Worst/ Most Boring Specialty?

[OSUdoc08]

I had a big diatribe typed, but in the end it is all personal preference...

Is EM really the "glorified triage nurse" that everyone seems to make it out to be? I have a buddy that is at UMich now that was gung-ho EM before he went to school and changed to plastics that said "I guarantee you'll pick surg of some sort..."

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[MN81]

Is EM really the "glorified triage nurse" that everyone seems to make it out to be?

From my limited experience in ER as a volunteer. Yes, except the ER docs get to wear a white coat if they want to...

...And they generally do less actual work and more looking at the computer screen.

...Oh oh, and they get to call specialists at odd hours for reference on a particular disorder/disease that they don't know much about.

Of course I didn't work in a Level I Trama Center so things were pretty boring.

 

[DoctorFunk]

From my limited experience in ER as a volunteer...Of course I didn't work in a Level I Trama Center so things were pretty boring.

Um...yeah .

 

[8744]

From my limited experience in ER as a volunteer. Yes, except the ER docs get to wear a white coat if they want to...

...And they generally do less actual work and more looking at the computer screen.

...Oh oh, and they get to call specialists at odd hours for reference on a particular disorder/disease that they don't know much about.

Of course I didn't work in a Level I Trama Center so things were pretty boring.

Oh man. I hope this doesn't become common knowledge because EM physicians command pretty high salaries, easily twice what you can make starting out in FP and the residency is only three years, has pretty good hours, and is by far the coolest medical specialty.

I suggest you go work at a busy rural or urban ED before you rule this out a specialty. On the other hand maybe I don't want a lot of people matching into it and driving down the salaries....come to think of it, you're right. Under no circumstances match into EM. You'll hate it. Yeah, that's the ticket. Sure it is. Do something muy macho medically speaking like Psychiatry or, hey, if you really want to live on the edge how about Family Medicine?


Suuurgggeee!

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

Yeah, EM docs do spend a lot of time at the computer.
EM docs high paid? they seem higher than IM and FP of course, but they're not that high.

botton line is to keep an open mind. you just might like PEDS.

 

[4paw]

Internal Medicine - "So Mr. Lardass is a 60-year-old male presenting with a history of morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Crohn's diease, unstable angina, and fulminant hepatitis, etc...I think the most important issue here is what his chloride increase of 4meQ/L signifies. Let's list a differential diagnosis of 400 different items and spend an hour on each one debating why it should or shouldn't be ruled out, mmkay?"

I could go on but it's late and I'm tired.

the crazy thing is, your description is quite appealing to me

 

[8744]

Yeah, EM docs do spend a lot of time at the computer.
EM docs high paid? they seem higher than IM and FP of course, but they're not that high.

botton line is to keep an open mind. you just might like PEDS.

Sure. You're right. Nobody here but us low-payed computer nerds. Nothing to see folks, move along.

 

[SmallTownGuy]

Speaking of compensation (how this thread turned into that I have no idea), I recently looked over a online survery that was kind of interesting. It went through various specialties and had the participants rate on a scale of 1-10 their level of satisfaction in a number of different areas, one of which was "compensation compared to other physicians". None of the specialties, even the notoriously higher payed ones, were satisfied with their income.

maybe people always want a little bit more that they have??

Whata you guys think?

 

[deleted87716]

maybe people always want a little bit more that they have?

Anyone who's truly happy with their income is probably overpaid.

 

[cdql]

Anyone who's truly happy with their income is probably overpaid.

hahaha...grossly overpaid! I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't mind a slight raise over their current income?

Those who are already happy are either a) non-materialistic b) already happy that they've gotten away with robbery

 

[deleted87716]

if you really want to live on the edge how about Family Medicine?

Be nice, Gus. Some of us enjoy living on the edge.

 

[8744]

Be nice, Gus. Some of us enjoy living on the edge.

You know, I joke around a little but I think I should qualify my comments by saying that Family Medicine is actually a pretty good specialty. It is not something you want to train for at a big academic institution, however, which is my personal experience.

