Non residency options

[beatles1960]

I am currently a MS3 and having serious doubts about doing an internship and residency.

The reason being that over the past couple of years I have struggled with multiple concussions and the long term recovery from them. I still have lingering effects mainly relating to headaches, sleep, exercise, etc. During clinical rotations I have had to come face to face with the realities of the long hours of continuing in the medical field. At this point I just don't think I could realistically finish an internship and or residency and I feel as if I would require a career that would allow me the time to work on my medical issues. I have already taken a leave of absence and am planning on returning to school to finish.

I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on possible career opportunities for someone in my position who isn't planning on doing a residency.

I have thought of pathology since I have heard it is relatively one of the easier residencies with included internships but obviously it is still a lot of work in the absolute sense.

I should also mention that regardless of my health issues I had previously thought I would do something with little patient contact like anesthesia, radiology, pathology as I just don't like talking to people that much. also I guess fortunately or unfortunately I dont feel a strong connection to medicine at this point in that the only way I would feel fulfilled in life is to be a physician. I fully plan on finishing medical school as I have gone too far to not get an MD at least. And after reading similar past threads I am not interested in anyone telling me to just tough it out, and I have thought about most residency programs(ex: psych) which are slightly easier but still seem like a very intense internship at least.

Thanks,

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[NotAProgDirector]

Someone else just asked the same question. The thread is still on the first page: I Don't Want To Do a Residency...

You should start there. But in summary your choices are:

1. Try to do a less intense residency program. Occ Med or Preventive Med are considerations, as is Path. Psych is relatively competitive.
2. Try to work in a non clinical role, but they are very hard to come by. Working as a state insurance reviewer. People talk about working for Pharma, or consulting, but those types of jobs usually require connections or some marketable skill.
3. Do something with your undergrad degree.

There aren't many easy options, and you'll need to be creative. And nothing is going to generate the income expected as a clinician.

 

[CalmAndCollected]

I would strongly considering you trying to find a light residency option. I'm in psych and there are many programs with low working hours, no call, and a light load. Many of these programs are ideal for people who want to have enough free time to be with their families, and work nowhere near the crazy hours other residency programs.

Even if you just want to pursue primary care, there are pleanty of lighter FM programs as well as other specialties with less extreme hours.

Have you reached out to a school adviser regarding this?

 

[90sportsfan]

From what I've heard, you really need to do a residency (clinical experience) and have a license to have any credibility. A big pharma company or a healthcare consulting firm is not going to hire someone who just graduated med school but didn't get a license (and didn't do a residency). If anything, you'll raise serious red flags and they're likely to think you couldn't cut it. But more than them just being suspicious, you would likely not have the experience/training to be competitive for those top level jobs (that you will need to pay off your medical student loans). We have a very specialized training that doesn't translate well to the non-healthcare sector. Again, if you have strong clinical (read "rea world") experience, then that can be valuable, but a MD grad with no further training doesn't fit that bill.

As some mentioned, Preventive Medicine is an option. Although, by coincidence, I took a public health course as an undergrad and met a Preventive Medicine resident. I got to know him pretty well, as he kind of became a mentor (only reason I know Preventive Medicine exists). He told me that he and his 2 other residents (I think there were 3 of them in total), all got into it because they didn't like clinical medicine. But at the end of their program they all had to go back to clinical medicine (at least in the short term) because they couldn't find non-clinical jobs. They couldn't compete with PhDs for research jobs and they couldn't compete with MBAs or people years of experience in public health or project management for the leadership/director-type positions. Just a caution about Preventive Medicine in my N=1 experience.

 

[beatles1960]

I would strongly considering you trying to find a light residency option. I'm in psych and there are many programs with low working hours, no call, and a light load. Many of these programs are ideal for people who want to have enough free time to be with their families, and work nowhere near the crazy hours other residency programs.

