What would you do if not path?

[beary]

I am interested in what specialty folks would have chosen instead of path. It seems like lots of path folks I have spoken to would have chosen psych, which seems really weird but I pretty much fit in that category as well.

My list:
1) rad onc (I think, haven't rotated in it though)
2) psych
3) anesthesia

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[Gut Shot]

1. Suicide

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

1) Anesthesia

2) pediatric hematology/oncology

3) family practice

 

[yaah]

Internal medicine, probably Heme-onc, although I probably wouldn't have realized it was a mistake until I was already in the fellowship.

If I had to choose now I would pick private practice general internal med. Specialized medicine has too much bull**** these days.

 

[Stinger86]

Drop out and become a professional bum fighter

 

[AngryTesticle]

(1) Postdoc
(2) Manager at McDonald's
(3) Garbage collector

Just kidding...it would've been a close one between postdoc and short-track medicine.

 

[anencephalic]

Not there yet, but as of right now:

1) IM/Psych
2) FP/Psych
3) Rockstar

 

[uhoh!]

1. Epidemiology(Not medicine, but very closely related, and attitudinally very similar to Path)
2. Anesthesia (very reluctantly, as a step above 3.)
3. DJ/ Bookshop Owner/ Bicycle Mechanic

 

[stormjen]

1. Radiology
2. ER with an emphasis on wilderness medicine
3. Tried to like FP, really I did, but I couldn't look in ears everyday.

 

[cytoborg]

Industry maybe, or surgery for a short time before moving on to something else.

My secret dream is to be a consultant for "Scrubs."

 

[quant]

1) Post-doc (Academia/Industry)
2) Radiology
3) Tourist guide

 

[miko2005]

I would breed toy dogs (probably maltese) and show them (at the dog shows). I know, it sounds completely crazy but I love my little dog and someday (probably after I retire) I really would like to breed. On the other hand, I have no interest in ob/gyn, go figure!!!

Oh wait, I realized that you meant medicine -- I guess I would do EM or maybe radiology. I really love pathology though and hope that I won't have to settle for something else!!!

 

[Aubrey]

1. straight-up postdoc
2. psych
3. rads
4. South China Sea pirate captain

 

[Pingu]

1. author
2. trophy wife
3. interior decorator

I don't think I would do well in any personal aspect of medicine due to my utter disdain for the majority of the population.

 

[pathdawg]

1. Creative consultant, South Park.
2. Rhythm guitarist, The Allman Brothers.
3. Barrista, Starbucks.

 

[deschutes]

You mean, within medicine?

1. Suicide

I'm with ya.

I would rapidly have become one of those miserable clinicians who never spend time with their patients and let their "team" of underlings do the talking, or cared so much so that I'd be sitting there holding hands and listening and leaving the hospital at 1am every day - and become miserable anyway.

Path>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Psych = Diagnostic Rads = Surgery.

Outside of medicine: satisfy the folks by becoming lawyer/accountant/dentist/engineer (the remainder of the Asian "Big 5"), made the money and then gone and done whatever I wanted - astronomy, dance, English lit or professional chef. All infinitely more risky in terms of job security.

Chances are I'd be so bored I'd be plotting world domination in some
form or another, so pathology keeps me safe and sane

Oh, and write the Harry Potter series - except goshdarnit someone's already gone and done that.

 

[quant]

nm

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

Is it just me or is there some truth to the urban legend that people who go into pathology or not "people" oriented.....

I don't know. The majority of Pathologists and residents I have encountered have been very people-oriented (more-so, it seems, than some clinical people I have encountered). I guess you'll get all kinds in any area of medicine.

 

[Aubrey]

I don't know. The majority of Pathologists and residents I have encountered have been very people-oriented (more-so, it seems, than some clinical people I have encountered). I guess you'll get all kinds in any area of medicine.

