What’s the most badass medical specialty?

[crazyotter]

We all know premeds who constantly ask about the money.

But what about general badassery? Which type of doctor is the most badass?

Badassery can be anything you think it is, as long as you explain your reasoning!

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[Goro]

Hem/onc

 

[deomnibusdubitandum]

bad ass? probably GI or colorectal surgery

 

[obiwan]

Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery

 

[BlackLotus95]

I think ER just based on public perception of them swooping in to save the day when you need it most. And when I worked at a pediatric ER, some of the attendings did radiate that energy that I would want in a zombie apocalypse situation. Never frazzled and always on the ball even when we were full to the brim.

 

[SpideyMD]

Imo ortho. Its like entering a labor shop when you walk into the OR. Imagine sawing peoples bones for fun... ah the life

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Imo ortho. Its like entering a labor shop when you walk into the OR. Imagine sawing peoples bones for fun... ah the life

You could say they're... Bonafide badasses. 🫠

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Board certified diagnostician. Just like Dr House.

Edit. Forgot the /Sarcasm. It doesn't exist as an ACGME specialty for those unaware.

 

[MercifulCamper]

Probably surgical oncologist

 

[MateoGM416]

those trauma surgeons in the air force who do surgery on helicopters while getting shot at. Or pathologists

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

those trauma surgeons in the air force who do surgery on helicopters while getting shot at. Or pathologists

They're called SOST. Considering going for it if the AF accepts me. Pioneering all kinds of incredible new tools and saving the lives of warriors is about as badass as it gets.

 

[Doctor-S]

Veterinary Medicine!

They treat patients that have razor-sharp fangs, venomous bites and flesh-ripping claws!

 

[californiadreamin23]

Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery

Yes. At my institution, our congenital heart surgeon has god status.

 

[Radetzky]

The specialty that spends the least time in the hospital

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

psychiatrists deal with the most violent patients generally. a lot takeup MMA training or pack heat in private practice.

Hell, when i applied to psych ward as a pct it even specifically said "martial arts training a bonus, must be able to restrain and deter patients". Not kidding

 

[Kuratz]

Looking at jobs out of residency working M-F from ~8-4. No nights or weekends. Salary more than anyone needs. I'm in Radiology but other similar fields like this exist.

I personally think it's "badass" to spend time with my family both during and after residency. I think it's "badass" to have a well-rounded, fulfilling life outside of the hospital with strong family/friend relationships and time to develop hobbies. I think it's "badass" to have time to stay in good physical condition and eat right.

I don't think it's "badass" to spend the vast majority of your late 20s/early 30s in the hospital. I don't think it's "badass" to continue to spend endless hours in the hospital operating as an attending. I don't think it's "badass" to sacrifice your personal relationships, physical health, and interesting aspects of your previous life for a career.

We need people who are hellbent on living those absurd lives. They are truly incredible assets for society. Cracking open a chest/skull/abdomen to genuinely save someone's life (a phrase thrown around too often) IS "badass" and I don't want to diminish what they do. But at the end of the day, no one outside of the patient or yourself care that you are a neuro/cardio/transplant surgeon. Not your friends. Not your neighbors. Not some random person at a house party who says "wow that's cool". And truthfully not your family either. They want your time. Time is all that matters.

So while it's fun to envision those occasional, adrenaline-high moments of saving someone's life at 2am and convince yourself you want to do the "most badass thing". Try to be honest with what you truly value in life. A career is not a personality. Some people are built differently and can handle the sacrifice, with those rare moments keeping them going. But most people delude themselves into making the wrong decision out of ego, pressure or some misplaced martyr complex and end up miserable. Finding balance with one of those careers is exceedingly difficult. Choose wisely.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

The specialty is not what is badass . It's the doctor who is. The doctor who doesn't make a patient 4 weeks to be seen in the office for a herniated disc. The doctor who will stay late to see the sick child of a single Mom avoiding her an ER visit. The doctor who takes extra time in the office with a patient they just told they had ALS. These are the Badass doctors, not the ones who run out the door at 4:30 pm and turn off their phones. We all struggle with balance in life. I prefer my doctors to be there when I need them. I want a full time doctor for me and my family. The doctors who want to work 9 to 4, 3 days a week can take care of someone else.