Even if you just want to pursue primary care, there are pleanty of lighter FM programs as well as other specialties with less extreme hours.

Have you reached out to a school adviser regarding this?

Im mostly worried about the rigor or an internship and lack of sleep which ive been seriously struggling with getting less than a full 7 hour night of sleep. If there are lighter FM or psych programs without night call, that might be able to work but from the people I have talked to before it seems almost unrealistic to find a program like that.

I am also working with school advisors which has been helpful but it almost feels as if there is an academic medicine bias.

 

[CalmAndCollected]

Not sure on how common that is in FM, but there are plenty of no-call psych programs and many more with minimal call. Many of these programs vary in competitiveness, with top-tier university programs like Stanford being quite cushy as well as many community oriented programs in rural areas with low patient loads like UTRGV. I would recommend you look through forums and spreadsheets to get an idea of how heavy the workload is in these different programs.

A good advisor's goal is to lead you down the path that is best for what you want. If you feel that they aren't giving you helpful advice, you can always ask to speak with someone else.

 

[eternelle]

I don’t recommend doing psych if you don’t enjoy talking to patients that much...

 

[deleted480308]

I am currently a MS3 and having serious doubts about doing an internship and residency.

The reason being that over the past couple of years I have struggled with multiple concussions and the long term recovery from them. I still have lingering effects mainly relating to headaches, sleep, exercise, etc. During clinical rotations I have had to come face to face with the realities of the long hours of continuing in the medical field. At this point I just don't think I could realistically finish an internship and or residency and I feel as if I would require a career that would allow me the time to work on my medical issues. I have already taken a leave of absence and am planning on returning to school to finish.

I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on possible career opportunities for someone in my position who isn't planning on doing a residency.

I have thought of pathology since I have heard it is relatively one of the easier residencies with included internships but obviously it is still a lot of work in the absolute sense.

I should also mention that regardless of my health issues I had previously thought I would do something with little patient contact like anesthesia, radiology, pathology as I just don't like talking to people that much. also I guess fortunately or unfortunately I dont feel a strong connection to medicine at this point in that the only way I would feel fulfilled in life is to be a physician. I fully plan on finishing medical school as I have gone too far to not get an MD at least. And after reading similar past threads I am not interested in anyone telling me to just tough it out, and I have thought about most residency programs(ex: psych) which are slightly easier but still seem like a very intense internship at least.

Thanks,

There are a few part time residency options

 

[Mass Effect]

I would strongly considering you trying to find a light residency option. I'm in psych and there are many programs with low working hours, no call, and a light load. Many of these programs are ideal for people who want to have enough free time to be with their families, and work nowhere near the crazy hours other residency programs.

Even if you just want to pursue primary care, there are pleanty of lighter FM programs as well as other specialties with less extreme hours.

Have you reached out to a school adviser regarding this?

The poster says he doesn't enjoy talking to patients. Psych is not an option.

I second something like occ health. Easy residency and leaves you open for non-clinical work if you like.

 

[Mass Effect]

Im mostly worried about the rigor or an internship and lack of sleep which ive been seriously struggling with getting less than a full 7 hour night of sleep. If there are lighter FM or psych programs without night call, that might be able to work but from the people I have talked to before it seems almost unrealistic to find a program like that.

I am also working with school advisors which has been helpful but it almost feels as if there is an academic medicine bias.

You can't do psych if you don't like talking to patients. It's impossible. We spend the most time with patients out of any other specialty.

That said, if there's a legit medical reason for not being able to switch your hours for nightfloat or work an extended shift for overnight call, the program has to honor that, per ADA. There are some legit medical reasons that people can't do call although I can't speak to your reason in particular.

By the way, why all the concussions? You mention it's happened over the past couple of years. What are you doing? Because you should stop.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

You can't do psych if you don't like talking to patients. It's impossible. We spend the most time with patients out of any other specialty.

