Your rock bottom specialty choices (wouldn't do it if they PAID you-- well, you know)

[Dr. Shrinker]

What's the dead last specialty on your list? I know it may be hard to narrow it down to one, but do your best.

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[Winged Scapula]

What's with all these people picking surgery? And I'm the ONLY one (so far) picking Peds? Ya'll are crazy!!!

 

[Apollyon]

Originally posted by Kimberli Cox
What's with all these people picking surgery? And I'm the ONLY one (so far) picking Peds? Ya'll are crazy!!!

I have said this so many times, I quote myself:

"If I was offered surgery or nothing for next year, I would take nothing IN...A...SECOND."

Why? Ever talk to a surgeon? If you are one of those blessed people who've never met an absolute a$$ of a person in surgery, I wish I had some of your luck...the Powerball would have been mine.

What's the worst part of surgery, for a surgeon? Pre-op, 'cause the patient is still awake.

In fact, a colleague used to tease me by using the oxymoron of "caring surgeon".

And psych is just a bunch of dinks, for the most part - why bother with med school? You'll just trade in the sum total of knowledge right at the door. If you are a good doc, who is a psychiatrist, your colleagues will ridicule you for "selling out".

As you can tell, this was a tough call...but I didn't want to jump on the bandwagon.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

I need more than one pick...hehe. Would quit medicine before doing surgery, peds or ob.

 

[LaCirujana]

FP--it's the worst of everything I can imagine: peds, IM, OB/Gyn, psych--all rolled up into one miserable specialty!

 

[womansurg]

Originally posted by Apollyon
Ever talk to a surgeon? If you are one of those blessed people who've never met an absolute a$$ of a person in surgery, I wish I had some of your luck...the Powerball would have been mine.

That is exactly how I felt, and talked, when I started medical school. Then I did my surgery rotation, realized I loved to DO surgery, that the surgery folks I rotated with in private hospitals tended to be honest, likable, unpretentious and technically gifted - and could see myself being happy in that role.

Don't hate; infiltrate! Change the system!

-ws
comeintothelightallarewelcomeallarewelcomechildren

 

[Apollyon]

Originally posted by womansurg
That is exactly how I felt, and talked, when I started medical school. Then I did my surgery rotation, realized I loved to DO surgery, that the surgery folks I rotated with in private hospitals tended to be honest, likable, unpretentious and technically gifted - and could see myself being happy in that role.

That is exactly how I felt, and talked, when I finished med school. Maybe that's the thing with private hospitals - I did my surgery rotation in Brooklyn, at one of the Downstate major teaching affiliates. I've known over a thousand people professionally in my career in medicine, and the single most unprofessional person ever was a chief in GS, who:

- insisted on pronouncing my name wrong, then, when an attending said what she said, I told him the right way, and SHE got mad at ME!

- would send her own blood under a patient's name to the lab for serum HCG's, instead of springing for a home test

- absolutely ripped into me for not having put a Foley in by the middle of my 3rd year, saying, "Are you going to call GU every time to do it?" (a GU resident's answer - "Well, yeah!"), then, when I was unable to pass the Foley, making a scene of her doing it - then failing - then the attending - then, calling GU, and, the first thing the urology attending says, "I remember this guy - last time, I had to do a suprapubic!".

There was another chief, who was described by the third chief (who was married to the "professional female" mentioned above) as "sawed-off".

All I could think is that I'm pretty nice now - I don't know WHAT it would take to make me like these people - abusive, self-righteous, quick to cast blame and slow to take it, and self-absorbed - and decided I didn't want to find out. EVER.

 

[womansurg]

Originally posted by Apollyon
I don't know WHAT it would take to make me like these people - abusive, self-righteous, quick to cast blame and slow to take it, and self-absorbed - and decided I didn't want to find out. EVER.

All I can say is, you're describing an awful lot of surgeons and surgery residents, pretty much to a 'T' .

