Erk Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 Who else among the class of 2014 have already started thinking about residencies? I've been reading up quite a bit lately, with all the buzz about deciding early. Am I weird in that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 I have been too! Partly because I'm way excited, partly because I don't want this to be like my astronomy career where I just kind of drifted aimlessly into whatever area of research people were trying to get me interested in without stopping to consider what I actually wanted to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 I have been too! Partly because I'm way excited, partly because I don't want this to be like my astronomy career where I just kind of drifted aimlessly into whatever area of research people were trying to get me interested in without stopping to consider what I actually wanted to do. oh wow awesome description. That's a lot like what happened to me in my undergrad/msc. What are you thinking of? I am sort of looking at the family medicine + emergency, or internal medicine, right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 I'm thinking about something in pediatrics. Possibly pediatric oncology. Maybe internal medicine or family medicine, but I really want to work with kids, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebencer Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 As a licensed mechanic, I like fixing things using my hands + tools which lead me straight to orthopaedic surgery. I joined a surgeon and his resident in a cast clinic last year and that definitely confirmed it for me. I am currently doing a research project on the kinematics of the knee after joint replacement, making lots of connections and I will be going to see at least one surgery before classes start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dream Big Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 As a licensed mechanic, I like fixing things using my hands + tools which lead me straight to orthopaedic surgery. I joined a surgeon and his resident in a cast clinic last year and that definitely confirmed it for me. I am currently doing a research project on the kinematics of the knee after joint replacement, making lots of connections and I will be going to see at least one surgery before classes start. Awesome!! Let me know if you want some names of surgeons in Calgary who are awesome to shadow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebencer Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 absolutely! you have a pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkgirl Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 No Erk, your not the only one whose thinking about residencies. As a younger student with very limited experience, I can say that I have absolutely no idea what it is that I want to do yet ...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 I am going to hang out here and pester Erk all summer unless anyone has any objections, except Erk........who doesn't help people move. How's it feel being the oldest person at all of U of A, old man? Oldie mcOlderstein? Incidentally, I'd totally recommend a one-stop blemish, tumour and eye clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarza Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Our threads are boring so I am going to hang out here Yeah whats up with that? I had a slow day at work, so of course all I thought about was med school, and no one posted anything. ALL DAY! [i put in my notice today. Things just got real!!] I've been thinking about residency too, but I have no idea. Definitely not pediatrics. When I worked in the NICU, all the baby pheromones got to me. I'd leave thinking I needed to have 8 babies, then get home and realize that's not a good idea. Does anyone know what the "competitive" residencies are that all this fuss is about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 When I worked in the NICU, all the baby pheromones got to me. I'd leave thinking I needed to have 8 babies, then get home and realize that's not a good idea. That's possibly the funniest thing I read today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Right now I think surgery would kick ass but I might hate it if I actually did it. I mean who wants to stand still for 12 hours a day? It’s like being in the army all over again. What if you have to pee, or have really bad gas? It’s not like you can just leave, or can you? 1) If you don't drink, you won't pee. 2) Everyone wears masks in the OR. And who can say if that smell is coming from the patient's bowels or yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 You could still change your mind and come join the rest of us old folks in Calgary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarza Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 R.O.A.D. for radiology, opth, anasth, and derm. Huh. I wouldn't have guessed that. I'm sure people in those programs would disagree but those seem like the boring specialties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiomegaly Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Need to add in Plastics and ENT on the list of super competitive specialties with lots of applicants and lots of people going unmatched. 5 year Emerg and urology are increasingly more competitive. Even pediatrics had more applicants than spots (usually it's 1:1), though you could argue they have one of the lowest pay scales of all the specialties. But the environment makes up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 with ROAD and plastics, I think the other issue is the relatively low number of docs required for those positions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaHatingBrit Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 with ROAD and plastics, I think the other issue is the relatively low number of docs required for those positions. Radiology actually matches > 100 every year. And Emerg has crept into that list the last few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 And Emerg has crept into that list the last few years. Huh, I hadn't heard that. :/ I really like the idea of doing 2+1 emerg, but the more I read about the differences between 2+1 vs 5 year emerg, and the various residency competitions and things, the more annoying it looks. I'm tired of competing... it feels so pointless when on the other end the docs are all in such demand. Para D, do you really want to be like... 39-40 when you're getting out of residency? The long residency time is my key turnoff from surgery. Even general is 5 years I believe, n'est-ce pas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Yeah its a long road, but the way I figure I will go to 65 before I enter semi-retirement, which is 25 years or so of practice. I have come this far I don't want to sell myself short and bail on something I might enjoy over a few years of extra grunt time. But I'm not sold on surge, just leaning that way until I know better. If one thing this process has taught me it is that nothing is out of reach, it just might take more time than you initially planned for. Well said. And yeah, 40 years old and entering a stressful but lucrative profession ain't so bad, better than being 25 and realising what a long haul it is. I'm also biased because I am certain surgery is not the life for me. I prefer quick snap decisions to long arduous processes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiomegaly Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Para D, Gensurg isn't too bad, maybe a few more applicants than spots but those that work hard for it will likely match (surgeons tend to be pretty competitive people in general..) One of the things that really turns me off from any surgical specialty is the lack of OR time and resources in the hospital that lead to lack of surgeon jobs. Sure, there are huge waitlists for surgeries but there are only a fixed amount of OR days that have to be split. So it's gotten to the point where if you want to practice in a city then you need a 2 year fellowship and relevant Masters, if not PhD on top of your 5 year royal college residency to find a job. That's 4 years med school + 5 years residency + 2 years fellowship + 2-5 years masters/PhD = potentially 13-16 more years before you call yourself staff!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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