Comments on: The Nine Circles of Medical School

By: burned out

burned out — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 01:03:26 +0000

I think I first read this post 1-2 years ago and had a good laugh. That was around the time I had just started med school, when I had no idea how true the post was. Now I’m in my 3rd year and I finally understand. I began 3rd year interested in X,Y,Z,A,B but as I rotated through third year, I eliminated one specialty after another from my list within the first 3 weeks of the respective rotation. So far I’ve disliked every single rotation in 3rd year (psychotic patients were interesting, but no thanks). What do these rotations have in common? Patient contact and everything that comes with it (pre-rounding, rounds, notes, looking up labs, reading papers, learning about sensitivity and specificity of tests, dealing with difficult patients, and of course the never-ending attempts at ass-kissing and feigned enthusiasm and willingness to say “yes” and “ok” to everything)! Not to mention the hell of the days that never seem to end, and call days. The only good days in 3rd year so far were the days off. Highlight of each day: when I am dismissed by my intern. I’ve concluded the only specialties right for me are ones which I do not involve any of what I’ve mentioned (aka no patient care), one that has a reasonable start and end time each day with close to 0 call. What’s left? Radiology or path! But I hate rads- black and white and can’t see shit. Path = pretty slides. No stethoscope, physical exam, history taking, labs, rounding, pharm knowledge required, or notes required. Woo-hoo! I’ve figured out what to specialize in: Pathology!!! Thanks for the post- it is very true.

By: ed hardy

ed hardy — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:38:34 +0000

That said, people’s bizarre delusions were fascinating, and it was my favorite MS3 rotation.

By: Pathology Staff Man from Vancouver

Pathology Staff Man from Vancouver — Fri, 14 May 2010 02:06:45 +0000

Bri – this is hilarious.
Pathology – the first heaven.
Radiology – the second heaven.
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The presence of YHWH – the seventh heaven.

By: getunconcsious

getunconcsious — Sun, 18 May 2008 04:50:02 +0000

I understand why HalfMD would say this. However, I did not hate patient contact. I went to med school thinking I’d be a psychiatrist (which would be my #2 choice next to path). I was fortunate enough to really like histo/path slides a lot. Also I didn’t find psych terribly intellectually stimulating, and treatment plans can be rather nebulous in Psychiatry. That said, people’s bizarre delusions were fascinating, and it was my favorite MS3 rotation. I also considered Pediatrics, but the quality of life is terrible and also wasn’t sure I could deal with the near sorority atmosphere of Peds housestaff. So I don’t hate clinical medicine or patients at all–Just found Path to be a better fit for me.

By: Half M.D.

Half M.D. — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:40:24 +0000

It seems to me like the author just hates patient contact, which leads me to ask the question on everyone’s mind, “Why did you go into medicine to begin with you didn’t want to work with others?”