[Guriko]

Good evening gentlemen!

Please consider this as an extension of a thread I made on the Newbie section of the Game boards (thread-53817.html).

Since then I’ve gotten a lot calmer. Even had a chat with Quintus and he has been generous enough to dedicate a podcast discussing about the types of problems I’m facing (about wanting to break free). I recommend it to anyone dealing with similar issues – it enabled me to view the whole situation from another perspective. Funny, sometimes that can really be a game changer. Link to the podcast: https://qcurtius.com/2016/02/14/how-do-i...#more-2950

In a year and a half I’ll finish Med School. My life up to now has been very structured: grade school, good grades, high school, good grades, sport, Med School, good grades with a bit of love mixed within. I completed everything my family expected of me. In no way do I feel any kind of resentment to my parents anymore – after reading some good replies on this board I’ve come to the conclusion that I must be grateful for even having been enabled to live such a blessed life. It was hard because sometimes I’m thickskulled but I came around. Once again thanks to this forum.

I have two questions or thoughts I’d like an opinion on.

1. After I finish my scholarly obligations I’d like to see the world. What would you suggest an upcoming young physician to undertake? What would you do in a similar situation? I considered the Army or Volunteering. I found out that my country offers a 14 week basic training camp. I don’t think I’d go for the other option which is a 5 – year contract; seems a bit long for me. Or maybe I’m not seeing some kind of upside?

When it comes to volunteering I don’t know where to start to be honest frankly. Searched the web a bit and I’ve found a myriad of different foundations. But some even charge you for volunteering or did I read the print wrong? Then it comes to choosing which is the best and the one who can screw you over the least. Problem is also that many are American based and I don’t know how I qualify as a citizen of Europe (Slovenia). Does anybody have experiences, opinions they would like to share?

2. If any physicians are reading this --> what kind of specialty would you recommend me? Right now I’m working in the surgical unit for Orthopedics and Traumatology. While interesting in its own way it is quite the manual labor and the more I think about it the less I see myself working a surgeon.

I believe that as a surgeon I could only work in larger houses which house operating rooms and I’ve come to dislike clinics and hospitals (the bigger ones at least) because they are like a miniature state: full of cliques, factions going at each other, political enemies and etc.

I’d like to choose something that enables me to retain some kind of semblance of personal freedom and is sought after in the world. I don’t see myself working in one place forever – I’d like to work somewhere for a couple of years, hone my skills and go somewhere else to feel challenged again.

Maybe this is just my youthful brashness talking and I’m too dumb to see the whole picture about bigger clinical centers but for now I don’t see a lot of positives. Even the pay is not THAT much for the years I’ve put and will put in to complete my qualifications (I’m speaking for Europe).

I’m thinking something from internal medicine: cardiology, endocrinology… heck I’ve come to the conclusion that I can find in every branch of medicine something interesting but I just don’t see myself as a surgeon.

Currently I’m working from 6 to 16 everyday basically for free. Somehow I’ve gotten the feeling that physicians have become glorified office workers. No longer the masters of their own fate, but doing the bidding of bigger pharmaceutical companies. How is it in America?

My goal is to settle down and open my own clinic someday – be it Europe, USA, Asia… I have no qualms to do any kind of national exams to get my degree accredited. I consider it a worthy challenge! Ha – ha.

So guys, what do you say?

Thank you for reading and I wish you a pleasant evening!

[Heart Break Kid]

You didn't make it clear why you would want to join the army or volunteer. I don't see the benefit of joining the military so you can travel the world. You can live anywhere with a medical degree realistically.

[Guriko]

(02-20-2016 03:57 PM)Heart Break Kid Wrote:  

You didn't make it clear why you would want to join the army or volunteer. I don't see the benefit of joining the military so you can travel the world. You can live anywhere with a medical degree realistically.

Thank you for the reply and pointing that out!

I don't think I can put it into English words very well but I'll try nonetheless - I'd just like to go somewhere out of Europe and test myself.

Out of this structured (comfy?) life I've been living; and I did not come with any other answers to achieve that bar the army or volunteering somewhere abroad.

That's why I've decided to make a thread, because I'm suspecting that I'm missing something/not seeing the bigger picture.

[Excalibur]

You are way more mature than me at the same age. You hit on several important points.

Large corportate structures sucks for many people, but not for all. If you are naturally charismatic, a good ass kisser (in a natural way), you can easily move up the corporate rank, achieve leadership and autonomy, and making huge impact on the world.

Most of us are not like that. This forum selects for guys who do not thrive in the rat race. In that case, having your own clinic, business, having autonomy, grow with your own effort is the ideal scenario.