I think it's a combination of things. First, there is a certain personality type that is attracted to the idea of having protected abilities to abuse people - so unfortunately there is a disproportionate number of weirdos in the pool from the beginning. Then, the training is so dehumanizing that two things occur. One is that decent people decide it's not worth it, and go into other fields. The other is that the remaining folks are altered and emotionally disfigured by the abuses they suffer. What remains is the community of surgeons you see today - which you've described pretty accurately.

The answer, if you care about the discipline and practice of surgery (as I do), is to work from the inside out to change attitudes. There is still way too much old boy in the system, but it's steadily improving. I've sat in the hot seat far more times than I care to admit for refusing to accept belittling and abusive behavior from an attending - often frankly illegal comments and actions which would instantly result in the termination of a supervisor in any normal business environment, but which is run-of-the-mill stuff in a surgery program. I suspect that the fact that I have two attornies, a law professor, and a state judge in my immediate family may have had more than a little with my ability to rebel in such a fashion and escape retribution. But, that's another story.

Thanks for your candor. Your chief sounds like a real a--hole.

 

[JPNSU]

I'd have to say rather emphatically OB/GYN...nothing could be worse...NOTHING I tell you NOTHING!!!

 

[marathon chick]

I would rather poke my eyes out with a dull pointed pencil than to do general surgery (if I see another hernia repair I am going to throw up) and OB/GYN (I don't want to stick my hand where the sun don't shine) Thanks but no Thanks!

 

[Annette]

Psych is the worst in my opinion. I spent my entire psych rotation hiding in the nursing station. The therapies available are limited in effectiveness, and there is only so much talking about feelings I can stand. And do you really want to work in a place where you have to open a new carton of milk, when there are already 20 open, just becuase you are afraid of what has gone into the opened ones??????

 

[great north]

Generally, i avoid posting...yet this time I could not resist.

A friend/aquaintance of mine and I were doing a surgery "rotation" for the advanced-ICM course for our school at a small south-Miami hospital that shall remain nameless where we were awaiting the surgeon to arrive. The entire staff was waiting for over an hour and this fellow shows up swagering down the hall in dark shades surrounded by his staff/groupies and my friend and I looked at each other- "Who is this ass..Mick Jagger?" Anyhow he begins the procedure which happens to be a penile implant on an elderly diabetic who if I may say did not require the procedure to increase his already impressive endowment. He begins the procedure and asks who the hell we are...we introduce ourselves..."Well at least this time they sent us a couple of guys, last time it was a bunch of girls. Chicks have no place in the OR. I can't stand being around women unless they're goin' out with me or when...(and he makes thrusting motions with his hips)". Understandably one female who was observing (doctor/nurse I don't know) walks out in disgust while the anesthesiologist also a woman and female nurse present say nothing as if they've all seen this before with this f#@k. I turn to my friend and whisper "Yeah, why don't you try to be a gentleman." My buddy was right when he said "Would you just shut-up and take it before we get kicked out" so I started cursing him in italian under my breath. Then this man starts yelling at his assistant..."Yo (Steve) what the f#@k are you doing..how many times have we done this procedure...don't pass me the wrong F$#kin instrument..you should know what the f@$k I want before I even open my mouth...why are you such an idiot!"..then grabbing the instrument from 'Steve' he throws it across the room. Meanwhile he is performing the most sloppy operation I have ever seen tossing his tools around rinsing them in a basin and splashing water all over the floor, ramming the implants into the patient member as if he's stuffing a sausage wrapper...it was bruttle. Strangely, after a while it seemed to be more of an act than a true expression of his character, God knows. After we left...

Me "That was absolutely disgracefull"
Friend "Have you seen ER"
Me "I try not to"
Friend "You know that surgeon character they have on the show, the small one...this guy is just acting like him"
Me "Life immitating art or art immitating life?"

I would give my left lung to be in ophthalmology which will not happen...however, IM is looking better and better

 

[Carbon]

You could not pay me enough to do IM. Good lord... patients come to you sick, you throw pills at them, they don't get better, so you send them to a surgeon to actually fix the problem. I don't understand how a physician could handle that kind of inefficiency.

