factors to consider when choosing a specialty

[ahelicoptercalled]

I'm a 3rd year medical student and I'm trying to figure out how to choose a specialty. Currently I'm thinking about pursuing general surgery because that's what I enjoyed most, but I am worried that I have not fully considered all the factors that make for a good career. For instance, it is important for me to have a normal family life and enjoy my hobbies, which I think would be difficult with a general surgery practice. Other variables/factors: 1) portability of skills, 2) be involved in acute care medicine

 

Can someone suggest other factors that I should consider before choosing general surgery as my specialty. Thanks.

[Edge]

I'm a 3rd year medical student and I'm trying to figure out how to choose a specialty. Currently I'm thinking about pursuing general surgery because that's what I enjoyed most, but I am worried that I have not fully considered all the factors that make for a good career. For instance, it is important for me to have a normal family life and enjoy my hobbies, which I think would be difficult with a general surgery practice. Other variables/factors: 1) portability of skills, 2) be involved in acute care medicine

 

Can someone suggest other factors that I should consider before choosing general surgery as my specialty. Thanks.

 

For myself, I've taken the time to write down a roadmap of where I want to be in medicine and what I want to achieve, that piece of paper represents the bare minimum of what I desire to achieve.

 

In your case, I sense some confusion on where you stand. So my recommendation is to get to know yourself better.

 

If surgery is of interest, what do you want to achieve in surgery? do you want to invent a new instrument? start a surgery clinic? do research? and from there when you have a clear picture of what you want to achive, you can decide what non-medical things you want to do.

 

If for instance you want to be a Surgeon and also travel the world, and see every country atleast once, then you have to figure out if you can achieve that.

 

Also, there is no rule that forces you to be a surgeon 24/7/365 for life. Many take sabbaticals (long vacations) or quit their job for a year or so to pursue other things.

 

While unconventional, you can probably call a few hospitals in your area to see how flexible their work arrangements are. In University, some professors only teach half the year and dissapear the other half. I know this one english teacher who lives in Montreal during the spring sessions and heads to the states during the winter.

[ahelicoptercalled]

Thanks Edge. You're right in that I do have a fair amount of confusion regarding which specialty to pursue. Would you say that someone who likes to use their hands but still wants general medicine skills will be happy in emergency medicine. Or are surgeons and emerg docs completely different personalities?

[Tango Charlie]

For what it's worth, my father's a general surgeon here in Sudbury and I'd say he's had no trouble being able to lead a good family life. He gets enough time off to do lot's of hunting and fishing with myself and my brothers, and was even able to take us out to pretty much all of our hockey and soccer stuff. I'm not certain what the criteria you're looking for are, exactly, but if there's something pertaining to that specialty you'd like more insight into I could certainly ask him about it.

[Madz25]

Thanks Edge. You're right in that I do have a fair amount of confusion regarding which specialty to pursue. Would you say that someone who likes to use their hands but still wants general medicine skills will be happy in emergency medicine. Or are surgeons and emerg docs completely different personalities?

 

Keep in mind the shift-work involved in emergency medicine. some people are unable to handle shift-work and would rather have a "regular" day of work.

 

also, trauma surgery might be something you may want to consider if you want "emergency" and working with your hands.

 

all in all, i suggest doing something you wont get tired of doing day after day. emerg is exciting because you dont know what'll walk through the door - but more often than not its someone with abdo pain, laceration etc. It is great if you want to do something hands on but want to use general medicine knowledge regularly. In gen surg you do a lot of appys and chole's. Post-op care involves general medicine knowledge as well but certainly not to the same degree as emerg. Just think about which specialty you wont get tired of when you're doing the same thing over and over again.

[ploughboy]

Keep in mind the shift-work involved in emergency medicine. some people are unable to handle shift-work and would rather have a "regular" day of work.

 

The number one reason people go into emergency medicine is shiftwork.

 

The number one reason people leave emergency medicine is ... shiftwork.

 

Both gensx and emerg are portable, and both deal with acutely ill patients. Emerg is probably more family-friendly, in that when you're not working, you're not working. A full line for a staff doc is approx 14 shifts a month, which gives you a lot of free time away from the hospital (and you're not on call!) but sometimes you'll have to be working when you'd rather be doing other things.

 

Agree with what others have said -- you have to be happy dealing with the bread-and-butter stuff of your specialty, whether that be 80-year-old weak and dizzies in emerg, or appys and choles in gen surg.

 

Good luck.