still undecided about career path?

[juicyprunes]

So, I'm having a crisis of still being undecided between two specialties, which is very unhelpful for trying to set up electives in this fall (4th yr!!). Has anyone else been in this situation? What kind of things can I do NOW to help me decide?

 

I know that I can always apply to two specialities, but I think this is more a uncertainty about what I want my career to look like. I'd appreciate any thoughts!!

[Lactic Folly]

How different are the two fields?

 

One thing I found helpful was to ask someone in field A if they ever considered field B, and how they made their decision.. if they list a positive unique to A - how important is that to you? if they list a negative of B - is it something you can tolerate?

[White-Tiger]

Pick the one that pays the most and has the least amount of hours per week as an attending.

 

Really wise words right there! *thumbs up*

[bnface]

Trust me, you may not think that matters now, but it will when you start having children and get married etc. This is where medicines going now. Lifestyle fields are all the rage because new medical students are sane! THey have learned from the cautionary tales of the House of God. I didnt. Im a moron.

 

I'm interested brooksbane...what did you get yourself into? as someone interested in both surgery and FM (I know, complete opposites), I wonder if you are regretting a decision into one of these specialties?

[White-Tiger]

I'm interested brooksbane...what did you get yourself into? as someone interested in both surgery and FM (I know, complete opposites), I wonder if you are regretting a decision into one of these specialties?

 

FM is considered a lifestyle speciality btw...you can tailor it to whatever you like.

[Lactic Folly]

Family physicians can work as clinical associates in surgery.

[RuralDoc]

You can be an FP-surgeon in places like Alberta- and do minor surgeries plus work in FM.

 

You can work in a smaller community and be the surgical assist- but the money isn't great. It is exciting though if your interests lie in both fields- ex I am based in a rural community (hence my name) and the other night I suspected an ectopic in the office- sent her over to our ER to have it confirmed by U/S, helped the surgeon deal with it, delivered a baby, raced back downstairs to assist with a surgery on a man with a perforated bleeding ulcer, and then walked out and helped with a code blue in the ER. I'll be able to follow up with my patients in ways a surgeon cannot-

 

Ruraldoc

[juicyprunes]

ha! that's pretty much my dilemna - subspeciality surgery (ENT) versus rural family medicine...

 

I'd love to hear more ideas!!!

[Lactic Folly]

Where do you see yourself and your family living? What is most important for your happiness in terms of lifestyle, environment, avocations? Immerse yourself in a small community and your patients' lives, or maintain your distance in a larger centre?

 

Do you want to be the expert in your area and let other physicians deal with the patient's other problems? Or do you want to be the go-to person for your patients, and refer less frequently encountered cases on? Any interest in academics/basic research?

 

What is it that attracts you to each field? What did you think about urban family, ob/gyn, general surgery, ortho, etc.?

[Satsuma]

Given that ENT is really competitive and family is not....you can feasibly apply to both of these.

 

Make sure most of your electives are in ENT since that is the most competitive of the two. And maybe do one family before the carms deadlines. You can still show interest by doing family electives after the carms deadline but before interviews. You can get letters for fam from your preceptors in 3rd year probably.

 

You need to figure out what it is that makes you interested in these 2 things and then decide which things are more important to you.

 

It is not easy. And that is partly what 4th year electives are for (aside from the whole carms thing). You can spend a longer amount of time in the things you think you like and see if you think it is a good fit. (esp something like ENT where we don`t get a whole lot of exposure in the first place).

 

Alot of people are still undecided as they go through the interviews. The interviews help a bit because you can see how you feel you mesh with the programs and other applicants etc. And still...a good number of residents switch.

 

So...having it narrowed down to 2 is not bad so far. At least set up some ENT electives cause they will be harder to get. Use your electives to help you decide.

[Lactic Folly]

OP might be concerned about getting a desirable rural family (or even urban family) position.. certain locations are competitive, and someone with an ENT-heavy application might be looked at askance - unless you are very convincing in getting the message across that you were undecided, but now have turned from ENT and are sure that family med is where you want to be. So knowing earlier helps, unless one is ok with going to *any* family medicine program..