why EM?

[truly9]

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I'm a third year medical student desperately shopping for a specialty. I hadn't considered EM because I feel that my personality is such that I like to take my time, think about things, don't like working at night, not sure how I would handle the high-stress.

Am I right in discounting the specialty because of these concerns?

 

[HNS]

Yes, Much stress, quick decisions.

 

[DrQuinn]

There are all different sorts of personality types. I have some attendings who only seen 2 patients an hour. And they are fine with that, and they know they are not the fastest thinkers... but as a third year, its not really "your place" to be able to make fast decisions. IMHO, that comes with education, experience, and being slapped the House Officer pager in your internship.

The other things you mentioned, like working nights, is one thing you'll have to figure out for yourself. I don't mind working nights, because it gives me time during teh day to get stuff done (trips to Best Buy, mail stuff out, etc).

Q, DO

 

[usfgator]

Wow Quinn, you work at night and shop during the day. Do you ever get any sleep? 😛

 

[DrQuinn]

Wow Quinn, you work at night and shop during the day. Do you ever get any sleep? 😛

Excellent Time-management. Ability to multi-task. <----- often useful in the ED and in real life.

But I admit I do a vast majority of my shopping online.

Q, DO

 

[doc3341]

Hey Quinn, I was just wondering what your take with regard of keeping EM as a career in 20 or 30 years. A lot of people say its nice in your 20's and 30's but say that it gets rough in your later years. What do you think??? Im not even in medical school yet, but I am applying to med school and currently work in a hospital ICU in Miami. I see all sorts of specialists roll through the ICU and see them quite burned out by their 40's and 50's anyway. So with regards to work load, stress, and lifestyle, how do you think EM compares??? Thanks for the input! 😀

 

[DrQuinn]

Hey Quinn, I was just wondering what your take with regard of keeping EM as a career in 20 or 30 years. A lot of people say its nice in your 20's and 30's but say that it gets rough in your later years. What do you think??? Im not even in medical school yet, but I am applying to med school and currently work in a hospital ICU in Miami. I see all sorts of specialists roll through the ICU and see them quite burned out by their 40's and 50's anyway. So with regards to work load, stress, and lifestyle, how do you think EM compares??? Thanks for the input! 😀

This topic has been discussed quite a bit here on the EM forums, I would suggest doing a search for "EM burnout."

Q, DO

 

[doc3341]

Thanks! 🙂

 

[roja]

I'm a third year medical student desperately shopping for a specialty. I hadn't considered EM because I feel that my personality is such that I like to take my time, think about things, don't like working at night, not sure how I would handle the high-stress.

Am I right in discounting the specialty because of these concerns?

I concur with the 'pretty much' awnser. You have to like to think quickly, not mind *NOT* delving deep into a diagnosis and you have to be able to handle stress well. When you get two *true* emergent patients 5 minutes apart, you have to hop quick.

You have to run through your list of 'what will kill this patient' and 'what can I do to try and prevent it' quickly and act.

You will also have to work nights.

ER is great but you have to like it. otherwise the rest is moot. Shadow an ER attending at your school for 2 shifts. If you still thinks its interesting, etc, then do a rotation. ITs the only way to figure out if its for you or not.

I have never really met someone who was ambivilent about ER. Most seem to either love it or hate it.