I've found patholgists to be engaging people, interested in their work, and about five times more collegial than your garden-variety academic doc.. a major consideration! I attribute this at least in part to their not having to put up with the high level of bull**** that comes with frequent patient contact/clinics/rounds/etc.

 

[pathdawg]

Is it just me or is there some truth to the urban legend that people who go into pathology or not "people" oriented.....

Personally id like to believe that pathologists don't have the patience to deal with the bull**** that humankind doles out in the name of compassion, just because they are so frickin intelligent andd aware of life in all its eternal glory........

Im drunk and "in vino veritas" so i'll completely disavow any staements which i make tonight.....

But id like to to know what people think all the same....

Or in the immortal words of Einstein,

"Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds."

No clue if it has any relevance here....but al the same id like to know.....

First off, friends don't let friends drink and post. Second, the sterotype that pathologists are not "people oriented", like most stereotypes, has a kernel of truth but is an over generalization. Have I met people in path that are truly nerdy, introverted, and just plain weird? Yes. But truth be told, they represent the minority. Most people in the field are perfectly normal (at least for medicine, but thats another topic altogether). I always felt that to be a good pathologist (especially a surgical pathologist, which represent the vast majority of pathologists), it is a prerequisite to be a good "people person" in that you have to deal with (often irrate) surgeons and other clinicians every day. If you are a poor communicator and want to be left alone in a vaccum (i.e. not a "people person"), you'll perish.

 

[uhoh!]

I've found patholgists to be engaging people, interested in their work, and about five times more collegial than your garden-variety academic doc.. a major consideration! I attribute this at least in part to their not having to put up with the high level of bull**** that comes with frequent patient contact/clinics/rounds/etc.

I feel pathologists can dispense with the "sympathetic-face" they would have had to put on as clinicians. its not that i couldn't care less for the patient.however, after seeing your 1000th alcoholic liver disease/IVDA with endocarditis , the phoney sympathy gets more difficult to manage. pathologists don't need to constantly "Display" emotions to those around them. i have seen them feel bad about diagnoses which have poor prognosis. however, the feeling bad bit is at par with what doctors would feel in any other field, when the patient would not do well. the extra yard the clinicians have to go to "Show empathy" with their patients is missing in pathology.
further, we don't have to see little Tommy pass away/Mother go the Alzheimers' route/MaryJane after getting hit by a DUI..and loads of other emotionally draining situations.they have GOT to take their toll on those who see it directly.
personally, i couldn't handle my Psych rotation.counter-transferance kicked in big time, and began feeling miserable one week into it.
maybe this is why a majority of pathologists remain ,congenial,relaxed, "nice" people even after 30+ year long carreers..

 

[quant]

Whoa

First off.....I am profoundly sorry for my wine induced insanity...

Argh! i VOW to stop posting under influence.....I must admit there is some truth to the saying that wine makes you see things more than they are, and your mind stupider that what it is....

No offense, all the pathologists i have known to date have been quite happy and remarkably intelligent people which is why id like to be one.

Cheers....

 

[1Path]

i have seen them feel bad about diagnoses which have poor prognosis. however, the feeling bad bit is at par with what doctors would feel in any other field, when the patient would not do well.

Not all doctors who see patients feel this way. In fact, I'd say that oncologists are the most insensitve, far less "people oriented" mofo's out there.

And quant, I think I may have to change part of my signature!

 

[AngryTesticle]

1. Creative consultant, South Park.
2. Rhythm guitarist, The Allman Brothers.
3. Barrista, Starbucks.

OK people. This is the best answer to date on this thread.

On the lines of #1, I would like to add to my list that I would like to be the next guy up for doing all the chink voices on South Park. I believe that given my chinkish background, I can fulfill this role well.

GOD DAMN MONGORIANS!!! TRYING TO BREAK DOWN MY SH*TTY WALL!

 

[pathdawg]

OK people. This is the best answer to date on this thread.

