deciding between peds & ob gyn

[heavyw8]

Hi peds has always been on my short list of specialties and I finally committed to it over spring break. however, I just started my OB/Gyn rotation and I'm enjoying the combination of medicine, surgery, and continuity of care. I did not particularly enjoy outpatient general pediatrics, but I could see myself as a hospitalist or doing something like pediatric cardiology.

I only saw a few threads on this topic, so here's my question.

for those of you who struggled choosing between these two specialties, what made you finally decide on pediatrics? If anyone else has any additional insight, I would love to hear it.

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[oldbearprofessor]

Hi peds has always been on my short list of specialties and I finally committed to it over spring break. however, I just started my OB/Gyn rotation and I'm enjoying the combination of medicine, surgery, and continuity of care. I did not particularly enjoy outpatient general pediatrics, but I could see myself as a hospitalist or doing something like pediatric cardiology.

I only saw a few threads on this topic, so here's my question.

for those of you who struggled choosing between these two specialties, what made you finally decide on pediatrics? If anyone else has any additional insight, I would love to hear it.

Go to a c-section of a high risk infant. After the baby is born, is your natural instinct to go help with the resuscitation or stay and watch the rest of the section?

The fields are very dissimilar. After you've done enough of both, it'll be clear. Most who are really uncertain end up in OB in my experience unless they decide against the lifestyle.

 

[NTF]

Go to a c-section of a high risk infant. After the baby is born, is your natural instinct to go help with the resuscitation or stay and watch the rest of the section?

The fields are very dissimilar. After you've done enough of both, it'll be clear. Most who are really uncertain end up in OB in my experience unless they decide against the lifestyle.

lol. I remember that exact sensation when I was on ob. As soon as the babies came out I so wanted to follow them and was much less interested in mom.

 

[JMMH]

Hi peds has always been on my short list of specialties and I finally committed to it over spring break. however, I just started my OB/Gyn rotation and I'm enjoying the combination of medicine, surgery, and continuity of care. I did not particularly enjoy outpatient general pediatrics, but I could see myself as a hospitalist or doing something like pediatric cardiology.

I only saw a few threads on this topic, so here's my question.

for those of you who struggled choosing between these two specialties, what made you finally decide on pediatrics? If anyone else has any additional insight, I would love to hear it.

Agree with oldbearprofessor, the fields are very dissimilar. I didn't really care for outpatient gen peds either and thus went into a fellowship. OB was never on my radar to be honest. I have really enjoyed pediatric cardiology as a subspecialty. You might like interventional or electrophysiology sub-specialties. Very procedure-oriented field and lots of continuity of care with adult congenital heart patients.

 

[mvenus929]

Most of the people that I've heard deciding between these two (and I was in there for a short while) found that they like OB more than GYN, but liked OB because they were taking care of the baby more than the mom. Of course, if you're interested in OB and GYN, there's still a fair amount you can do in adolescent medicine related to both those fields.

Of course, you can look at the GYN subspecialties as well--are you remotely interested in Gyn Onc, Urogyn, or Benign gynecology (fibroids, cysts, etc)?

 

[BigRedBeta]

I briefly toyed with the idea of ob/gyn for the exact reasons you mentioned, and I felt it really offered a unique combination of clinical realms. But as everyone else has said, when it came to the mom vs baby decision, the baby won every single time.

One thing to add that you may want consider is how much the OR matters to you. If that is a priority for you, you're going to have to put in a good amount of time before you make it to the point in training where you get something that approaches OR time in Peds: caths in cards, bronchs in pulm, endoscopy in GI. NICU, PICU and EM have a significant amount of procedures, but it's not like being in the OR. just something else to think about...

 

[Cookie Queen]

I also struggled with this decision. I did an MFM elective which I enjoyed and it had me wondering. I liked L & D and managing the Moms of multiples or children with congenital anomalies. But in the end I decided on peds for a few reasons (just to name a few):

1. I really can't stand gyn. I'm sorry that you have dysfunctional uterine bleeding, but I have no interest in treating that on a daily basis.
2. I prefer working with just about any kid over just about any adult.
3. I like diagnosing a surgical disease, talking about an OR procedure, and post-op management, but not actually BEING in the OR.
4. My personality fits in with pediatricians more than OB/GYNs.
5. MFM had a lot of radiology (the docs I worked with spend a LOT of their time reading ultrasounds rather than interacting with patients).
6. While I loved working with the mothers carrying children with congenital anomalies, it bothered me that I never saw how those children did after the birth.

Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[nogolfinsnow]

Hi peds has always been on my short list of specialties and I finally committed to it over spring break. however, I just started my OB/Gyn rotation and I'm enjoying the combination of medicine, surgery, and continuity of care. I did not particularly enjoy outpatient general pediatrics, but I could see myself as a hospitalist or doing something like pediatric cardiology.

I only saw a few threads on this topic, so here's my question.

for those of you who struggled choosing between these two specialties, what made you finally decide on pediatrics? If anyone else has any additional insight, I would love to hear it.

Agree with all points above. In addition, I don't think med school can give you much of a perspective on outpatient general peds, because you can't develop any sort of continuity clinic over just a few weeks. I came to peds residency sure I would do fellowship, but have come to truly enjoy the continuity of clinic and watching kids grow up in front of my eyes and taking care of all of the kids in a family, as well as developing approaches to working up medical issues that are bound to occur when your panel gets big enough.

 

[heavyw8]

thanks everyone - the replies were very helpful. i've decided to pursue pediatrics

 

[oldbearprofessor]

thanks everyone - the replies were very helpful. i've decided to pursue pediatrics

WE WIN!!!

Enjoy the field. We'll see you at my "place" July 2014?

 

[Tofah]

thanks everyone - the replies were very helpful. i've decided to pursue pediatrics

Heavyw8, would love to hear about your final thought process when you decided on peds and whether you have any regrets one year later? I'm having the same dilemma.

 

[heavyw8]

Heavyw8, would love to hear about your final thought process when you decided on peds and whether you have any regrets one year later? I'm having the same dilemma.

hey I matched into peds and ill be starting in a few weeks. i did a nicu rotation during 4th year which sealed it for me. it offered the best of both so im considering that for fellowship. no regrets. im excited about my choice!