 

[deleted87716]

It is not something you want to train for at a big academic institution, however

I think you're right about that.

 

[Kimmer]

... 80K is a lot of money to most people.
Since the majority of the people in this world would kill for that salary maybe it is you who is misinformed and naive.
I believe that the more money you have, the greater responsibility you have to use those resources for good. You can't take it with you, buddy.

It bears repeating...

 

[GoodMonkey]

so, uh, yeah, back on track to original intent of thread.

things i just can't do:
1) psychiatry
2) neurology
3) ob/gyn
4) outpatient FP, IM
5) gen med in any form

ambivalent about (cause sometimes i'm easily annoyed with people):
1) path
2) radiology
3) anesthesia

i would rather be crazy busy and working long hours enjoying my job than watching the clock every day. while my psych, neuro and outpatient schedules were nice for the free time they afforded in m3 year, i HATED being bored in those 8 hours. (and this isn't everyone's story; i respect that. it's just mine and my interests/need to be busy.)

i used to be crazy EM bound, but there are pros and cons to every field, and the things that bothered me the most about EM really really viscerally bothered me when i actually spent time in the ED ... just can't do it full time.

and i LOVE the carpentry and enjoy the OR, notsomuch the drugs and physiology of other specialties ... strongly considering ortho.

 

[MN81]

Oh man. I hope this doesn't become common knowledge because EM physicians command pretty high salaries, easily twice what you can make starting out in FP and the residency is only three years, has pretty good hours, and is by far the coolest medical specialty.

I suggest you go work at a busy rural or urban ED before you rule this out a specialty. On the other hand maybe I don't want a lot of people matching into it and driving down the salaries....come to think of it, you're right. Under no circumstances match into EM. You'll hate it. Yeah, that's the ticket. Sure it is. Do something muy macho medically speaking like Psychiatry or, hey, if you really want to live on the edge how about Family Medicine?

Hey, I have nothing against Emergency docs, it was what I was most interested in until about the last year or so.

I didn't enjoy my experience all that much in ER because, like I said, it wasn't a Trauma Center (L1), and had less cases of 'emergency,' and more cases of psych and general crowd control.

It was, however, very busy and urban. Just not what I expected. I haven't thrown it completely out the windown though.

 

[BaylorGuy]

ambivalent about (cause sometimes i'm easily annoyed with people):
1) path
2) radiology
3) anesthesia


and i LOVE the carpentry and enjoy the OR, notsomuch the drugs and physiology of other specialties ... strongly considering ortho.

Man, drugs and physiology go hand in hand with anesthesia....

 

[sleepymed]

1. Derm --- our two weeks during the course was enough derm, thank you very much.

2. OB/GYN --- only because we didn't an elective there, and it's not as rosy as everybody makes it out to be... made me reconsider my own parenting choices

3. neurology --- the content itself is incredibly interesting, and I loved our brain and mind course but I had a hard time with the neurology patient population, considering my personality type, i'd imagine i would get depressed in this field.

 

[NiteOwl]

things I am not interested in:
ob/gyn, urology, geriatrics, gastro, colorectal, oncology, ENT, dermatology or rheumatology.

Things I am interested in:
radiology, pathology, orthopaedics, general surgery and adolescent med. Right now I am interested in radiology.

 

[Tiki]

I don't start rotations until the end of June, so I have no clue what I want to do. But I will say that after learning how to do my first pelvic exam today, I know there is no way I will ever go into OB/GYN.

 

[DrMom]

I don't start rotations until the end of June, so I have no clue what I want to do. But I will say that after learning how to do my first pelvic exam today, I know there is no way I will ever go into OB/GYN.

If you really can't stand pelvics, then that'll wipe you out of FM, EM, and gen'l surgery as well. I did more pelvics on gen'l surgery than I did on OB/GYN & I've done them nearly daily (& usually multiple patients/shift) when in the emergency department.

 

[Callogician]

3. neurology --- the content itself is incredibly interesting, and I loved our brain and mind course but I had a hard time with the neurology patient population, considering my personality type, i'd imagine i would get depressed in this field.

