July 8, 2011 for a cool story on growing an artificial esophogus in the lab from adult stem cells and inserting it into a pt in Sweden who would have otherwise died) , and they do use many tools and there is cutting!

OP, I think that if you can say that you want to check out some different specialties as a student but that you are interested in working with your hands and with tools and you are interested in the fixing and repairing side of medicine moreso than the diagnostic side (internal medicine), you'll be fine.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I'd say Anethes but they work long hours too.

 

[Algophiliac]

Ob/Gyn, this satisfies your long hours, work, ethic, etc., but you'd never see your lovely family. But lots of babies, though.

You have the work ethic, you seem to have a desire for things like surgery, but you have to be willing to budget your time between family and work to achieve any of these specialties you might be a fit for. Just wait until med school, you'll change your mind.

BUT, I do want to add that if you really do want fewer hours, wouldn't private practices or group practices be able to get shift work and the like?

 

[reree17]

I don't actually mind family meds if it means I will be able to spend some time with my family, however some friends have told me that for the salary, it isn't worth it.

 

[JESSFALLING]

One last thought...have you considered dentistry? Check out how it fits your criteria:

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
I'm thinking dentist here!
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
Root canals are a bit challenging (endodontists make bank!)
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
Important for any career
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
Dentists have a better lifestyle than most physicians for several reasons:
1. Most have 8-5 practices
2. Many work less than that
3. Dental work is almost always scheduled...so you can take the time off you need it
4. Dentists don't have to attend residency if they don't specialize
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
No prob here
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
Ditto 5)
7) I can work for long periods of time
Seems to conflict 4) a bit, but okay
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
Seems to conflict 4) a bit, but okay
9) I like babies
Pediatric Dentistry maybe for you!
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
Not much involvement here...unless you see an oral growth than needs a referral
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
Some dentists do oral surgery. If you want to do more, you can always become a maxillofacial surgeon later in life (check out Mayo's program)
12) I would love to work on the face
Teeth are attached to said face

 

[Geekchick921]

ENTs do have rather sweet hours because much of what they do is outpatient surgery these days (except some of the big cancer operations), they are doing some pretty neat stuff (see the front page of the Wall Street Journal today, July 8, 2011 for a cool story on growing an artificial esophogus in the lab from adult stem cells and inserting it into a pt in Sweden who would have otherwise died) , and they do use many tools and there is cutting!

OP, I think that if you can say that you want to check out some different specialties as a student but that you are interested in working with your hands and with tools and you are interested in the fixing and repairing side of medicine moreso than the diagnostic side (internal medicine), you'll be fine.

And you have the aspect of working with young children/babies (tubes and tonsillectomies) and potentially long, focused surgeries if you do a lot of facial trauma kind of stuff, appealing to 2, 7, 9 and 12 on her list.

 

[JESSFALLING]

I don't actually mind family meds if it means I will be able to spend some time with my family, however some friends have told me that for the salary, it isn't worth it.

Do you NEED more than $150-220K/year? If money is your motivation, then get an MBA and avoid the hassle of medical school.

 

[reree17]

One last thought...have you considered dentistry? Check out how it fits your criteria:

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
I'm thinking dentist here!
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
Root canals are a bit challenging (endodontists make bank!)
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
Important for any career
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
Dentists have a better lifestyle than most physicians for several reasons:
1. Most have 8-5 practices
2. Many work less than that
3. Dental work is almost always scheduled...so you can take the time off you need it
4. Dentists don't have to attend residency if they don't specialize
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
No prob here
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
Ditto 5)
7) I can work for long periods of time
Seems to conflict 4) a bit, but okay
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
Seems to conflict 4) a bit, but okay
9) I like babies
Pediatric Dentistry maybe for you!
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
Not much involvement here...unless you see an oral growth than needs a referral
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
Some dentists do oral surgery. If you want to do more, you can always become a maxillofacial surgeon later in life (check out Mayo's program)
12) I would love to work on the face
Teeth are attached to said face

I think I've fallen in love already Oral and maxillofacial surgeon caught my eye! What procedures do they usually carry out?

 

[reree17]

Do you NEED more than $150-220K/year? If money is your motivation, then get an MBA and avoid the hassle of medical school.

Money is not my motivation, at all. Look above for my actual motivation in a reply. My friends said that doctors in U.S make about $90,000 which I thought was..okay.

 

[AntiHouseMD]

I think I've fallen in love already Oral and maxillofacial surgeon caught my eye! What procedures do they usually carry out?