You see that I use autonomy a lot. One of the biggest cause of job dissatisfaction is not having control or power over your environment. A surgeon who loves to operate will hate his job if he is asked to work at random hours, given vacation time when he doesn't want it, but no vacations when he needs it.

Strangely some medical specialties are scalable while other other not. You can be the best surgeon in the world, and you are still trading time for money. You cannot outsource you skills because people come to you specifically for the operation. You can charge a lot though While non glamorous specialties like pathology you can potentially open your own diagnostic labs and make $$$$. Or endocrinologist can open up bunch of fat loss clinic lol.

You are right though. Doctors across the world these days get paid much less.

You should travel and work abroad though. But better is you have a specific knowledge, skill set that you want to acquire. Or whatever. Nobody is gonna fault you for wanting to see the world.

[Thomas the Rhymer]

You could come join us crazy people who work in Africa.

If you're interested, and willing to come to South Africa specifically, Africa Health Placements will hold your hand through the application process, but be warned, it can take months for an application to process:
http://www.ahp.org.za/

If you want to go hard-core and work in war zones, Medicin San Frontieres seems to be the big go-to organisation, but I've always disliked their blatant self-righteousness.

As for career options...

Emergency medicine is nice and portable. I was in it for a while and often you can choose your schedule, and basically drift from place to place. It's also a good skill to have if you want to volunteer in crazy places. It's also a good place from which to do a career change if you decide to switch medical fields away from emergency medicine at a later date. That said, it gets draining after a while and a lot of docs get burned out at the 2-3 year mark... the constant stress/excitement is draining.

Family practice/primary health care is good for people that want to be independent and work on their own away from hospitals and hierarchies. That said, while the work can be very rewarding, it's not as scarce and dramatic in terms of the skill set, and therefore does not pay well.

[Il Bersagliere]

Do some locum work. Pays extremely well and allows you to travel the world.

[The Black Knight]

First off: I'm not a doc or medical provider. I just know quite a bit about the field from an outsiders perspective regarding the US medical system. That said:

Hard to say what to do if you don't tell us your endgame goals. I'll just assume you want what many of us here want: flexibility, portable, autonomy, and enough money/options to travel the world.

1. Family med - You can open a clinic and hire a bunch of PAs/NPs (mainly PAs since they can't legally work autonomously while NPs can in some places. Also PAs learn under the medical model and not the bullshit nursing model like NPs).

Make them do the grunt work and skim the money. Allows you to leave and travel while still making money as long as your people know what the fuck they are doing. There are a lot of experienced PAs who can pretty much run a clinic on their own but legally can't.

You can also work shifts in hospitals, urgent care, and some contract overseas stuff relatively easily.

2. EM - As mentioned, fairly portable as mentioned but will likely burn you out for a while if you stay in a high-paced environment.

3. Some kind of tele-med work.

[Guriko]

Hey guys, terribly sorry for replying so late.

I'd like to thank everybody for their replies. I've read them many times over again and let them ruminate in my mind so that I'll be able to write most honestly.

I've just finished my rounds at the orthopedics/traumatology department and have come to the firm conclusion that surgery is not something for me.

I've also decided that I will not be a member of a larger clinic. At least not permanently. I just cannot see myself doing the 'office game' my whole life.

My goal is to be the master of my own fate which means I'd like a portable skill set which is sought in many countries which will enable me to bounce around. One day I'd like or let me rephrase that I will open my own clinic that will work under my own rules. I'd like to coach and help other male medical students like this forum has helped me because the state of affairs currently is sad.

I do not see fire in the eyes of the men. I see calculative coldness and fear. I hate that and do not wish to be part of that. I'd like to be free and autonomous. I will also make a ton of money and am prepared to work hard in order to get there.

I view it as a challenge worthy of pursuing effort: freedom, riches and a generous spirit to help others in need. This is my end goal and this is what I will achieve in the coming years. Brash? I believe so. But I have to set high standards or I will let stagnation take over my soul, mind and body.

I'm going to a Radiology Conference this year and it seems like a nice specialty. Can make good money, I like machines and can spare the time to help others. I'm even thinking about picking one specialty like Radiology, Pathology or something similar which will enable me to pursue freedom and money while also working as a general practitioner in order not to lose my touch with common patients.

This is also something I've noticed in bigger clinics what I don't like. People being treated like number or mere ink on paper. I very much value human interaction but I believe on the periphery it is better than the city.

Short summary then - I wish freedom, money and the ability to help people (patients and colleagues alike). I believe some worthy specialties to be Radiology, Pathology, Dermatology or something from Internal Medicine. Besides that I'd also be prepared to work part time as a GP.

South Africa seems very interesting, likewise the Sans Frontiers.

What do you guys think? Doable or should I revise my plans?