 

[enceph]

Originally posted by Apollyon

- would send her own blood under a patient's name to the lab for serum HCG's, instead of springing for a home test

In medicine, I think you never really get to a point where you can say "Ive heard it all".

 

[enceph]

Originally posted by Carbon
You could not pay me enough to do IM. Good lord... patients come to you sick, you throw pills at them, they don't get better, so you send them to a surgeon to actually fix the problem. I don't understand how a physician could handle that kind of inefficiency.

LOL. Like I said...

 

[OldManDave]

OB/Gyn -- way too high an estrogen environment! Now I know how my wife feels when it is steak, beer and football nights for the guys!!!

In a close second, Psych! Third place -- IM. I could spend my life overfocused on the microstructure of the bark of the tree & ignore the fact that there is an entire forest out there.

 

[Delvonik]

I wish I could pick two because although I hate ( various specialty ) I couldn't stand the long hours,low pay and screeching kids whoose hands are grabby at my nice clean office with fingers covered in $h*t,dirt and cookies !

 

[EidolonSix]

Originally posted by Carbon
You could not pay me enough to do IM. Good lord... patients come to you sick, you throw pills at them, they don't get better, so you send them to a surgeon to actually fix the problem. I don't understand how a physician could handle that kind of inefficiency.

Wow....the sound of pneumonia patient expectorating makes more sense and has more truth to it than that statement. So far in my *medicine* residency....I've taken care of many more patients that surgery has made sick or turned down than I have ever sent to surgery....

 

[badassy]

I dont think I could do surgery or any fields of it. It just seems to bland and flavourless. I dont think I could handle doing FP. It seems like my dr just perscribes pills or refers to a specialist. Emerygency Medicine sounds good, lots of procedures and a instant feeling of self-worth. Psychiatry sounds good, lots of different types of challenges and people.

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
Specialties on the bottom rung of my ladder:

Pediatrics
Internal Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Family Practice
Anesthesia


I wanted to do Peds when I entered medical school. After third year and dealing with the parents, No thanks, this was Internal Medicine for little folks. My hat's off to those who can do Peds well. They get to play with the toys after hours.

Internal Medicine Rounds were too long and too boring. The patients were too chronic. I did enjoy the Cardiology folks though and Gastroenterology is very cool.

Emergency Medicine: This was everything that I hate about clinic and more. The frequent fliers were not fun at all. They send all of the good stuff to the surgeons.

Family Practice: This was too much time in clinic for me and almost no time in the hospital. Again, folks who do this well are worth their weight in gold.

Anesthesia: Sitting in the OR, wrapped in a blanket, trying not to fall asleep behind a drape. I was so bored in anesthisia. The Cardiothoracic off-pump cases were the best. Again, a good anesthesiologist is worth their weight in platinum but not the specialty for me.

For those folks who hate Surgery, I understand your pain but it is my love. I try very hard not to further the stereotype of Assh--- Surgeon. Fortunately, I have not met any real "jerks" yet or could it be that I just understand their language.

njbmd

 

[Apollyon]

NJBMD-

Congrats on your 100th post and "Senior Membership"!

Notwithstanding your obvious organic brain dysfunction re: pro-surgeon status!

 

[beezar]

Oh OB/GYN by far! I could not stand the stink of childbirth... no, it definitely is not a beautiful thing. And then to see disgusting, slimy, smelly discharge... and actually using the stink as a test to see if a patient has a vaginal infection. ugh!

And then seeing the worst surgical technique ever. They are literally butchers! (granted I was just coming off of a plastics rotation...)

And then M&M was a complete joke! (at least at my school) Just a bunch of attendings literally yelling insults at each other. Highly unprofessional and ego-driven. I'm not saying that all OB/GYN people are like this; actually the residents at my school are very nice.