They remove teeth (wisdom in particular), insert dental implants, and do a lot of other procedures. They also bracket impacted teeth (I sadly have personal experience with this). It seems like a good career if you don't mind working with mouths and want to go into surgery.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Money is not my motivation, at all. Look above for my actual motivation in a reply. My friends said that doctors in U.S make about $90,000 which I thought was..okay.

They make a lot more than that. Try doing some research seeing what these different specialties ( as well at maxillofacial surgeon) do on a regular basis. As well as years for residencies and compensation.

 

[reree17]

They remove teeth (wisdom in particular), insert dental implants, and do a lot of other procedures. They also bracket impacted teeth (I sadly have personal experience with this). It seems like a good career if you don't mind working with mouths and want to go into surgery.

I don't mind mouths at all. It seems like a good career for me. However, I like ENT also. ENT also performs on the ear, nose, head and neck so it seems to offer more. What are the benefits/disadvantages of both ENT and oral/maxillofacial?

..wait, just realised, does maxillofacial mean you can perform on the face too?

 

[JESSFALLING]

Money is not my motivation, at all. Look above for my actual motivation in a reply. My friends said that doctors in U.S make about $90,000 which I thought was..okay.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialty_(medicine)

 

[JESSFALLING]

does maxillofacial mean you can perform on the face too?

Not to complicate this matter...but as a side note, any physician (i.e. a psychiatrist) is licensed to practice the full scope of medicine and surgery. Obviously, physicians should and do only practice in their respective areas of expertise, but this it isn't because of licensing limitations.

 

[AntiHouseMD]

Not to complicate this matter...but as a side note, any physician (i.e. a psychiatrist) is licensed to practice the full scope of medicine and surgery. Obviously, physicians should and do only practice in their respective areas of expertise, but this it isn't because of licensing limitations.

That's not completely right. They are allowed to practice medicine in any scope by licensing. BUT, malpractice insurance doesn't cover them and they face MASSIVE risks by practicing in an area outside of their residency. I would never suggest you practice outside of your residency simply because of the risks (think of losing millions in a malpractice lawsuit).

 

[AntiHouseMD]

I don't mind mouths at all. It seems like a good career for me. However, I like ENT also. ENT also performs on the ear, nose, head and neck so it seems to offer more. What are the benefits/disadvantages of both ENT and oral/maxillofacial?

..wait, just realised, does maxillofacial mean you can perform on the face too?

What do you mean, exactly?

In terms of ENT, you're not completely in surgery, however. I know someone who has Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MDDS), and she sees an ENT with the ears. Maxillofacial performs surgeries only on the mouth, but I would imagine have better hours. You're not always on call (complications from surgery, usually. I had a complication in which I needed to see the surgeon well after office hours).

 

[kexy]

I don't mind mouths at all. It seems like a good career for me. However, I like ENT also. ENT also performs on the ear, nose, head and neck so it seems to offer more. What are the benefits/disadvantages of both ENT and oral/maxillofacial?

..wait, just realised, does maxillofacial mean you can perform on the face too?

I briefly shadowed an OMFS surgeon and he did some REALLY cool things. Most of his practice was small procedures (wisdom teeth etc.) in his own office, but he had operating privileges in a nearby hospital and would sometimes do awesome, massive facial reconstructions (e.g., taking someone who is missing half their jaw and making them a new one).

He explained to me that OMFS actually has a lot of overlap with ENT and Plastics; they will often end up working together on (or fighting over) the same patients (cleft palates, facial trauma, reconstruction after oral or skin cancer removal, etc.)

 

[BigMac92]

Judging from the title, I'd say a tailor would suit you best.

Shameless puns aside,

I'd say EM

 

[JESSFALLING]

That's not completely right. They are allowed to practice medicine in any scope by licensing. BUT, malpractice insurance doesn't cover them and they face MASSIVE risks by practicing in an area outside of their residency. I would never suggest you practice outside of your residency simply because of the risks (think of losing millions in a malpractice lawsuit).

That's pretty much what I said...just a bit more descriptive, perhaps.

 

[235788]

Urology!!!!! I fell in love with it. Its highly competitive, but if your a male you'll love it. Not to say females dont -- it's just male dominated (like ortho)

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Serious answers please.

Obviously you will have a better idea during M3 and M4, but I think emergency reconstructive surgery might be interesting to you. For now, focus on making good grades and MCAT so you can make your dream a reality. Good luck!