That said, if there's a legit medical reason for not being able to switch your hours for nightfloat or work an extended shift for overnight call, the program has to honor that, per ADA. There are some legit medical reasons that people can't do call although I can't speak to your reason in particular.

By the way, why all the concussions? You mention it's happened over the past couple of years. What are you doing? Because you should stop.

Not being able to work overnight shifts might not be allowed any accommodations per ADA. @NotAProgDirector had mentioned about the requirement before.

 

[Mass Effect]

Not being able to work overnight shifts might not be allowed any accommodations per ADA. @NotAProgDirector had mentioned about the requirement before.

Can't imagine it not being covered under ADA, though I guess it depends on what the ailment is.

 

[Piebaldi]

I am currently a MS3 and having serious doubts about doing an internship and residency.

The reason being that over the past couple of years I have struggled with multiple concussions and the long term recovery from them. I still have lingering effects mainly relating to headaches, sleep, exercise, etc. During clinical rotations I have had to come face to face with the realities of the long hours of continuing in the medical field. At this point I just don't think I could realistically finish an internship and or residency and I feel as if I would require a career that would allow me the time to work on my medical issues. I have already taken a leave of absence and am planning on returning to school to finish.

I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on possible career opportunities for someone in my position who isn't planning on doing a residency.

I have thought of pathology since I have heard it is relatively one of the easier residencies with included internships but obviously it is still a lot of work in the absolute sense.

I should also mention that regardless of my health issues I had previously thought I would do something with little patient contact like anesthesia, radiology, pathology as I just don't like talking to people that much. also I guess fortunately or unfortunately I dont feel a strong connection to medicine at this point in that the only way I would feel fulfilled in life is to be a physician. I fully plan on finishing medical school as I have gone too far to not get an MD at least. And after reading similar past threads I am not interested in anyone telling me to just tough it out, and I have thought about most residency programs(ex: psych) which are slightly easier but still seem like a very intense internship at least.

Thanks,

This has come up frequently recently, sorry to hear that. As my advice to the last person who asked this, I would highly recommend - evne if you hate it - to at least do a 1 year internship so taht you can get a license. No license, MD is useless.
One year of internship you can get a license and actually use the MD for a few things.
You can always try to find a cushy prelim/transitional year type spot - I did, I did my Prelim year in a small community hospital, where we had like 3 months of electives, we were done by 4 or 5 90% of the time, and you could round early on the weekends and be done by like 10am.
I would suggest you do that.
Once you have a license, there are a few things you can do.

Medical exams are an option, for Medicare type things
You can set up cosmetic type shop somewhere if you are skilled with aesthetics (you can get training) or hire injectors - can make a pretty penny
You can do things like regen med/wellness type set up
You can work - albeit is not easy - in things like consulting potentially - consulting does require likeability and you mention you don't like to talk to others much (not a judgement) so that might be challenging
you could work as a medical type writer for a company like osmosis
you can work for one of the qbanks - i think USMLE world actually hires full time MDs
You can try working for a place like Epic - although you need to have some sort of tech/software knowledge
There are a few other things you can potentially do - but again everything requires work.
This is why i think it's important for those who realize they don't like clinical stuff, to quit rather than torture themselves finalizing med school - there is life after med school people! i had a classmate that quit in second year, he realized he didn't like medicine, so he became a math teacher and was happy as a clam

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Can't imagine it not being covered under ADA, though I guess it depends on what the ailment is.

Overnight call is a required component of the job description. ADA requirements can allow for certain allowances, but having no overnight call or limited overnight call in a program that requires call would not be something that could likely be accomodated.

 

[deleted480308]

Overnight call is a required component of the job description. ADA requirements can allow for certain allowances, but having no overnight call or limited overnight call in a program that requires call would not be something that could likely be accomodated.

Can you imagine how many residents would suddenly have (insert literally any diagnosis that would magically qualify for no night shifts)?