On the lines of #1, I would like to add to my list that I would like to be the next guy up for doing all the chink voices on South Park. I believe that given my chinkish background, I can fulfill this role well.

GOD DAMN MONGORIANS!!! TRYING TO BREAK DOWN MY SH*TTY WALL!

Thank you, my brother.

 

[pathdoc68]

As a 4th year path resident I miss patient care very much. However, I have not lost a nights sleep in my entire residency and I am thankful for that. I really need a solid 6-7 hrs nightly to function. But I still dream what life would have been like as
1. IM
2. IM/Heme-ONC
3. Rad Onc
4. Psych
5. ENT
6. FP

 

[pathdawg]

As a 4th year path resident I miss patient care very much. However, I have not lost a nights sleep in my entire residency and I am thankful for that. I really need a solid 6-7 hrs nightly to function. But I still dream what life would have been like as
1. IM
2. IM/Heme-ONC
3. Rad Onc
4. Psych
5. ENT
6. FP

I'll just give you a little insight on what life would be like in those above listed fields (with the probable exception of rad onc): It would suck. Just a few thumbnail sketches:

1. IM: glorified fp/gp. A general internist works like a dog, has major liability issues, and is paid very meagerly. I have friends who are internists and partners in private groups and you'd be horrified at what they make.
2. hemeonc: again, they don't get paid anywhere near enough considering how sick their patient's are. Tough job.
3. Rad onc: again, not a bad gig.
4. psych: please. There is a reason why nobody (sane) goes into psych.
5. ent: if you're lucky enough to get into a decent practice, this is tough because you're dealing with a difficult patient population and high malpractice insurance. Again, not worth the pay (which isn't as good as it should be).
6. gp/fp: If an internist is a glorified gp, then a gp is a glorified social worker. Insanely low pay to go along with a bad job. Not a good combo.

So, save for rads, you haven't done so badly in path. Something to be thankful for.

 

[mcfaddens]

1. Pro Millionaire
2. Plastic Surgery
3. Anesthesiology /psych (best mind altering pharmacology, will keep you occupied)
4. GI (sweet colon cash)
5. Street Bum (low malpractice)

 

[path2be]

1. sing professionally
2. write fiction
3. diagnostic rads
4. massage therapy

 

[GreatPumpkin]

architect

 

[PuGanDoo]

Not quite there yet, either.... BUT

1. PhD, Pharmacology
2. Food product design/R&D
3. Study acupuncture, herbal medicine, and martial arts, move to the mountains by the beach, hike and surf all day, grow my own food. And on the side, write horoscopes and design my own personality assessment scale
4. Parapsychology

 

[PathOne]

1. Psych. Actually did a ton of psych rotations, partly to check out the scene, partly b/c I thought it would be useful for my intended career as Forensic Path.
2. Derm. Like to examine other people's skin (Darwin was right, and I'm the proof).
3. Rads. Had a pretty cool rotation in that direction, but still don't think i'd want a career in nude photography.
4. Business magnate... Medicine is such a waste of my superior sales techniques. Well, almost: "wouldn't you like another staining and a recut, just to be on the safe side?"

Doing Path and 2. now, albeit looking more at microarrays and SNP-data than patients. Somewhat surprised that so many others had considered psych.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

1. Interventional radiology.
2. Mechanical or civil engineer.
3. Trophy husband.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

1. Radiology
2. Invasive cardiology
3. ENT
4. Anesthesia
5. Rad/onc
6. Gastroenterology
7. Urology
8. Hem/onc
9. EM
10. Ophthalmology
11. Dermatology
12. Pulmonology
13. Nephrology

In roughly that order.....
My other choice, the one outside of medicine is to move to the Pacific Northwest and hunt Bigfoot.

 

[Non-Trad DO]

1) FP
2) Psych
3) ER
4) I think Hem/Onc but I'd probably jump off the roof some time during 2nd year of Medicine.
5) Pro golfer (current back-up to pro alcoholic)
6) Death by Liver failure.