specialties

[drboris]

I am going to be an M1 in july at loyola med school. I have spent three years in the ER and one summer in a heme/onc office. However, I would like more info on different fields.

Leisure time is important to me. Also, I like continuity of care and helping my patients. I wouldn't mind doing some procedures ($$) and want an interesting field. Oncology/heme seems to fit. If anyone has any more info on this field or any others that fit: salary over 200k and not crazy hectic hours or call. Small surgical fields like anasthesiology or optho also seems to fit. I would like to know more about actual life style and compensation of GI vs. card. These fields seem like there is a lot of call.

Also, what do sports medicine docs actually deal with day to day and how much do they make? Sorry for the long message. Thanks guys.

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[notimg11]

Drboris, I think at this point of the game you should be more open minded about the things you actually like, not just the compensation packages. Everything may change in 4 years; Cardiology and GI might sink into oblivion, and id and rheumatology might thrive. Just get in there and have fun and see what you like.

 

[drboris]

notimg11,

You are absolutely right. However, my motto is to know as much as possible and be always prepared. I guess you can say I will be one of those stereotypical control freak doctors (so be it)! Nevertheless, I plan to do as much research about specialties as possible, so that if something extraordinarily appealing and interesting does strike my mind, I will pursue immediately (research, networking).

I graduate undergrad in december and might begin doing oncological clinicl trial research where I spent my last summer. I like heme/onc but am worried that it may too melodramatic since most of my patients will not get better.

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, or info please feel free to share your wealth!

Thanks again

 

[doc05]

I suggest you look into dermatology.

 

[PedsEndo]

I am interested in either peds endo or IM and then endo...anybody have any comments about differences in their lifestyle, work hours, salary, etc.

 

[oldandtired]

There is NO WAY you can find out what you like before the clinical years of medical school. In many cases, you will not know until well into your residency. While it is good to do research, focus on more enjoyable things, trips, one night stands, good meals etc.

I suggest that you relax before med school, enjoy your time off and dont study too hard during your first two years.

 

[sanfilippo]

i think lifestyle should factor second into what you have an affinity for. at this stage, that should be what kind of diseases, what kind of patients, surgical/procedure-intense vs. hands-off, and where you see yourself down the road in a very general sense (e.g., lab monkey, administrator, prison health, international).

Sports medicine...can approach it from ortho or family practice, depending on whether you want to do operate or not.

I agree also with oldandtired to a certain extent...read the novels you will never be able to read in medical school (Thomas Hardy, Beckett, Dostoevsky, maybe even JK Rowling) or picking up another language (how about Arabic? we clearly don't have enough bilingual Arabic people given the current state of affairs) or enjoying the last few moments with your non-pre-med undergrad buds before you part ways. Your med school experience will give you all the basic science and help fashion your clinical career...it's good to have an inkling about it but not a polished plan at this point.



-S.