 

[Kuratz]

The specialty is not what is badass . It's the doctor who is. The doctor who doesn't make a patient 4 weeks to be seen in the office for a herniated disc. The doctor who will stay late to see the sick child of a single Mom avoiding her an ER visit. The doctor who takes extra time in the office with a patient they just told they had ALS. These are the Badass doctors, not the ones who run out the door at 4:30 pm and turn off their phones. We all struggle with balance in life. I prefer my doctors to be there when I need them. I want a full time doctor for me and my family. The doctors who want to work 9 to 4, 3 days a week can take care of someone else.

This is what makes someone a "Good Doctor". The problem is the landscape of medicine has changed and now physicians are expected to do much more for far less so we are already stretched thin. In the past docs owned the practices, made a ton of money and could work relatively less so going the extra mile was much more feasible. I can only imagine how great it must have been to practice back in the day. An additional problem is that many patients do not seem to care about your recommendations/expertise, have unrealistic expectations, and rarely give sincere thanks (honestly the #1 reason I bailed to Rads). So while I agree with your sentiment on what makes for an excellent physician, often the decision is to go the extra mile or take care of yourself. The most burned out docs I know are the ones who don't know how to dissociate themselves from this Moral Injury dichotomy. Now that the suits control things any extra "free" effort just sets you up for more exploitation, even if its the right thing to do. As medicine becomes more and more of a business I think fewer and fewer docs are taking your approach. Is it good for the patients? Absolutely not. But its the only way I can see physicians surviving in the long run.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Hem/onc

So clearly, peds heme/onc must be the most badass of all?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

This is what makes someone a "Good Doctor". The problem is the landscape of medicine has changed and now physicians are expected to do much more for far less so we are already stretched thin. In the past docs owned the practices, made a ton of money and could work relatively less so going the extra mile was much more feasible. I can only imagine how great it must have been to practice back in the day. An additional problem is that many patients do not seem to care about your recommendations/expertise, have unrealistic expectations, and rarely give sincere thanks (honestly the #1 reason I bailed to Rads). So while I agree with your sentiment on what makes for an excellent physician, often the decision is to go the extra mile or take care of yourself. The most burned out docs I know are the ones who don't know how to dissociate themselves from this Moral Injury dichotomy. Now that the suits control things any extra "free" effort just sets you up for more exploitation, even if its the right thing to do. As medicine becomes more and more of a business I think fewer and fewer docs are taking your approach. Is it good for the patients? Absolutely not. But its the only way I can see physicians surviving in the long run.

I don't necessarily disagree with many points you make. Medicine certainly has changed. Doctors used to be able to raise their profiles, i.e., their fees paid by insurers and had no limits on how much money they could put onto their pensions. This told to me by very senior partners many years ago. People who aren't your intellectual peer and dont even remember their 20's, manage the doctor's offices now. The end point is the same whether corporations or the govt manages healthcare. No one wants to pay for it and access and payments are limited to reduce costs. My example highlights the doc willing to buck that system for the sake of their patients. That's why I made the comment. You will get no argument from me that the recent changes in medical care delivery make it difficult for doctors and patients.

 

[Goro]

So clearly, peds heme/onc must be the most badass of all?

Those peeps have the blackest senses of humor in anyone I've ever met!

 

[pyrrion89]

This is what makes someone a "Good Doctor". The problem is the landscape of medicine has changed and now physicians are expected to do much more for far less so we are already stretched thin. In the past docs owned the practices, made a ton of money and could work relatively less so going the extra mile was much more feasible. I can only imagine how great it must have been to practice back in the day. An additional problem is that many patients do not seem to care about your recommendations/expertise, have unrealistic expectations, and rarely give sincere thanks (honestly the #1 reason I bailed to Rads). So while I agree with your sentiment on what makes for an excellent physician, often the decision is to go the extra mile or take care of yourself. The most burned out docs I know are the ones who don't know how to dissociate themselves from this Moral Injury dichotomy. Now that the suits control things any extra "free" effort just sets you up for more exploitation, even if its the right thing to do. As medicine becomes more and more of a business I think fewer and fewer docs are taking your approach. Is it good for the patients? Absolutely not. But its the only way I can see physicians surviving in the long run.

Agreed. Part of the malignant culture of medicine is this expectation that a "good doctor" is supposed to martyr themselves and devote all their waking hours to their job. If a doctor wants to be this way, fine, but there should be a reality in which a doctor can provide good care and also have a life. Why, as a profession, do we worship Dr. William Halstead? He worked 120 hours a week but we leave out the part where it was all fueled by his cocaine addiction...

