When did you know what specialty you wanted to go into?

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TexasTriathlete

TexasTriathlete

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I would imagine that most of us don't know, and that even those of us who think we know, or have it narrowed down to a few specialties, could very well find ourselves interested in something completely different by the time we apply for residency.

This guy, on the other hand, never had a chance. He was locked into urology from the day he was born.

http://www.urologyteam.com/our-doctors/dr-richard-chopp.htm

Some of the people I work with know him, and apparently, he makes it very clear that he goes by "Dick" and not "Richard".
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TexasTriathlete said:
I would imagine that most of us don't know, and that even those of us who think we know, or have it narrowed down to a few specialties, could very well find ourselves interested in something completely different by the time we apply for residency.

This guy, on the other hand, never had a chance. He was locked into urology from the day he was born.

http://www.urologyteam.com/our-doctors/dr-richard-chopp.htm

Some of the people I work with know him, and apparently, he makes it very clear that he goes by "Dick" and not "Richard".
Click to expand...

WOW! If my name were Dick Chopp I'd specialize in vasectomies also! That one is great.
 
I think I'd feel a little uneasy getting a vasectomy from Dick Chopp. Only a slight difference in distance, but a world of difference in other areas.
 
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The fact that he goes by Dick instead of Richard already terrifies me. Keep your lil kids away from him
 
I love urologists!

One of my fondest memories from college was going to Urology pharm rep lunch every week (I was doing research in the department) and spending an hour listening to them trade penis jokes
 
Yea. You have to have a sense of humor when you stick your finger or other tools into someone's butt at least 20 times a day and then the rest of the day you are dealing with the other business.
 
Did you notice his associate, Dr. Hardeman? He likes to work with pts with erectile dysfunction...
 
TexasTriathlete said:
I would imagine that most of us don't know, and that even those of us who think we know, or have it narrowed down to a few specialties, could very well find ourselves interested in something completely different by the time we apply for residency.

This guy, on the other hand, never had a chance. He was locked into urology from the day he was born.

http://www.urologyteam.com/our-doctors/dr-richard-chopp.htm

Some of the people I work with know him, and apparently, he makes it very clear that he goes by "Dick" and not "Richard".
Click to expand...

IMO, your decision about specialty-choice won't be very meaningful until you've done a few 3rd year rotations. Only then do you get a sense of the overall quality of a specialty.

bth
 
bth7 said:
IMO, your decision about specialty-choice won't be very meaningful until you've done a few 3rd year rotations. Only then do you get a sense of the overall quality of a specialty.

bth
Click to expand...

IMO, if you are born with the name Dick Chopp, your third-year clinical experiences take a backseat to your cosmic destiny.
 
Are these guys for real? Dr. Hitt (as in, fix my **** so I can Hitt that), Dr. Hardeman, Dr. Houser, Dr. Fagin (I wonder how that one's pronounced).

It sounds like an SNL skit. But the good, old SNL.
 
I knew at the end of third year...Radiology was my last rotation and I loved it! I thought I wanted to do anesthesiology or surgery until I did those rotations.
 
box29 said:
I knew at the end of third year...Radiology was my last rotation and I loved it! I thought I wanted to do anesthesiology or surgery until I did those rotations.
Click to expand...

is there a concern for rad future knowing the advents of technology and reading about hospitals outsourcing work to drs in other country. I would love radiology since I worked over two years in radiology dept. I find how they are utilized in various procedures for their expertise.

I am interested in anes from critical care and cardiac perspective
 
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Porco Rosso said:
is there a concern for rad future knowing the advents of technology and reading about hospitals outsourcing work to drs in other country. I would love radiology since I worked over two years in radiology dept. I find how they are utilized in various procedures for their expertise.

I am interested in anes from critical care and cardiac perspective
Click to expand...


I think the outsourcing isn't as big as people think it is, although it is happening. American board certified radiologists must read all films regardless...so in some cases, the outsourced film, if read by a non american BC radiologist, will be read again...check out the rad forum or auntminne.
 
I knew i wanted it when I saw my first episode of House and then started watching scrubs. I wanna do infectious disease (won't double up with infectious disease and nephrology like House tho). Infections are cool. Still wanna do primary care
 
box29 said:
I think the outsourcing isn't as big as people think it is, although it is happening. American board certified radiologists must read all films regardless...so in some cases, the outsourced film, if read by a non american BC radiologist, will be read again...check out the rad forum or auntminne.
Click to expand...