You make a good point here, and I hope that I won't feel the same way once I have experience with the neurology patient population. To me, the nervous system is intrinsically interesting. I had a meeting with a neurologist the other day to try to set up a lab position, and she had me wait while she and her residents discussed a case. They were staring at an electroencephalogram, noting and explaining artifacts and possible signs of pathology. They were talking about how ammonia could cause the declining mental status and how a neoplasm might be isodense and hence radiologically invisible. They were reasoning out the case and thinking about differential diagnosis. It was awesome! I thought to myself, "people get paid for this!?"

"I would do this for free, but don't tell that to my patients" -My uncle, a cosmetic surgeon

 

[Callogician]

wow, are you me in a guy's body? down to the ER/neuro interest!

I interpret this as no less than a blatant proposition for sex.

 

[OctoDoc]

I hate women because they don't understand hyperbole!

Apparently you don't understand hyperbole either.

"Kids are stupid and annoying." - is not hyperbole.

"Kids are dumber than dirt." - is hyperbole.

 

[GoodMonkey]

Man, drugs and physiology go hand in hand with anesthesia....

maybe i should clarify the drugs part ... my meaning was more on the management of pt's polypharmacy that i just can't deal with. tweaking BP meds, diabetes meds, CHF meds, etc etc.

and physiology ... well, that's why anesthesia is an ambivalent for me. it's not like i don't know what an anesthesiologist does, ya know.

 

[Tiki]

If you really can't stand pelvics, then that'll wipe you out of FM, EM, and gen'l surgery as well. I did more pelvics on gen'l surgery than I did on OB/GYN & I've done them nearly daily (& usually multiple patients/shift) when in the emergency department.

You're bursting my bubble, Dr. Mom.

Maybe I'll grow to hate it less, it was after all the first one I've ever had to do.

 

[DrMom]

You're bursting my bubble, Dr. Mom.

Maybe I'll grow to hate it less, it was after all the first one I've ever had to do.

I'm guessing you'll get over it. That first one can be nerve-wracking.

 

[BaylorGuy]

maybe i should clarify the drugs part ... my meaning was more on the management of pt's polypharmacy that i just can't deal with. tweaking BP meds, diabetes meds, CHF meds, etc etc.

and physiology ... well, that's why anesthesia is an ambivalent for me. it's not like i don't know what an anesthesiologist does, ya know.

Nah, i just wanted you to elaborate more. I totally dig what you are understanding. I'd much rather have a smaller role in the patient's overall care. If you do anesthesia, you are still gonna have to deal with BP, diabetes, CHF, etc...but in a more limited circumstance and more as a consult rather than the #1 doc.

I aint trying to hold you down.

 

[mustangsally65]

Things I don't think I could ever do:

Surgery (any kind): Too much standing up. And way too competitive for me.
Radiology/Pathology: Sounds cushy, but no patient contact.
Derm: That would bore me all day long.
Orthopedics: I'm not into carpentry. And too competitive.
ENT: no thanks. I prefer the rest of the body over the head.
Pediatrics: I love kids, but wouldn't want to treat them exclusively. Way too sad.

Stuff I'm on the fence about:
Internal Medicine: not as exciting as FM, but it would afford the opportunity for specializing in gastro. I never thought I'd be interested in gastro, but having had some contact through my own experiences as a patient it's looking a bit more interesting.
EM: I'm not into trauma but many rural family physicians moonlight or take call in the ED. So I'm keeping an open mind.
OB/GYN: many of your patients are healthy, but I don't know if I'd like OB as much as GYN. I wouldn't like being involved for 9 months with a patient and then never seeing them again.

I'd love to try:

Family Medicine: Lots of variety, following your patients from childhood into adolescence and adulthood, preventative medicine, treating the whole family, I could go on and on.

 

[8744]

Family Medicine: Lots of variety, following your patients from childhood into adolescence and adulthood, preventative medicine, treating the whole family, I could go on and on.