 

[Piebaldi]

Can you imagine how many residents would suddenly have (insert literally any diagnosis that would magically qualify for no night shifts)?

Absolutely.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Can't imagine it not being covered under ADA, though I guess it depends on what the ailment is.

Overnight call is a required component of the job description. ADA requirements can allow for certain allowances, but having no overnight call or limited overnight call in a program that requires call would not be something that could likely be accomodated.

Correct. The ADA requires reasonable accommodations for covered problems. But employers do not have to remove parts of the job that are "essential standards / functions". If a residency considers nigh shifts part of its curriculum, then you can't just remove them. There have been residents with narcolepsy -- they are not removed from nights. They get medication from their physician, and can be outfitted with a device that if it senses they are falling asleep, wakes them up with a loud noise. That's a reasonable accommodation.

 

[Mass Effect]

Overnight call is a required component of the job description. ADA requirements can allow for certain allowances, but having no overnight call or limited overnight call in a program that requires call would not be something that could likely be accomodated.

Perhaps it's specialty specific then because there are plenty of specialties where call is not "required" to be competent in the field and, therefore, not a required component of training.

 

[Mass Effect]

Can you imagine how many residents would suddenly have (insert literally any diagnosis that would magically qualify for no night shifts)?

Doesn't work like that. To receive ADA accommodations in residency (unless the employer has no backbone) requires tons of legal paperwork. It's similar to asking for accommodations on USMLE. No one just gets it due to ADHD.

 

[Mass Effect]

Correct. The ADA requires reasonable accommodations for covered problems. But employers do not have to remove parts of the job that are "essential standards / functions". If a residency considers nigh shifts part of its curriculum, then you can't just remove them. There have been residents with narcolepsy -- they are not removed from nights. They get medication from their physician, and can be outfitted with a device that if it senses they are falling asleep, wakes them up with a loud noise. That's a reasonable accommodation.

Meh, narcolepsy is one thing and there's treatment specifically for the purpose of shift work in that case. Think bipolar disorder or epilepsy. Tell a resident they should risk their life to do q5 overnight call.

 

[deleted480308]

Doesn't work like that. To receive ADA accommodations in residency (unless the employer has no backbone) requires tons of legal paperwork. It's similar to asking for accommodations on USMLE. No one just gets it due to ADHD.

And a market would develop to accommodate those requests, people would pay good money for it and the market would expand

 

[deleted480308]

Meh, narcolepsy is one thing and there's treatment specifically for the purpose of shift work in that case. Think bipolar disorder or epilepsy. Tell a resident they should risk their life to do q5 overnight call.

If the job is overnight call and you cannot do it, you shouldn’t be hired

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Meh, narcolepsy is one thing and there's treatment specifically for the purpose of shift work in that case. Think bipolar disorder or epilepsy. Tell a resident they should risk their life to do q5 overnight call.

It's part of the job description. Either go into a field that wouldn't have call or don't be a physician if you are worried that you are risking your life.

 

[Mass Effect]

And a market would develop to accommodate those requests, people would pay good money for it and the market would expand

Hasn't been a problem with the USMLE.

 

[Mass Effect]

It's part of the job description. Either go into a field that wouldn't have call or don't be a physician if you are worried that you are risking your life.

You can be a competent physician without doing overnight call. Just ask derm, psych, path, or a number of specialties. Residency call is partly for learning, but if that learning can be accomplished another way, then it should and I would bet money the ADA would back me up on that. There's no way a psych residency, for example, can prove that call is necessary to be competent when it (a) isn't part of the ACGME requirements for psych and (b) isn't required at a number of residencies.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Then that person should choose a field that doesn't have call AND programs that don't require call... or not be a physician if its a matter of life or death. Just like I said in my post. Reading is Fundamental.

Now can a psych resident be able to get out of IM calls when off service? I suspect that will be a cause for problems.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Perhaps it's specialty specific then because there are plenty of specialties where call is not "required" to be competent in the field and, therefore, not a required component of training.

