What specialty would you have done if you hadn't done FM?

[deleted87716]

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The EM forum has a similar poll going...occasionally, they come up with a really good idea (the "...lead is shrinking" thread notwithstanding.) 😉

So...if you didn't go into family medicine, what would your next choice be?

For me, it probably would've been IM...I'm a generalist at heart.

 

[sophiejane]

Yep, IM for me too. Fell in love with cardiology...and really was still deciding down to the moment I certified my ERAS application...

But now I know I made the right choice for me. 🙂

Had a brief infatuation with OBGyn, but realized it wasn't the lifestyle I was looking for, and the culture surrounding the specialty was be one of the most malignant I've encountered (in my admittedly limited experience).

 

[iatrosB]

Although I haven't actually done FM yet (leaning heavily toward it), EM is my second choice. In fact, its still a toss-up at this point. I like them both very much...I have to be a generalist (breadth not depth of training), see all patients (couldn't do IM only), do procedures (but not surgery/hate the OR), time with my family, and a sense of altruism. They both meet my criteria thus far.

 

[lowbudget]

Oh, Peds.

After all that's said and done about board scores, procedures, pay, prestige, lifestyle, free time, intellectual challenge, bureaucracy... of the docs I'd met, Peds and FM were the happiest and most fulfilled.

 

[FamilyMD]

Oh, Peds.

After all that's said and done about board scores, procedures, pay, prestige, lifestyle, free time, intellectual challenge, bureaucracy... of the docs I'd met, Peds and FM were the happiest and most fulfilled.

This is the most important point. Look any physician satisfaction survey and FP's always rank top. Counterintuitive to what most would think. You see, in the final analysis, personal fulfillment is much more important at the end of the day...you'll just have to be satisfied with JUST $169k a year. 😉

That brings up a glaring point I find interesting. Medical students are freaking out and worried about FP's salary (average $169k/yr), yet read the pharm forum (average salary $100k with almost no room to go up from there), and yet you'd thought they hit gold. LOL, perceptions I guess.

 

[deleted87716]

Yep, IM for me too. Fell in love with cardiology

Cardiology is the only IM specialty that interested me. Lifestyle concerns, though. Big-time.

 

[andwhat]

Cardiology is the only IM specialty that interested me. Lifestyle concerns, though. Big-time.

IM and GI, man that would rock..... then again unidimensional, for the rest of my life... thats the only thing that held me back... plus its supercompetitive supposedly to get a GI fellowship slot nowadays.... but man thats a very nice lifestyle. Call sucks and hospital duties can be a drag, esp your 92 year old GI bleeder, with stents placed last week, chest pain, a defibrillator placed yesterday, who is ecchymotic everywhere from his INR being about 14 and nobody knows why - oh yeah maybe it was his azithromycin he was on the other day for that URI interacting with his Coumadin??!! who knows man....
but overall, upper endoscopies, colonoscopies and go home, that would be ideal, but real life doesnt work like that... as I mentioned, not a fan of hospitalist duties and call...
IM GI without call and hospitalist duties, now talk about a life man that would be amazing, procedures all day and excellent compensation... Cards is a bit rough of a lifestyle, but procedures are cool.... Cath lab is amazing...
I also like very much the OR, almost joined the so called "dark side" approximately one year ago, man I was hooked... luckily thought my way out of it.... it didnt help that I was on my FMC month directly after surgery back to back months, nothing but call call and more call and hospitalist duties during FMC month, and daily clinic..... ouch very very painful man..... and nauseating... Q2 at times.... Opthalmology, now theres another sweet one...
How about a thread entitled, what would you not touch even with a million dollar per year salary stick.... Ob Gyn...

 

[lateness]

Oh, Peds.

After all that's said and done about board scores, procedures, pay, prestige, lifestyle, free time, intellectual challenge, bureaucracy... of the docs I'd met, Peds and FM were the happiest and most fulfilled.

i agree, of most of the docs i know, i mean not residents but practicing for years, these two are the most happy. And they are really happy. All the surgeons and IMs i know, a lot in my family, every time i see them, they are complaining or very tired...

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Specialties I would consider:
Neurosurgery
Radiology
Plastic Surgery
Interventional Cardiology
Radiation Oncology
Hematology/Oncology
Invasive Cardiology
Pain Management
Urology
Pathology
Pediatric Cardiology
Non-invasive cardiology
Gastroenterology
Otorhinolaryngology
Ophthalmology
Medical Oncology
Dermatology
Anesthesiology
Peds Anesthesiology
Pediatric Critical Care
Neonatal Medicine
Emergency Medicine

 

[deleted87716]

Geez...what happened, DKM? You had narrowed it down more than that the last time. 😉

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I discovered new interests.

