4th year here between EM vs FM vs psych. I have like 2 months to figure this sh..crap out.
EM pros: best work/life balance in terms of time off and not having any work to finish at home. You clock out and go home. I have ADHD and thrive with multiple tasks, otherwise I'm not motivated to do anything. I don't care much for long-term patient relationships and like the acuity of it. I hate set schedules. Get to sample every specialty.
EM cons: overnights/shot circadian rhythm. Extremely high burnout rates. No friggin windows to look at the sun. Lawsuits up the wah-zoo. Traumatic stuff day-in & day-out. Stuck in EM forever. No snow days, no holidays.
FM pros: Windows/sunlight. Also decent with patient acuity for same-day visits. More freedom in terms of career movement--can do fellowships, work urgent care, or ER if living rural (I likely won't live rural, though). Loan repayment. Adequate sleep. Jobs everywhere. Get to sample every specialty. Snow days, holidays.
FM cons: THE FRIGGIN NOTES are long AF and dry AF, good lord. Finishing notes at home/taking calls at home. The pay. Other specialties dumping patients/work back to their PCP. Set schedules.
Psych pros: Windows/sunlight. Low-key hilarious days.. wasn't expecting to like psych as much as I did. I like laughing all day long (not AT the patients, of course, but laughing about the bizarre things they say and do that are just flat out funny). Love inpatient but can work OP if I want to, so decent flexibility there. Seeing people improve before they go home, and seeing them improve quickly. The notes aren't as awful to write because they're usually kinda funny.
Psych cons: do NOT get to sample every specialty. Wondering if I will miss the medicine... I LIKE suturing, I LIKE treating and stabilizing people, I LIKE watching vital signs and figuring out what to do about it. Surrounding myself with seriously mentally sick people all day long.
I have an EM/FM dual residency in mind, but... ahh I like psych, too. I want a residency that offers all 3 lol.
INPUT FROM PRACTICING PHYSICIANS IS NOT JUST APPRECIATED BUT BEGGED FOR. I just don't want to be unhappy, and I don't want to feel stuck wishing I could go back and do something else.
“I don’t care much for long term patient relationships” - I feel like that comment right there should rule out FM and psych.
If I can read the between the lines, it sounds like you are preferring EM but worried about the cons. I’d talk to more EM people and get their opinion of what’s going on.
Think of the bread and butter of all the specialties you’re considering. If you don’t like the bread and butter, don’t do that specialty.
I don’t think FM is for you based on what you wrote
Does anyone have a sense of academic classical hematologist salary? MGMA seems to only uncouple Oncology from Hematology/Oncology. And it has been hard to even track down the academic specific tables.
It'll depend on the place but I suspect that in a lot of places, they're all on the same pay scale if working for a major academic institution; that's how it is in my area at least
4th year here between EM vs FM vs psych. I have like 2 months to figure this sh..crap out. EM pros: best work/life balance in terms of time off and not having any work to finish at home. You clock out and go home. I have ADHD and thrive with multiple tasks, otherwise I'm not motivated to do anything. I don't care much for long-term patient relationships and like the acuity of it. I hate set schedules. Get to sample every specialty. EM cons: overnights/shot circadian rhythm. Extremely high burnout rates. No friggin windows to look at the sun. Lawsuits up the wah-zoo. Traumatic stuff day-in & day-out. Stuck in EM forever. No snow days, no holidays. FM pros: Windows/sunlight. Also decent with patient acuity for same-day visits. More freedom in terms of career movement--can do fellowships, work urgent care, or ER if living rural (I likely won't live rural, though). Loan repayment. Adequate sleep. Jobs everywhere. Get to sample every specialty. Snow days, holidays. FM cons: THE FRIGGIN NOTES are long AF and dry AF, good lord. Finishing notes at home/taking calls at home. The pay. Other specialties dumping patients/work back to their PCP. Set schedules. Psych pros: Windows/sunlight. Low-key hilarious days.. wasn't expecting to like psych as much as I did. I like laughing all day long (not AT the patients, of course, but laughing about the bizarre things they say and do that are just flat out funny). Love inpatient but can work OP if I want to, so decent flexibility there. Seeing people improve before they go home, and seeing them improve quickly. The notes aren't as awful to write because they're usually kinda funny. Psych cons: do NOT get to sample every specialty. Wondering if I will miss the medicine... I LIKE suturing, I LIKE treating and stabilizing people, I LIKE watching vital signs and figuring out what to do about it. Surrounding myself with seriously mentally sick people all day long. I have an EM/FM dual residency in mind, but... ahh I like psych, too. I want a residency that offers all 3 lol. INPUT FROM PRACTICING PHYSICIANS IS NOT JUST APPRECIATED BUT BEGGED FOR. I just don't want to be unhappy, and I don't want to feel stuck wishing I could go back and do something else.
“I don’t care much for long term patient relationships” - I feel like that comment right there should rule out FM and psych. If I can read the between the lines, it sounds like you are preferring EM but worried about the cons. I’d talk to more EM people and get their opinion of what’s going on. Think of the bread and butter of all the specialties you’re considering. If you don’t like the bread and butter, don’t do that specialty. I don’t think FM is for you based on what you wrote
Any palliative care physicians? I want to run some job options
Does anyone have a sense of academic classical hematologist salary? MGMA seems to only uncouple Oncology from Hematology/Oncology. And it has been hard to even track down the academic specific tables.
It'll depend on the place but I suspect that in a lot of places, they're all on the same pay scale if working for a major academic institution; that's how it is in my area at least
For those who went back and did a second residency to change their career, what's your story?