Meh, narcolepsy is one thing and there's treatment specifically for the purpose of shift work in that case. Think bipolar disorder or epilepsy. Tell a resident they should risk their life to do q5 overnight call.

This discussion is somewhat off topic, but interesting.

These are very complicated questions, and we've had multiple discussions in our program about it. Residency is an educational endeavor, but it's also a job. Not everything residents do is about their education. The question really hangs on whether night shifts are considered part of the curriculum and hence are essential.

We could argue that overnight call is the best way to learn independence, and that the types of emergencies / issues that occur overnight tend to be different than those that happen during the day. I think it's an argument that could go either way, and might be program specific. For example, in our program the night residents are doing lots of admissions, where day residents are doing mostly rounding and supervising interns. We can't just have a single resident doing admissions during the day -- those admissions are managed by non-residents and the two services are not interchangable.

The courts are all over the place.

Employee wants only day shifts. Court says yes, the fact that other employees get more night shifts and think this is unfair isn't an issue (would depend on the size of the company). Company could decide to pay night shifts at a higher rate than day shifts such that the requesting employee ends up getting paid less, and people who take over their shifts get paid more.

Employee wants a fixed schedule instead of a rotating schedule. Court says no, the position was clearly advertised as requiring rotating shifts.

Employee hired to do night shifts wants to switch to day shifts. Court says yes, apparently because the description of the position was vague enough. (I think this was just pretrial stuff, may not have been the end of the case).

Anyway, case law is all over the place. What's clear is that claims of "it's not fair" or "the other residents will complain" are meaningless in the court's view. Programs need to define night shifts as part of their curriculum / essential functions, but courts might agree with @Mass Effect 's viewpoint that they aren't really essential. Some would argue that those with disabilities should just get the accommodation and the rest of the workforce adjusts, certainly one solution. Other options include differential pay for night shifts, or perhaps assigning more weekend shifts to people who can't work nights.

 

[deleted480308]

Hasn't been a problem with the USMLE.

It’s my understanding that people are able to arrange more time for taking the test, it’s possible I am mistaken though....

 

[Mass Effect]

It’s my understanding that people are able to arrange more time for taking the test, it’s possible I am mistaken though....

They can, but they have to jump through significant hurdles in which to do it. It's hardly a popular thing or thing that people would pay good money for.

 

[Piebaldi]

This discussion is somewhat off topic, but interesting.

These are very complicated questions, and we've had multiple discussions in our program about it. Residency is an educational endeavor, but it's also a job. Not everything residents do is about their education. The question really hangs on whether night shifts are considered part of the curriculum and hence are essential.

We could argue that overnight call is the best way to learn independence, and that the types of emergencies / issues that occur overnight tend to be different than those that happen during the day. I think it's an argument that could go either way, and might be program specific. For example, in our program the night residents are doing lots of admissions, where day residents are doing mostly rounding and supervising interns. We can't just have a single resident doing admissions during the day -- those admissions are managed by non-residents and the two services are not interchangable.

The courts are all over the place.

Employee wants only day shifts. Court says yes, the fact that other employees get more night shifts and think this is unfair isn't an issue (would depend on the size of the company). Company could decide to pay night shifts at a higher rate than day shifts such that the requesting employee ends up getting paid less, and people who take over their shifts get paid more.

Employee wants a fixed schedule instead of a rotating schedule. Court says no, the position was clearly advertised as requiring rotating shifts.

Employee hired to do night shifts wants to switch to day shifts. Court says yes, apparently because the description of the position was vague enough. (I think this was just pretrial stuff, may not have been the end of the case).

Anyway, case law is all over the place. What's clear is that claims of "it's not fair" or "the other residents will complain" are meaningless in the court's view. Programs need to define night shifts as part of their curriculum / essential functions, but courts might agree with @Mass Effect 's viewpoint that they aren't really essential. Some would argue that those with disabilities should just get the accommodation and the rest of the workforce adjusts, certainly one solution. Other options include differential pay for night shifts, or perhaps assigning more weekend shifts to people who can't work nights.