Spending 10 minutes with them every six months as you struggle to see forty patients a day. One advantage of being a specialist is that you can spend more time with your patients.

 

[deleted87716]

One advantage of being a specialist is that you can spend more time with your patients.

I wouldn't bank on that. Most of my specialist colleagues schedule patients in shorter time slots than I do, and many utilize physician extenders, so they're barely spending any time with the patients at all. One of my friends, a urologist, typically sees 40 patients a day when he's in the office. My average is between 25-30.

 

[monkeyarms]

i just wanted to chime in and say this is the funniest s*** i have read in a long time. hate! hate! hate! hate!

 

[nikibean]

Oh Hell NO:

Surgery: I have nothing to prove to anyone, and I like people and I like nice people. Other folks can use their guns on someone else...
OB/GYN: I dated an OB resident for a month- until he went on night call. I think that just below surgery, this might be the 7th circle of Dante's Hell. I'd do the GYN, not the OB.
IM: eh. I like trauma.
Peds: Kids are cool. Parents? Not so cool when their kids are sick and they think everything is YOUR fault.

Maybe:
Pathology: Disease is fascinating, but I don't know about looking under a microscope all day.
Oncology: I have the emotional strength for this.
Orthopedics: Ski Patrolling sparked an interest here.
Geriatrics: Older people are pretty rad and have done some cool stuff. I like listening to them.

Booya, heck ya I'm excited for:
EM: I love what I do as an EMT, and I love having to make instant decisions on the hill when I've got someone injured. Blood and gore doesn't bother me. Plus I could use these skills in the backcountry.
Anesthesiology: These folks are quirky and fun, plus you've got some ultimate trust with patients. Love it.

 

[DrJekyll918]

The worst specialties. Hmm. I don't think any specialty is really bad, actually. They all have their place, and have their share of dedicated people trying to help people.

Although...

I don't want to be feeding and watering gomers all day. So IM is out.

While the thought of dealing with weird diseases is cool, I don't want to spend half my day writing scrips for HIV cocktails, and the other half cleaning up surgical infections. ID is out.

I want to be able to rely on my knowledge and brainpower to solve cases, not hammers and saws. Ortho is out.

I don't want to be locked away from the patients, looking at studies for other doctors. Path and rads are out.

I don't want to deal with kids because kids are icky and gross... therefore, peds and FP are out.

I don't want to be in a service where most of your job is thinking up new ways of telling your patients "You're gonna die." Heme/onc is out.

I don't want to be spending the rest of my life taking gall bladders out of fat people. GS is out.

I don't want to be Pimple-Popper, M.D. Derm is out.

I also don't want to be putting in silicone boobs all day and call that "medicine." Plastics is out.

I want to actually have some idea on what's wrong with the patients. Psych is out.

I don't want to be a glorified triage nurse. EM is out.

As tempting as looking at diseased genitalia all day might be, I'm going to have to pass. OB/GYN and uro are out.

Same thing with the other perineal triangle. GI and colorectal are out.

Therefore, upon reflection, I'm going to be a lawyer.

LOL

 

[GoodMonkey]

Nah, i just wanted you to elaborate more. I totally dig what you are understanding. I'd much rather have a smaller role in the patient's overall care. If you do anesthesia, you are still gonna have to deal with BP, diabetes, CHF, etc...but in a more limited circumstance and more as a consult rather than the #1 doc.

I aint trying to hold you down.

no worries - i don't feel restrained. i can deal with anything on occasion - i.e. the BP, diabetes, CHF - i just don't want to see the more chronic tweaking meds stuff day in and out.

but anyway, i'm about 95% sure of what i want to do at this point. and it's not gas.

 

[George_Clooney]

OB/GYN: many of your patients are healthy, but I don't know if I'd like OB as much as GYN. I wouldn't like being involved for 9 months with a patient and then never seeing them again.

You would see them again if they have more kids.... or get a tubal ligation.

 

[kskuwik]

Urology - I don't like sausage fests

OB/GYN - I don't want to have to go to work every day and see a bulldog eating mayonnaise

GI - **** stinks

 

[sacrament]

GI - **** stinks

But money smells great, and that's most of what you'd be smelling.