Good luck to all of you who don't mind the stink!

 

[DermRes]

I wouldn't do....
obgyn
internal medicine...
pediatrics...
family practice...
general surgery..
omm...
pm&r..
pretty much all of the core rotation specialties

 

[Hotsauce21]

Originally posted by beezar
Oh OB/GYN by far! I could not stand the stink of childbirth... no, it definitely is not a beautiful thing. And then to see disgusting, slimy, smelly discharge... and actually using the stink as a test to see if a patient has a vaginal infection. ugh!
And then seeing the worst surgical technique ever. They are literally butchers! (granted I was just coming off of a plastics rotation...)

Ahh yes, the stink of childbirth. One man's treasure is another man's garbage i guess--some people love that stuff.
The worst surgery i ever saw was in ob. they did an emergency c-section b/c the baby was breech. unfortunately, this baby had no lungs and was not going to live so the docs were not supposed to perform any surgical intervention. the chart didnt get there in time, and the person doing the surgery didnt remember the pt. he cut through the upper part of her vagina and cervix instead of the uterus. hopefully she'll be able to have children again. we all sat around the or waiting for the attending to get there b/c nobody knew how to fix it.
got off on a tangent there....my worst would be path--reminds me too much of my lab research....yuck

 

[Gator05]

All this talk of surgeons reminds me of discussions revolving around "difficult adolescents".

Were they merely not loved as children? Or were they spoiled rotten? Depending on the background, the solution is radically different.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if the ***@@@@ surgeons were repeatedly put in their place. Would they break, breakdown, or get (against all odds) worse?

 

[womansurg]

Originally posted by Gator05
All this talk of surgeons reminds me of discussions revolving around "difficult adolescents".

I sometimes wonder what would happen if the ***@@@@ surgeons were repeatedly put in their place. Would they break, breakdown, or get (against all odds) worse?

The latter. How do you think surgeons are born? They are repeatedly, viciously, unremittingly 'put in their place' for five or more years during training. You can see the results for yourself.

 

[Gator05]

Good point, womansurg.

I guess I was aiming for, "If you act this way again, we will revoke your privelages, etc". And then revoking them. javascript:smilie('')

 

[womansurg]

Originally posted by Gator05
Good point, womansurg.

I guess I was aiming for, "If you act this way again, we will revoke your privelages, etc". And then revoking them. javascript:smilie('')

We had a lawsuit here in town where a notoriously foul tempered orthopedic surgeon sprayed the anesthesiologist (a notoriously pleasant individual) in the face with bloody irrigant because he was carrying on a conversation with another anesthesiologist who had walked into the room. The guy's hospital privileges were revoked and he lost a substantial sum in the lawsuit.

Good riddance, bud.

 

[Gator05]

Please tell me the blood was clean...

 

[Apollyon]

Originally posted by womansurg
We had a lawsuit here in town where a notoriously foul tempered orthopedic surgeon sprayed the anesthesiologist (a notoriously pleasant individual) in the face with bloody irrigant because he was carrying on a conversation with another anesthesiologist who had walked into the room. The guy's hospital privileges were revoked and he lost a substantial sum in the lawsuit.

Good riddance, bud.

Actually, that fits the bill for criminal behavior - at minimum, reckless endangerment, right up to attempted manslaughter or aggravated assault.

 

[Castro Viejo]

Originally posted by Kimberli Cox
What's with all these people picking surgery? And I'm the ONLY one (so far) picking Peds? Ya'll are crazy!!!

I voted for Peds as well. SOLIDARITY BROTHER!

As for the "surgical personalities," I think some institutions encourage it but most are heading toward molding their residents into that "caring surgeon" oxymoron.

Am I wrong? Kim's a surgeon. Droliver is a surgeon. They seem alright. Not great, but OK.

 

[Gator05]

Wow, peds so unpopular? First the decline in pediatric subspecialties...does this herald a generalized, future decline in interest for general peds as well?