I personally think it's a tricky point. As others have pointed out, night call is a requirement of the vast majority of programs, except maybe derm and rad onc, and possibly some pm&r programs. But while a requirement in most programs (our pm&r program included) is it requirement something that if a resident does not do will make them a good or bad physician in their specialty? For example would someone who does not take night call in a pm&r program be a worse physiatrist? The answer is no. Is an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon who does not take overnight call a worse off surgeon?Maybe I don't know, perhaps as aPD mentioned some emergencies that happen at night don't as often during the day and maybe that's a loss in terms of their education.
But it's very specialty specific.
Does a person who is going into a specialty lose anything by not doing night call during IM months when they are going to be an ophthalmologist or a rad onc person or whatever? Likely not.
So denying someone who could perhaps be a fantastic specialist for example the opportunity to be that specialist bc they can't take overnight call due to narcolepsy for example seems kind of harsh and inappropriate. that's my 2 cents.

 

[Mass Effect]

Then that person should choose a field that doesn't have call AND programs that don't require call... or not be a physician if its a matter of life or death. Just like I said in my post. Reading is Fundamental.

Now can a psych resident be able to get out of IM calls when off service? I suspect that will be a cause for problems.

People don't always know what their medical issue is prior to med school or the match (keep in mind the age range of graduating med students). Speaking from experience here as I was friends with an IM colleague who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during intern year at age 27. This happened toward the end of intern year and after discharge from an inpatient psych unit that April or May, the IM residency program accommodated him by taking him off all in-house night call. IIRC, he did extra weekend day shifts through the end of residency, covering for his peers, but I don't know if that was required or if he offered because he felt so guilty and felt like everyone would hate him.

 

[deleted480308]

They can, but they have to jump through significant hurdles in which to do it. It's hardly a popular thing or thing that people would pay good money for.

Clearly someone pays for it

 

[Mass Effect]

We could argue that overnight call is the best way to learn independence, and that the types of emergencies / issues that occur overnight tend to be different than those that happen during the day. I think it's an argument that could go either way, and might be program specific. For example, in our program the night residents are doing lots of admissions, where day residents are doing mostly rounding and supervising interns. We can't just have a single resident doing admissions during the day -- those admissions are managed by non-residents and the two services are not interchangable

It would be a pain in the butt for sure, but I think there's always a workaround so that resident gets appropriate experience admitting without staying up all night. Maybe a long call (not overnight) system or a weekend system that could work. Who knows? I think PDs would become creative if faced with this issue. What's the alternative? Would you actually terminate/non-renew an otherwise good/competent resident who was diagnosed with something like bipolar or epilepsy during residency because that person couldn't safely do overnight call? I doubt it.

I think in order to let a resident go for this reason, the program would have to prove that this person is incapable of independent safe practice without overnights. Some of the surgical specialties will likely be able to make that case (neurosurg, for example), but I think it's harder to show that in something like IM because there are workarounds.

 

[deleted480308]

It would be a pain in the butt for sure, but I think there's always a workaround so that resident gets appropriate experience admitting without staying up all night. Maybe a long call (not overnight) system or a weekend system that could work. Who knows? I think PDs would become creative if faced with this issue. What's the alternative? Would you actually terminate/non-renew an otherwise good/competent resident who was diagnosed with something like bipolar or epilepsy during residency because that person couldn't safely do overnight call? I doubt it.

I think in order to let a resident go for this reason, the program would have to prove that this person is incapable of independent safe practice without overnights. Some of the surgical specialties will likely be able to make that case (neurosurg, for example), but I think it's harder to show that in something like IM because there are workarounds.