Hey! You're done with med school?

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :D :)
 
AnaMaria777 said:
Hey! You're done with med school?

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :D :)
Click to expand...


Woo Hoo!!! Thanks. It's been a long 4 years that seriously have flown by!

Good luck to all and remember to study hard!
 
I knew I wanted to be a surgeon the first time I did a trauma exploratory laparotomy (3rd year surgery rotation).
 
i really like ER, ortho, optha, blah blah blah. The only thing that makes me a bit hesitant regarding any surgical specialty is my shelf life. what happens when a surgeon gets "too" old? my parents want me to go into something like IM, radiology and etc where my dexterity isn't that important. Then again, who knows what i end up liking. all i know is that i want to practice medicine until the day i die of old age. haha,
 
Hey, I'm going to piggy back this in TTs thread for obvious reasons and it's intended for some of you resourceful numbers hounds...

I know competitive residencies are just that - competitive, regardless of flavor (DO or MD). However, statistically, what are the true numbers and is the FMG preference (if there ever was any) for such specialties fading in favor of qualified DO applicants stateside?

tdsbird2 said:
I have nothing wrong with DO besides the fact that I (maybe foolishly) want to be a neurosurgeon and 1 out of all the neurosurgery residents in the nation is a DO grad (more were FMG)
Click to expand...
 
the first time i saw live brain surgery was when I knew what specialty i wanted to go into...registered nurse.
 
gasapple said:
Hey, I'm going to piggy back this in TTs thread for obvious reasons and it's intended for some of you resourceful numbers hounds...

I know competitive residencies are just that - competitive, regardless of flavor (DO or MD). However, statistically, what are the true numbers and is the FMG preference (if there ever was any) for such specialties fading in favor of qualified DO applicants stateside?
Click to expand...

It was my understanding that there are AOA neurosurgery residencies (so there goes the FMG having a leg up theory), and I heard that a lot of neurosurg spots go unfilled in MD and DO each year. So, I wouldn't worry about what that guy said, he's a troll/tool. Go to the neurosurg boards and check it out if you really want to school him Gas, thats where I got that info (but I could me mistaken).

Continued:

there are 11 AOA residencies that only accept DOs (can't comment on the quality): http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...F3E22CACFE5F1&jsessionid=e430face27f417667e77

here is a thread from neurosurg about DO residencies:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=470729
 
good source - that's where i looked...
 
cameljockey786 said:
i really like ER, ortho, optha, blah blah blah. The only thing that makes me a bit hesitant regarding any surgical specialty is my shelf life. what happens when a surgeon gets "too" old? my parents want me to go into something like IM, radiology and etc where my dexterity isn't that important. Then again, who knows what i end up liking. all i know is that i want to practice medicine until the day i die of old age. haha,
Click to expand...

Its really not as much of an issue as the non-surgeons think. If you go into the surgery forums there are a few posts about that. Your dexterity doesn't have to be as great as people let on for those. There are surgeons in their mid-70s. FYI, you do dexterity oriented procedures in radiology that take fine motor skills. IM does procedures too.
 
Still haven't decided. I'm torn by extremely different specialties (in no order): Surgery (Vascular or CT), EM, Cardiology, Radiology

I'm sure rotations and my board scores will help me figure out the rest from there.

If I score a 250+: Rads baby
 
I've wanted to go into forensic path since about my sophomore/junior year of college. I try to keep grounded in reality though that since I haven't actually shadowed a a forensic pathologist, I really have no real-world idea of what their day is like. I hope to come across that opportunity soon but I keep getting shut down. :(
 
I meant high school, I'm only a sophomore in college right now haha.
 
Question! Which bear is better? a brown bear or a black bear?
 
Pegasus52082 said:
I knew I wanted to be a surgeon the first time I did a trauma exploratory laparotomy (3rd year surgery rotation).
Click to expand...

MMMMMMMmmmmm SURGEON!!!!!!

I know that my options may very well change, but it's my bag so far, baby.
 
FALSE.... A black Bear!
 
I shadowed a DO ortho. It can't get any better...
 
Oh wow, I remember when I first joined I was a sophmore and followed OPs posts throughout his application cycle.

Looks like he graduated almost 2 years ago. Time went by so fast.
 
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