 

[AntiHouseMD]

Quick thing to remember: if you do decide to become a oral surgeon, you will have to take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) in college to get into dental school rather than the MCAT with medical school.

 

[Web MD]

Money is not my motivation, at all. Look above for my actual motivation in a reply. My friends said that doctors in U.S make about $90,000 which I thought was..okay.

It's **** like this that blows my mind sometimes. You obviously lack life experience/maturity/insight into the world beyond highschool, and posting that you're not motivated by money followed by calling double the average American's salary "ok" should've caused a logic error large enough to crash your computer. You're so many steps back from matching into a residency it's not even funny, first figure out if medicine is even a viable option, then worry about specialty

 

[tima]

True. First get into med school and then start deciding during the clinical years.

It's **** like this that blows my mind sometimes. You obviously lack life experience/maturity/insight into the world beyond highschool, and posting that you're not motivated by money followed by calling double the average American's salary "ok" should've caused a logic error large enough to crash your computer. You're so many steps back from matching into a residency it's not even funny, first figure out if medicine is even a viable option, then worry about specialty

 

[bassvp]

2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me

 

[postbacpremed87]

Yeah I was thinking ENT - Facial Plastics

Your criteria are very limiting...these seem to be the only ones that fit.

Gynecology and obstetrics,
Ophthalmology,
ENT,
Pediatric gastroenterology,
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine,
Plastic Surgery,
and maybe Urology

#4 is pretty unrealistic, esp. in MS/residency. Medicine is itself a lifestyle. Lovers love, haters hate.

 

[postbacpremed87]

That's definitely the bottom 5% of US physicians.

Money is not my motivation, at all. Look above for my actual motivation in a reply. My friends said that doctors in U.S make about $90,000 which I thought was..okay.

 

[UnclePhil]

1) I like to work with my hands and use tools
2) I like to work under pressure, it stimulates me
3) I have a very strong work ethic (I work very hard, too hard some complain)
4) I am a family-orientated person, I want to spend a lot of time with my husband and children
5) I'm not a fan of skin wounds (i.e dermatology)
6) Sitting in a dark room all day diagnosing diseases or seeing dead bodies isn't my kind of thing (pathology and radiology)
7) I can work for long periods of time
8) I have insomnia, so I can go long periods without sleep
9) I like babies
10) Cancer I find demoralising and
11) I like the idea of cutting up bodies and the body system in general
12) I would love to work on the face

Serious answers please.

1) Why are you asking a bunch of pre-meds? We don't know anything. For the most part, we haven't started medical school yet. And outside of LizzyM, any advice the rest of us can give is talking out of our ass or based on info that is 2nd hand at best.
2) Bullet points numbers 2, 3, 7, make me not sure if srs; bc you are in HS, how do you know if you like to work under the pressure that a doc does? How do you know that you can work long hours that a doc does? How do you even know that you have the work ethic needed? No offense, but because of where you are in life, these points are meaningless. If you can ramp these up to a higher level while in college, then that may indicate that med school could be right for you! But you are too far removed from even applying to med school, much less, picking a specialty, that these qualities... I'm not even sure they mean anything at this point.
3) On a related note, you do realize that working long hours without sleep means... you know, being away from your family... right?
4) EVERYONE finds cancer depressing. I guarantee you that doctors don't get up on their desks and dance a jig when they get a cancer case.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Urology!!!!! I fell in love with it. Its highly competitive, but if your a male you'll love it. Not to say females dont -- it's just male dominated (like ortho)

They will need to brush up on their penis jokes then. I thought this was a stereotype until i actually watched one perform surgery.

 

[AsianPersuasion]

I say ENT but that's because I'm biased and I'm interested in that

The job covers both the medical and surgical aspect which I'm really interested in and I shadowed an ENT who's super cool and relax.

You know what I notice, when I'm interested in a specialty and I shadow a doctor in that specialty, if they happen to be really down to earth, cool , relax funny etc it makes me wanna BE like them and like that specialty even more.

But when I meet that grouchy old urologist who doesn't speak a word to me and always sighing at his patients just make me hate urology lol anybody experienced that??

 

[XAJ]

You might like to be a Surgeon, because you can go long periods without sleep, you like anatomy/cutting up bodies, you like to work under pressure, and you have a strong work ethic. Although, a Surgeon's shifts can be very long, so that could be a deal breaker given that you are a Family-Oriented person.