For those of you who might be Physicians... | Page 2 | FerrariChat

For those of you who might be Physicians...

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by fr0gskin, Nov 5, 2006.

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  1. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    Did you do any fellowships or did you stop after the 1year of IM and the 4 year diagnostic rad for residency? How often do you spend time outside the office learning about new techonology and equipment that will be used, if at all?
     
  2. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I agree 100% on doing what you like. I LOVE dentistry. I cannot imagine it being "boring." Every day is different. Every procedure is different. Every case is different. I will say that my practice is not a typical dental practice, though. I do a fair number of full mouth rehabs and cosmetic cases. So, it keeps me challenged.

    I met an MD (pain specialist) at the track several months ago. He told me he's trying to talk his son into going to dental instead of medical school. :)

    A quote from George Burns when he was asked the secret to longevity: "Do what you love for a living." Then he quipped, "I get up every day because I can't make money in bed!"

    Mike
     
  3. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,406
    Southlake, TX
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    Rob Lay
    How about GI? I've had major heartburn, so went in for upper GI scope. Young doc with a harem of hot nurses around. Went in morning, they had an assembly line going… drug, scope, dismiss, and automated phone results go out a couple days latter. I think the doc does a dozen or so of those in the morning, then office visits in the afternoon.

    With Americans being overweight, poor diets, spicier food, and etc. I think GI is a huge market.

    Anyway, Jennie and I are really glad she went the PA route. She was top of her class, honors program, and medical work since high school through undergrad. We studied medical school vs. PA (some PA schools harder to get in than med school - UT SW has 500 applicants for 36 spots) and considering her first requirement was a 40 hr. a week job with set hours, then choice was a no-brainer. 3 year graduate program, certified, and out. Great pay and she hasn't worked more than a 40 hr. week yet. Yes, she mainly does the clinic rounds for the docs, but also gets hands on procedures and getting published.

    Several of her classmates are making well into the 100's (Texas) only a couple years out. I think hot PA areas are similar ones as docs… dermatology & plastic.
     
  4. bpu699

    bpu699 F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 9, 2003
    16,210
    wisconsin/chicago
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    bo
    Rob, GI is good money. Better than general surgery, but your call schedule is just as bad. And, if you really never want to sleep again, do cardiology.
     
  5. roentgen

    roentgen Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
    9
    No fellowship. Straight general radiology. Worked with a large group when I first got out to residency and learned about the real world and work of radiology, kind of like a apprenticeship with a good salary. Starting jobs like this about 250-300k now.
    You're job is what you make of it, took several years to find my niche, worked several other places.
    Radiology is one of most competive in the medical field, will need to be first or second in your class. Glad it wasn't like that when I applied. Similar to dermatology, and possibly plastics. Good luck.
     
  6. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
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    Mike
    My sister just started her pediatrics residency (graduated med school last year). My brother is in his last year of med school and is going for neurosurgery.

    Mike
     
  7. bpu699

    bpu699 F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 9, 2003
    16,210
    wisconsin/chicago
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    bo
    Never too late to get out of pedes. Seriously. Pedes is about as low on the payment totem pole as you could go. Some pediatricians scrape by on 100,000$ per year.

    But you know what usually happens? Most FEMALE pediatricians have kids, then go part time, and live off the husband. I know EVERY female pediatrician in our area did that...
     
  8. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
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    Mike
    Sis doesn't care about the money. It's what she really wants to do. Hell, I'm glad SOMEONE likes seeing kids! :)

    My brother, OTOH, is quite brilliant and likes a challenge (like I'm sure neurosurgery will be).

    Mike
     
  9. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    I hope he enjoys it. 7 (I think) or more years of residency and probably lots of 80 hour weeks. Hell of a challenge. Spinal neurosurgeon? Is he married? I think divorce rate for that residency is 100%.
     
  10. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
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    Mike
    Nope. Not married. Probably a good thing, eh? :)

    Mike
     
  11. fr0gskin

    fr0gskin Rookie

    Nov 5, 2006
    7
    New York City
    Full Name:
    Shyam
    Im pretty impressed that there is such a range of medical or medically-involved people on the forum--

    Despite all the "get out while you can" advice, I am kinda too far into med school to just back out. I have, however, considered getting an MBA concurrently with my M.D. at the Kellogg School (Northwestern). They have a nifty little program (MD/MBA) in 5 years...

    I have long been interested in business, and if I hadn't decided on Med school..well I would have sold my soul and youth to go into Ibanking. Regarding the MBA, however, are there any MD/MBAs on the forum? Or does anyone have some insight into how an MBA might fit into the life of a physician (I think I would remain a clinician for the most part)...

    Downsides of getting the MBA are 1) another year of my life to study and not work, 2) costs $$ (no company is paying for me) and 3) well I would still have to get in.. (made a lil easier bc im already enrolled in school here and have taken classes @ Kellogg)..