 

[sophiejane]

How about a thread entitled, what would you not touch even with a million dollar per year salary stick.... Ob Gyn...

I don't know, andwhat, it's kind of subtle, but do I sense an underlying hint of dislike toward obstetrics?

🙂

To each his own. That's the best part of FM. It's like a cafeteria. You always get a main course, but the sides are up to you...!

 

[Faebinder]

Wouldn't touch for a million dollars.... nothing. *blunt honesty* Okay okay maybe that Hep C, Hep B and AIDS patient who is bleeding on the floor... no i still would do it.

 

[andwhat]

I don't know, andwhat, it's kind of subtle, but do I sense an underlying hint of dislike toward obstetrics?

🙂

To each his own. That's the best part of FM. It's like a cafeteria. You always get a main course, but the sides are up to you...!

no Ob was cool, it was alright, but mainly my horrible preceptor ruined it for me, thanks to him, also ER, not very good attendings at times... but FM is really really nice.... mainly my medical school M3 rotations in Ob and ER were just awful.... during residency it was ok, but still man, not for me... Gyn is much much better, procedures, and can concentrate on patients without worrying about an Ob about to deliver, there is so so so so much better continuity without Ob and just Gyn.. Gyn rocks...

 

[mamadoc]

All I can say is thank **God** for FP because nothing else I did as an MS-3 was even remotely as fun. And to think I went into third year thinking, "IM... maybe heme-onc.... " Two months of IM and I wanted to poke my eyeballs out with a sharp stick, but fortunately I'd done my 2 months of FP prior to that, and had seen the light!

Of course in another way, there was something I liked about every single rotation I did as a third year, which is why FP is the greatest. While there are certainly days when I bitch and moan, I still love what I do.😍

 

[andwhat]

All I can say is thank **God** for FP because nothing else I did as an MS-3 was even remotely as fun. And to think I went into third year thinking, "IM... maybe heme-onc.... " Two months of IM and I wanted to poke my eyeballs out with a sharp stick, but fortunately I'd done my 2 months of FP prior to that, and had seen the light!

Of course in another way, there was something I liked about every single rotation I did as a third year, which is why FP is the greatest. While there are certainly days when I bitch and moan, I still love what I do.😍

yeah procedures are great, could do them all day.... maybe I will learn how to do Botox, and catch some heat from the local Derm guys.... 😎

 

[jgrady]

Finishing my Cardiology rotation tomorrow. I got to know about half of the 22 cardiologists in the group and every one seems very happy - and not just with the lifestyle. They really like taking care of patients in the office and hospital.

FP is still my 1st choice, but I haven't had my surgery rotation yet and I haven't had much exposure to Heme/Onc or Anesthesia. I've met a couple anesthesiologists this rotation and they also seem to love their jobs. In cardiothoracic the Anesthiologists also do Echos and one or two other procedures I can't remember. Not much time to check on stocks when the surgeon is tying off coronaries!😱

Rad/Onc is way cool. Was my first choice, but I'm not willing to put my family through hell to get there (moves, stress, kissing up for LORs, etc.).

 

[Faebinder]

Finishing my Cardiology rotation tomorrow. I got to know about half of the 22 cardiologists in the group and every one seems very happy - and not just with the lifestyle. They really like taking care of patients in the office and hospital.

FP is still my 1st choice, but I haven't had my surgery rotation yet and I haven't had much exposure to Heme/Onc or Anesthesia. I've met a couple anesthesiologists this rotation and they also seem to love their jobs. In cardiothoracic the Anesthiologists also do Echos and one or two other procedures I can't remember. Not much time to check on stocks when the surgeon is tying off coronaries!😱

Rad/Onc is way cool. Was my first choice, but I'm not willing to put my family through hell to get there (moves, stress, kissing up for LORs, etc.).

Heh, nothing makes you loathe surgery like having your surgery rotation scheduled after an FP rotation. Soon you will see evil.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Heh, nothing makes you loathe surgery like having your surgery rotation scheduled after an FP rotation. Soon you will see evil.

What makes you say that? Surgery would be hell.....but at least it will be more interesting than an FP rotation.....

 

[sophiejane]

What makes you say that? Surgery would be hell.....but at least it will be more interesting than an FP rotation.....

Don't knock it till you try it...wouldn't it be funny if and when you go through your 3rd year of medical school that you fall in love with FM...?

Never say never! 🙂

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Don't knock it till you try it...wouldn't it be funny if and when you go through your 3rd year of medical school that you fall in love with FM...?

