choosing a medical speciality-fm or im

[anuraj]

HI,
IAM PLANNING TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY (2004 MATCH).
IAM HAVING DIFFICULTY AS TO CHOOSING THE MEDICAL SPECIALITY-INTERNAL MEDICINE/ FAMILY MEDICINE?
IAM INTERESTED IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE(-ADULT MEDICINE+PAEDIATRICS)
iam not very keen on practicing obstetrics.
I LIKE FAMILY MEDICINE AND INTERNAL MEDICINE.
WHICH SPECIALITY HAS A BETTER PRACTICE FUTURE?
WHICH SPECIALITY IS MORE COMPETITIVE?
WHAT IS THE GENERAL ATTITUDE OF THE PUBLIC TO FAMILY PHYSICIANS?
WILL BEING A FAMILY PHYSICIAN INVOLVE MOSTLY REFERRINg?
HOW IS THE JOB SATISFACTION?
DOES IT INVOLVE A BUSY WORK SCHEDULE AND LOW PAY?
WILL FAMILY PHYSICIANS BE COMPETTIVE ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH MEDICAL CASES AS THE GENERAL INTERNIST?
WHAT KIND OF PRACTICE CAN FAMILY MEDICINE SPECIALIST EXPECT IN AN URBAN SET UP?
I'LL BE GLAD IF SOME BODY COULD THROW LIGHT UPON THIS.
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[Airborne]

If you are not keen on the Ob side of FM, want to see all ages of patients and would like more in depth experience with complex medical issues then the combined Med/Peds programs sound like they may be up your alley! In addition, should you later decide to specialize, you have that option, which you would be limited with a FM residency.

Just a thought.

Airborne

 

[secretwave101]

I've only heard of FP's who also do OB. I haven't heard of any IM programs that give real emphasis to OB training like many FP programs have. Anyone know differently?

 

[Smurfette]

FPs can choose whether to include OB in their practice. I think all FP residencies include OB training, but the trend among FPs is increasingly going toward less OB (though the majority of FPs still do it, it is not as ubiquitous anymore). This is due to malpractice and insurance costs, mostly.

As far as I know, IM programs do NOT typically include OB training.

The difference between med-peds and FP is often described as whether or not you do OB. Med-peds is like having a dual residency in which you specialize in adult medicine and then you specialize in pediatrics, thus is a longer residency than FP, in which you do "a little of everything", including OB.