Cardiology vs. OB/GYN

[Gophersfan5]

Hello! I'm a nurse hoping to go into medical school soon and while I KNOW that I have plenty of time to think about specialties, I wanted to get some opinions and a comparison of two candidates. Two very different candidates. Allow me to explain this odd juxtaposition.

I have thought about becoming a cardiologist for a very long time, as I believe I could empathize with patients who have heart issues & I have had many heart problems myself. I love the mechanics of the heart and as a young girl I would watch educational videos on how the heart works just for fun. However, I wish to have children one day and I know that many cardiologists work long hours + do not get much time with their little ones.

That said... I have an equal interest in obstetrics and gynecology. I grew up with 5 baby cousins-- I adored them all and my soul was filled with joy as I watched the mother baby bond. But I am starting to think that this profession would not be what I originally expected because it is NOT all peaceful and the mothers are obviously in terrible pain... Not to mention the long hours and high risk of being sued.

So there's most of my rant. Basically, I would like to know:

Who has longer hours, a cardiologist or obgyn?

Who gets more burnt out?

Which do you think is more rewarding?

Which would probably have a bit more time to be with kids, if any time?

Lastly, what is the worst part of each?

Thank you for any commentary. I am brand new here on this website. I know I am just a wee amateur in the medical world (registered nurse) and I have lots of respect for all of you.

So yeah. Have a great day.

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[Tenk]

Shadow them and find out. These specialties are near polar opposite in comfort level and personalities. Ob is definitely more family friendly for a female though than cards.

 

[Planes2Doc]

What you experience as a medical student on rotations will often change everything you think. I thought I was going to hate OBGYN, but ended up loving it and applied for it. It's a very polarizing specialty, where people either loved it or hated it (more hated it), but not much in-between. Don't get too far ahead of yourself either. Focus on getting into medical school first, and then figuring out specialties when the time comes. Good luck!

 

[stickgirl390]

The cardiologist I shadowed was off every day by 3pm and was only on call every 4th weekend.

You have to shadow the specialty, and understand that location can and will changes how much you work.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

OB is a blast. You will have some of the best days of your career, ...and some of the worst. In OB, when things are good , they are great, when things go bad, they go really bad. That said, I believe you should chose a specialty based on what kind of topics you find yourself reading in your spare time. This is a good indicator of your interest in the specialty. Although becoming more rare, there are Family Docs who deliver babies. So dont get ahead of yourself, you have plenty of time to make these decisions. Hope this helps. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Two very different fields that attract different personalities. Go shadow, focus on getting into medical school and over time you will find where you fit and what excites you the most.

 

[Oso]

I can essentially guarantee that when the time comes for you to decide on a specialty, you will not be debating between OB and cardiology (as they are entirely different). You may also develop an interest in a completely different specialty altogether.

So shadow them if they interest you. Otherwise, just take it one step at a time and focus on getting into medical school.

 

[Save a life]

Also it depends on what type of cardiology you’re talking about. Interventional is different than heart failure.