If the training requires overnights, it has to be done. Everyone required or no one

 

[Mass Effect]

If the training requires overnights, it has to be done. Everyone required or no one

That's not how it works. In fact, the ADA exists just to prove that's not how it works.

 

[Apollyon]

I personally think it's a tricky point. As others have pointed out, night call is a requirement of the vast majority of programs, except maybe derm and rad onc,

When I was a resident, I called in rad onc around 9pm on Sunday night for an acute cauda equina in a met CA pt. They take night call.

 

[Piebaldi]

That's not how it works. In fact, the ADA exists just to prove that's not how it works.

I would agree with this. Because so many programs do things differently - and for example in PM&R this is a great example - some programs do overnight call, some don't. So if someone was diagnosed with narcolepsy at the beginning of say pgy2 and they said look i cant do overnight call - when other programs don't do overnight call - i'm sure that would create a legal issue. is it unfair to other residents? Yes. But unfairness as others have pointed out happens - i got royally screwed during most of residency and was denied rotations other residents had, and had to do more an extra month of night float, etc. so crap happens.
I doubt that a program would be like no - it's esential to your pm&r education - when the person could have otherwise completed a program elsewhere with no overnight requirement.

 

[Piebaldi]

When I was a resident, I called in rad onc around 9pm on Sunday night for an acute cauda equina in a met CA pt. They take night call.

Yes they take call per se, but they are mostly PHONE call and they come in if needed. They RARELY come in. And they certainly don't sleep in the hospital - typically they stay home and come if needed which is rare. And why would you call Rad onc? What are they going to do acutely? Nothing. Should have called neurosurg since they are the ones who are going to be doing any type of surgery.
Good example of why neurosurg perhaps needs to take night call but not other specialties btw.

 

[Apollyon]

Yes they take call per se, but they are mostly PHONE call and they come in if needed. They RARELY come in. And they certainly don't sleep in the hospital - typically they stay home and come if needed which is rare. And why would you call Rad onc? What are they going to do acutely? Nothing. Should have called neurosurg since they are the ones who are going to be doing any type of surgery.
Good example of why neurosurg perhaps needs to take night call but not other specialties btw.

The rad onc resident took the pt for acute radiation, and gave me no problem, nor tried to punt to NSx. Don't be so dogmatic.

 

[Piebaldi]

The rad onc resident took the pt for acute radiation, and gave me no problem, nor tried to punt to NSx. Don't be so dogmatic.

Still, then the resident probably went back to sleep and didn't get called in probably for the rest of the year. I'm sure the poor Neurosurg resident gets called like 10 times a day when on call. Don't be so dramatic with your once in residency I called rad onc example.

 

[deleted480308]

That's not how it works. In fact, the ADA exists just to prove that's not how it works.

The ADA is wrong. I’m arguing how it should be, not how it is

 

[Apollyon]

Still, then the resident probably went back to sleep and didn't get called in probably for the rest of the year. I'm sure the poor Neurosurg resident gets called like 10 times a day when on call. Don't be so dramatic with your once in residency I called rad onc example.

 

[Piebaldi]

I got an eye roll AND an "okay" eyeroll emoji? Harsh dude!

 

[Apollyon]

I got an eye roll AND an "okay" eyeroll emoji? Harsh dude!

Just stop. Who is "dramatic" now?

 

[Piebaldi]

Just stop. Who is "dramatic" now?

Lol I'm just messing with you! Goodness. Someone needs a nap!

 

[Apollyon]

Lol I'm just messing with you! Goodness. Someone needs a nap!

I can always take a nap.

 

[Mass Effect]

The ADA is wrong. I’m arguing how it should be, not how it is

LOL k.

 

[CalmAndCollected]

The poster says he doesn't enjoy talking to patients. Psych is not an option.

I second something like occ health. Easy residency and leaves you open for non-clinical work if you like.