I can see it now...desperate parents taking their kids to IM docs, sympathetic radiologists, even surgeons...

 

[JPNSU]

not all surgeons are like that...while doing my 4th year electives in ophtho and ENT I really enjoyed being around these guys...they were extremely laid back and very approachable...one of them even took me out to play golf on a course the day after a PGA tour event was played there...afterwards, he treated me to a barbecue at his home with his partners...although, I can't really comment on general surgeons...they seem to be eternally pissed off at something or someone

Jason Park MS-IV
NSU-COM

 

[Celiac Plexus]

OB/GYN... I still can't believe these people do surgery... Butchers all... And talk about personality problems... Sheezus.

Psych... This field has a few good peeps in it, but in my experience it is a haven for the llazy.

Anesthesiology... Sit on yer ass, freezing, trying to keep yer lids open, while the surgeon runs the show. No thanks.

And for all of you surgery haterz out there: Yes, there are some rude people in this field. So what? If you're not tough enough to deflect some rough comments without running home to your mommy for some milk and cookies, then you have no place in surgery anyway. To me, surgery is the most incredible, fascinating, and satisfying thing out there. And I would NEVER let some bad experiences with a few attendings dissuade me from becoming a surgeon.

One more thing... I think that there are certain people out there who want to be mistreated by a surgeon. They will meet 10 surgeons, and 9 of them will be very cool. But the 10th one will be abrasive, and that is the one that they will tell everyone about. Is it jealousy? Is it the fact that in their heart of hearts, they would love to be surgeons too, but know that they are not tough enough to become one?

 

[womansurg]

*sigh*

 

[JPNSU]

I am definitely not a surgery hater. I have an enormous respect for what they do and the personal sacrifice and "suffering" they must endure on a daily basis. I encountered quite a few "difficult" personality types. However, I interpreted this as their own way of giving me a push to try harder and learn as much as possible. The months I spent on my surgery rotations were some of the busiest I've every experienced. Nonetheless, I learned a tremendous amount and had a lot of fun in the process.

 

[medicine2006]

According to the head lobbyist for AMSA in DC the average hours worked by neurosurgery residents is 110 HRS A WEEK!


So definitely no neurosurgery for me.

 

[Dr. Hugh Hefner]

psych....i'd never do that $hit...bah!

 

[Apollyon]

Originally posted by JPNSU
not all surgeons are like that...while doing my 4th year electives in ophtho and ENT I really enjoyed being around these guys...although, I can't really comment on general surgeons...they seem to be eternally pissed off at something or someone

I think that that is key - general surgeons. Definitely, once you get past a few snobs in ortho or ophtho or ENT, really, it's a laid-back bunch.

I have another story here...last call (3 days ago), this patient who kept having this and that go wrong has every single thing on his Chem 9 wrong - including a CO2 of 6. Lactate was 14. Surgery comes, and it's this Russian guy who looks 50. He was adamant about the patient's sclerae being icteric. I said, "They're not white, but they are NOT yellow, either". And yet, he WOULDN'T let it go. When I called back later, to tell him the bili was 5, he said, "See, it was yellow", and went on, until I said, "Fine - you want to hear it? You're the winner. You were right. It's all you.", and he says, "Thanks - it's always good to hear." Like he's 10 years old. One of the other interns said that the next time he shot his mouth off at her, she was going to start swearing at him in Russian, and not stop...bummer that her block ended today.

Whenever you think that a GS might be human, they show who they are. It's incongruous when you get a gorgeous woman who's not cut-throat or a social tool that joins that clique.

Never in a million years.

 

[DRNickiTay]

Kimberli Cox I am right with you number one has to be PEDS and a close second Psych!!!

Nichole Taylor MS3
AZCOM

 

[rotty1021]

Why all the dislike for Psych? I think it's great... and in the next 15- 20 years it will just expand more treatmentwise.

 

[Sandpaper]

Anesthesiology... Sit on yer ass, freezing, trying to keep yer lids open, while the surgeon runs the show. No thanks.