Never say never! 🙂

That's about as likely as MiesVanDerMom doing a c-section on me (and since I don't have a uterus.....)

Besides, even if the work attracted me, you all don't make enough money for the amount of work you are required to do.

 

[sophiejane]

you all don't make enough money for the amount of work you are required to do.

If you still believe that, then you haven't been paying attention in this forum lately. 😉

 

[deleted87716]

you all don't make enough money for the amount of work you are required to do.

Never presume to know how much money it will take to make someone else happy, nor how hard they're willing to work for it. Compared to what most of the world does to survive, what any of us do isn't really work at all.

Enjoyable work is never tiresome, nor is any amount of money adequate compensation for a life spent doing something you dislike.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

If you still believe that, then you haven't been paying attention in this forum lately. 😉

There are still better options with even better pay and better hours.

You don't really presume to know how much money it will take to make someone else happy, do you?

True, but I was speaking for myself.....for the level of crap you all put up with, you're not paid nearly enough. It certainly wouldn't be worth (to me) the years of undergrad I have to go through, 4 years of med school and then residency, only to be working more hours than I do now for an average income that is about 2.25x what I make now (assuming the national average salary for an FP from that statistics I've seen). It's not that I'm in it for the money, it's just that for the difficulty of getting to the point of being a physician and the headaches involved with it, you can bet your butt I expect to milk it for every last cent I can legally squeeze out of the medical system.

 

[deleted87716]

There are still better options with even better pay and better hours.

Again, read my entire post above. "Better" is truly in the eye of the beholder.

I really couldn't care less how much an anesthesiologist or radiologist makes...I'd blow my head off if I had to do that every day. IMO, the work itself sucks, so who cares what it pays?

I'm sure others feel that way about primary care. That's what makes the world go 'round.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Again, read my entire post above. "Better" is truly in the eye of the beholder.

I really couldn't care less how much an anesthesiologist or radiologist makes...I'd blow my head off if I had to do that every day. IMO, the work itself sucks, so who cares what it pays?

I'm sure others feel that way about primary care. That's what makes the world go 'round.

Precisely....I wouldn't do your job for $500K a year, and you wouldn't do the things that interest me. To each and to their own, and may everyone excel in whatever they choose to pursue.

 

[deleted87716]

I wouldn't do your job for $500K a year, and you wouldn't do the things that interest me.

Considering that your interests range from pathology to neurosurgery, it's hard to say whether I would or not. 😉

 

[George85]

Ob-gyn. I had interviews set up but cancelled them after I decided to go FM. If I had been 10 years younger would have gone ob/gyn, but that lifestyle as a junior partner or working solo in my 50's would just be too much.

ADVANTAGES
(1) Access to primary care funds such as Nat Health scholarships.
(2) It has a balance between office and sugery.
(3) Generally healthy patient population.
(4) Easy to control office visits without having to address every complaint - "go see your primary for that."
(5) Not very competitive right now. (Best not mention that in your personal statement!)
(6) Good range of fellowships, from fertility (cash only) to almost pure surgery such as oncology.
(7) Mid-level providers are exactly that. The NP/PA can do the office visits and even 1st assist, but they will never be able to do your job 100%.
(8) Child birth is a happy event 99% of the time. You let nature take it's course and everyone is thanking you - go figure.
(9) Pay. Midway between FP and anesthesiology (the new gold standard) and high enough above a CRNA to make you feel like the effort of med school and residency were worth while.

DISADVANTAGES
(1) Really is the lifestyle. If you're in a group it helps, but I have to admit that as a group of physicians I have seen a lot of unhappy ob/gyns. On the other hand my hosp has a large group of gyn only, such as urogyn, oncology, and they seem very happy with what they do.
(2) Once you have failed to make it to the delivery room on time everyone soon realizes that doctors arn't needed for routine child birth.
(3) Pay. Calculated on a per hour basis not so good. Last ob/gyn I worked with was in solo practice with a loose association with 2 others. He was basically on call 24x7.

As for the other choices - why do you even need a medical degree for straight radiology or path?

 

[chocomorsel]

As a med student, my top three choices are EM, psych and FM. Starting psych Monday, so looking forward to it.

 

[sophiejane]

Ob-gyn. I had interviews set up but cancelled them after I decided to go FM. If I had been 10 years younger would have gone ob/gyn, but that lifestyle as a junior partner or working solo in my 50's would just be too much.

I hear you, brother. Worked in the yard yesterday, had trouble getting out of bed this morning, and realized I ain't no spring chicken. 😉

I had the same struggle with OB--loved it, but there was not enough love to sustain that lifestyle.