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Agreed. Part of the malignant culture of medicine is this expectation that a "good doctor" is supposed to martyr themselves and devote all their waking hours to their job. If a doctor wants to be this way, fine, but there should be a reality in which a doctor can provide good care and also have a life. Why, as a profession, do we worship Dr. William Halstead? He worked 120 hours a week but we leave out the part where it was all fueled by his cocaine addiction...

Except patients get sick between the hours of 4:30 pm and 9 am. What is the option? Go to Doc in aBox? See the NP and receive the algorithm treatment? Go to the ER and wait 4 hrs to be seen and slapped with a big bill? There are parts of medicine that have better lifestyles than others but patients still need you when they need you.

Edit: I saw a PBS special on Halstead years ago. He kicked his cocaine habit completely....with daily injections of morphine.

 

[dienekes88]

Looking at jobs out of residency working M-F from ~8-4. No nights or weekends. Salary more than anyone needs. I'm in Radiology but other similar fields like this exist.

I personally think it's "badass" to spend time with my family both during and after residency. I think it's "badass" to have a well-rounded, fulfilling life outside of the hospital with strong family/friend relationships and time to develop hobbies. I think it's "badass" to have time to stay in good physical condition and eat right.

I don't think it's "badass" to spend the vast majority of your late 20s/early 30s in the hospital. I don't think it's "badass" to continue to spend endless hours in the hospital operating as an attending. I don't think it's "badass" to sacrifice your personal relationships, physical health, and interesting aspects of your previous life for a career.

We need people who are hellbent on living those absurd lives. They are truly incredible assets for society. Cracking open a chest/skull/abdomen to genuinely save someone's life (a phrase thrown around too often) IS "badass" and I don't want to diminish what they do. But at the end of the day, no one outside of the patient or yourself care that you are a neuro/cardio/transplant surgeon. Not your friends. Not your neighbors. Not some random person at a house party who says "wow that's cool". And truthfully not your family either. They want your time. Time is all that matters.

So while it's fun to envision those occasional, adrenaline-high moments of saving someone's life at 2am and convince yourself you want to do the "most badass thing". Try to be honest with what you truly value in life. A career is not a personality. Some people are built differently and can handle the sacrifice, with those rare moments keeping them going. But most people delude themselves into making the wrong decision out of ego, pressure or some misplaced martyr complex and end up miserable. Finding balance with one of those careers is exceedingly difficult. Choose wisely.

Agree.

The things you think are "important" when you're a student or junior resident may not seem as important to you when you're out of fellowship, starting a family, etc.

 

[DarkHorizon]

Looking at jobs out of residency working M-F from ~8-4. No nights or weekends. Salary more than anyone needs. I'm in Radiology but other similar fields like this exist.

I personally think it's "badass" to spend time with my family both during and after residency. I think it's "badass" to have a well-rounded, fulfilling life outside of the hospital with strong family/friend relationships and time to develop hobbies. I think it's "badass" to have time to stay in good physical condition and eat right.

I don't think it's "badass" to spend the vast majority of your late 20s/early 30s in the hospital. I don't think it's "badass" to continue to spend endless hours in the hospital operating as an attending. I don't think it's "badass" to sacrifice your personal relationships, physical health, and interesting aspects of your previous life for a career.

We need people who are hellbent on living those absurd lives. They are truly incredible assets for society. Cracking open a chest/skull/abdomen to genuinely save someone's life (a phrase thrown around too often) IS "badass" and I don't want to diminish what they do. But at the end of the day, no one outside of the patient or yourself care that you are a neuro/cardio/transplant surgeon. Not your friends. Not your neighbors. Not some random person at a house party who says "wow that's cool". And truthfully not your family either. They want your time. Time is all that matters.

So while it's fun to envision those occasional, adrenaline-high moments of saving someone's life at 2am and convince yourself you want to do the "most badass thing". Try to be honest with what you truly value in life. A career is not a personality. Some people are built differently and can handle the sacrifice, with those rare moments keeping them going. But most people delude themselves into making the wrong decision out of ego, pressure or some misplaced martyr complex and end up miserable. Finding balance with one of those careers is exceedingly difficult. Choose wisely.

Agree. I’m Ortho trauma and love my job, but work/life balance is a real issue. As a physician, your family makes a lot of sacrifices, so chasing badassery for the sake of ego/glory is detrimental. With that being said, I love my job and there’s no way I could do radiology/dermatology. I’d hate my life.

 

[texas-man]

Trauma surg then special operations surgical teams (SOST). You’d be a trained spec ops surgeon😳