OP specifically mentioned psych as a point of interest and I’m not sure I agree with the idea that some specialties are not options because you have specific personality qualities. There are plenty of great psychiatrists who aren’t great conversationalists just as much as there are plenty of great surgeons who don’t like standing around all day.

Only OP can decide what specialty he likes and is willing to pursue. I don’t think discouraging people from pursuing a specialty that might be a great lifestyle choice is helpful in any way.

Anyways, it seems the topic has been derailed and OP hasn’t bothered posting in a while, so the whole thing might be moot now.

 

[beatles1960]

OP specifically mentioned psych as a point of interest and I’m not sure I agree with the idea that some specialties are not options because you have specific personality qualities. There are plenty of great psychiatrists who aren’t great conversationalists just as much as there are plenty of great surgeons who don’t like standing around all day.

Only OP can decide what specialty he likes and is willing to pursue. I don’t think discouraging people from pursuing a specialty that might be a great lifestyle choice is helpful in any way.

Anyways, it seems the topic has been derailed and OP hasn’t bothered posting in a while, so the whole thing might be moot now.

This has come up frequently recently, sorry to hear that. As my advice to the last person who asked this, I would highly recommend - evne if you hate it - to at least do a 1 year internship so taht you can get a license. No license, MD is useless.
One year of internship you can get a license and actually use the MD for a few things.
You can always try to find a cushy prelim/transitional year type spot - I did, I did my Prelim year in a small community hospital, where we had like 3 months of electives, we were done by 4 or 5 90% of the time, and you could round early on the weekends and be done by like 10am.
I would suggest you do that.
Once you have a license, there are a few things you can do.

Medical exams are an option, for Medicare type things
You can set up cosmetic type shop somewhere if you are skilled with aesthetics (you can get training) or hire injectors - can make a pretty penny
You can do things like regen med/wellness type set up
You can work - albeit is not easy - in things like consulting potentially - consulting does require likeability and you mention you don't like to talk to others much (not a judgement) so that might be challenging
you could work as a medical type writer for a company like osmosis
you can work for one of the qbanks - i think USMLE world actually hires full time MDs
You can try working for a place like Epic - although you need to have some sort of tech/software knowledge
There are a few other things you can potentially do - but again everything requires work.
This is why i think it's important for those who realize they don't like clinical stuff, to quit rather than torture themselves finalizing med school - there is life after med school people! i had a classmate that quit in second year, he realized he didn't like medicine, so he became a math teacher and was happy as a clam

Thanks for all the advice. I have not looked into any "accommodations" for residency so I will look into that. But from what some people have been saying it doesnt seem like it is a very promising route to go down in terms of programs allowing that sort of thing.

I dont particularly like talking to people and could maybe put up with a psych or family med residency but it would really be just to get a board certification in a field to use to go do something non clinical related. I would have no interest in that field as a long term career.

As for the concussions they were from sports in college and then a subsequent car accident. Overall just an unfortunate sequence of events but whats done is done. At this point it seems like the most feasible route is going to be looking for a non clinical job with just an MD regardless of the significant "downgrade" from a career standpoint.

I should also mention I have not had to take out any debt for my education so money is not something influencing my decision.

 

[Mass Effect]

OP specifically mentioned psych as a point of interest and I’m not sure I agree with the idea that some specialties are not options because you have specific personality qualities. There are plenty of great psychiatrists who aren’t great conversationalists just as much as there are plenty of great surgeons who don’t like standing around all day.

Only OP can decide what specialty he likes and is willing to pursue. I don’t think discouraging people from pursuing a specialty that might be a great lifestyle choice is helpful in any way.

Anyways, it seems the topic has been derailed and OP hasn’t bothered posting in a while, so the whole thing might be moot now.

I disagree. As a psychiatrist, I think you have to actually enjoy talking to patients to be a competent psychiatrist. I have yet to meet one who doesn't enjoy it. Your residency, at the very least, will be miserable if you don't like talking to people.