And for all of you surgery haterz out there: Yes, there are some rude people in this field. So what? If you're not tough enough to deflect some rough comments without running home to your mommy for some milk and cookies, then you have no place in surgery anyway. To me, surgery is the most incredible, fascinating, and satisfying thing out there. And I would NEVER let some bad experiences with a few attendings dissuade me from becoming a surgeon.

One more thing... I think that there are certain people out there who want to be mistreated by a surgeon. They will meet 10 surgeons, and 9 of them will be very cool. But the 10th one will be abrasive, and that is the one that they will tell everyone about. Is it jealousy? Is it the fact that in their heart of hearts, they would love to be surgeons too, but know that they are not tough enough to become one? [/B][/QUOTE]

Whuuuuut....Whatcha talkin' about man. Step on my toe and see where that lands you beeeyatch. I love this delusion of grandeur. At this institution, surgeons are *our* b*tch. Some day we might actually teach them real manners and how to properly manage fluids and electrolytes. But enough of picking on them, they're worked like mules and slink around the hospital as if the weight of the world is on their shoulder. Most end up crying like little girls on our shoulders when their attendings pick them apart in the OR. It's like an accident scene where everyone has to slow down and stare.

 

[save10]

Peds/OB. Peds not because of the kids so much, but because of the parents. Parents are the worst. Parents arent even adults. They're parents and thats different. Thats bad. Also the crying. I swear this one kid was crying so loud we heard her in the parking lot before she even got inside the office. And when she was in the room i swear it was like the Exorcist. My attending kept his stethoscope in his ear the whole time even when he talking to the parents. He turns me and says "CAN YOU GET A QUICK STREP TEST!!!!!" and I yell back "YES I AGREE, THE PATIENT NEEDS BED REST!!!" And to this day i have post-traumatic stress. I've been to concerts and have not had my ears ring as loud as after that patient. I always flinch when i hear crying. kinda like Smokey in Friday with the pigeons and stuff. And OB...liability, more crying, no.

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

Why does everyone think pediatrics is such a bad specialty? I'm not a medical student yet, but I am interested in this specialty. Is it just because the parents are hard to deal with?

 

[Delvonik]

Perhaps some people couldn't deal with the screaming and crying of kids.Also,kids may seem scared of the doctor and it can be a nightmare to see children suffering if their condition is serious.

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by DoctorWannaBe
Is it just because the parents are hard to deal with?

This is exactly why I won't be going into peds!

 

[Ctrhu]

Peds can be satisfying. But in private practice, the income is among the lowest and you are not adequately renumerated for all those late night phone calls. You can do better as a Family Practitioner.

 

[Sevo]

My two cents on a Peds residency:

1. The parents suck and have little, if any respect, for any physician under the age of 40. As a resident, you're second guessed by everyone - attendings, nurses, and parents.

2. It's painful to take care of a sick kid.

3. Peds attendings are the most two-faced SOBs out there.

 

[Gator05]

Sevo,

Quite a charge to make against the peds attendings; what did they do to make themselves so notorious?

 

[dobonedoc]

Doing an ER rotation, a medicine intern and myself (a wanna-be ortho) were discussing the two fields.

He says: "If someone put a gun to my head, and told me that I HAD to do surgery, I would choose ortho."

My reply: "If someone put a gun to my head, and told me that I HAD to do IM, I would beg them to pull the trigger."

General IM is filled with the most painful days of listening to their non-compliant diabetics, their depressed 40-something women, their obese HTNs who cannot figure out why a pressure of 160/110 is a problem, their geriatric patients who need a wagon to bring in their medicines - most of which they do not know why they are taking them or who gave them in the first place, their smokers who cannot breathe, but contine to smoke, and the list goes on and on - much like this run-on sentence from Hell.

Good luck to all of you who chose to do IM. Get ready for little $$, long hours, and the never-ending battle of prolonging the lives of all those people who are over the age of 80.