(GI docs probably deal less with sh1t than family docs or virtually anybody who works on an inpatient service, since a significant number of their patients have been pre-de-sh1ted for them.)

 

[WanderingDave]

Wow -- all you people giving geriatrics the ol' thumbs down gives me hope despite my sub-par GPA. It's the specialty I'd most like to do, and make this very clear in my admissions essay. Working at a nursing home has been amazingly cool. I find about 2/3 of all residents I've worked with to be quite pleasant and accepting of the fact that they're near the end. The other third... well... they're the challenge of that area of healthcare I guess.

 

[deleted87716]

Wow -- all you people giving geriatrics the ol' thumbs down gives me hope despite my sub-par GPA. It's the specialty I'd most like to do

That's great! More power to you.

Make no mistake...unless you're doing pediatrics, you'll be doing "geriatrics", whatever field you go into. That's simply who most of the patients are.

 

[tupac_don]

Geriatrics---I don't like old people
Peds---or kids.
Medical genetics---Welcome to Dullsville. Population: you
Preventative Medicine---Wear a condom if you want to prevent the spread of disease.
Ob/Gyn---Gross
Family Medicine---Why not become a real specialist?
Derm, urology, and optho---I don't see how you have to graduate at the top of your class to be in these specialties.

I do, they sit at home, sleeping, while others are at the hospital, taking care of pts

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

gyn is interesting. see rotten vagina everyday. is there money in that?

 

[azzarah]

urology, gyn, ent....GROSS!!! [vomit, vomit] I can't believe I was actually considering going into one fo these 3 fields at some point during med school.

 

[DW3843]

urology, gyn, ent....GROSS!!! [vomit, vomit] I can't believe I was actually considering going into one fo these 3 fields at some point during med school.

why ent so gross?

 

[star22]

why ent so gross?

Ear wax

 

[cdql]

why ent so gross?

It often involves taking apart people's faces to gain access to oral cancers. Some people find that sort of intriguing. I haven't experienced it yet but since I am a wimp, I am fairly sure I would pass out!

 

[mysophobe]

Teeth are nasty too.

 

[Annabella]

urology, gyn, ent....GROSS!!! [vomit, vomit] I can't believe I was actually considering going into one fo these 3 fields at some point during med school.

It's so funny how some of the fields people like before/during med school are ones that they really don't like afterwards. On the other end, one of my mentors as an undergrad told me that the one field he swore to himself he'd never enter was surgery. Now he's a surgical resident. Go figure!

I'm actually really interested in geriatrics. I think elderly people are cool! That being said, now I might end up in peds... hehe

 

[smugass]

which specialty if the DUMPING GROUND of all specialties?

No way specialties:

Peds, and I have a kid - but only MY kid is cool I don't like brats, and I don't like other kids snot all over my sleeve uggg

IM: stab me in the eye before I see another "78 yo F PMH/o CHF, stroke, IDDM, CABG, HTN admitted for CP"

Neuro: I can't stand rounding as long as IM but then doing all of nothing for the patient - get another MRI

Family: Would be cool if I made more than 50K take home

Surgery: BORING- cut and sew, cut and sew, I don't know anything, I just cut and sew FORGET IT! I didn't learn this stuff to let it all fall by the way side, plus I'm not standing on my feet for 100 hrs a week and never seeing my family when I'm well into my 60's Pyssing contests annoy me too, which are inevitable at every grand rounds/M&M conference

Heme/Onc: Too sad for me - no thanks

Great specialties:

OBGYN if you take away the gyn - I only like the pregnant ladies, the gyn part (std's, gyn/onc, etc) ugg - too gross

Psych: wooo hooo, my specialty save the depressed whiney Axis II's-but ya gotta love schizophrenia or developmental d/o and autism

 

[azzarah]

why ent so gross?

Just open any ENT textbook & you'll know what I'm talking about! I will surely pass out if I ever did that rotation!!!!