    Thanks!

    p.S. I can definitely appreciate the lifestyle benefits (you ARE posting on Fchat) of some of the specialties named (derm, rads, etc etc) ..certainly something to consider
     
  12. Buzz48317

    Buzz48317 F1 Rookie

    Dec 5, 2005
    2,862
    Shelby Twp., MI
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    Michael

    I wouldn't blame you if you did push it. You stick with what makes money...period. Trust me, if I was in the dental field I would do the same thing. It just seems that the last several visits that I have made to the dentist they are constantly asking me about tooth whitening, I tell them that I am happy with my teeth white-ness, but thanks anyhow. Flash forward 6 months and it's the same script. I do really like my dentist, as he is progressive with his treatment and is heavily concerned about pain management, the sales pitch just strikes me as a little funny.
     
  13. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
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    Mike
    I agree. I am not comfortable making such pitches. First of all, it may inadvertently INSULT the patient. "Have you thought about whitening your teeth?" "Why? Are my teeth ugly??" Oops.

    My office and reputation do the talking for me. Any patient who walks into my office cannot avoid KNOWING what we do. Before & after photos grace the walls. The office itself is very elegant. My staff's smiles are beautiful. I can't tell you how many patients have asked me, "Can I have a smile like JoAnn's?" She's my front desk / office manager. The atmosphere of my office is inescapable. So, I don't have to make a "sales pitch" to patients. They ask ME! It's a beautiful thing. And, I do plenty of it.

    I never suggest cosmetic treatment unless it is FIRST brought up by the patient. So far, this approach has served me very well.

    Mike
     
  14. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    Agreed. My dentist asked about me getting my teeth whitened and even though she asked about it nicely, it didn't sit well with me. It's something cosmetic and I did not bring up the subject. "Thanks, but no thanks."
     
  15. PP Doc

    PP Doc Karting

    Jul 3, 2004
    67
    Eugene, OR
    Full Name:
    Chris
    a few thoughts halfway through residency....

    I'm in my 4th (of 5 year) urology training. I've experienced the same cycle of impressions about medicine voiced on this thread (from idealism to bitterness). Right now, I'm somewhere in the middle.

    To answer some specifics:
    -the most important factor to getting the residency choice you want is grades and board scores. Yep, that sucks, because it doesn't reflect the quality of doctor your will become, but that's the way it is.

    -it's important to look long term at the specialty and where it's going and outside factors. For example, my wife is an ob/gyn in private practice and though she loves the field, she is frustrated daily on the medical malpractice situation down here (can't get insurance, specialists refuse to see her pregnant patients, etc.)

    -it's very important to enjoy what you do -- the actual day to day of the medicine in the field. No-one likes residency -- it's pretty miserable because of the hours, etc. I know most people will say that it they are paid "X" dollars per year, they could be happy doing anything. Not true, at least from what i've seen.

    -there is a big split in medicine between medicine and surgery. yes, there are some medical specialties that do a lot of procedures (GI, interventional cards), but I think it's important to make that decision early. I love operating could not imagine suffering through 3 years of internal medicine, even if I had a lucrative fellowship awaiting

    -try and work with some people in the fields you are considering -- not just the academics at your med school, but people out in private practice. I think that each field has a personality, and you will get a sense of how you fit in / identify with that. also, you will get a sense of what you like. I thought I wanted to do ENT, but realized that snot grosses me out (especially the trach patients coughing it across the room from their tracheostomies -- yeccch).

    -lifestyle and money is so dependent on reimbursement and outside factors. make sure it's a field you could do if the salary were cut in half. for example, anesthesiology seems to go in and out of fashion. when i was a med student, we would hear amazing stories of the job offers. 10 years ago, it was a different story.

    --------

    re the MD/MBA -- one of my friends has it, not sure how much help it has been, but it will probably help him later in private practice. he did tell me that people were curious/suspicious of it during the interviews -- most academics are in medicine for teaching/research and when they interview they might make assumptions about why you are choosing the field. remember, when you are interviewing, the correct answer is that you plan to go into academics.

    -----------
    Obviously I'm biased, but I do think that urology is a great field. if you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them.
     
  16. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2004
    3,238
    To make it in medicine: Do what you love. If you don’t, you will never be a good doctor. It’s as simple as that. Whether it’s saving lives in a trauma bay or inserting breast implants, you must commit 100%. Anything less is not acceptable.
     
  17. fastliz

    fastliz Formula Junior

    Jun 22, 2005
    439
    Palm Bch County, FL
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    Mike
    Well said. It really IS that simple. No amount of money will make up for being stuck in a job you hate. When you do what you love, it isn't work!

    Mike
     

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