Soon to be 4th year med student (applying to residency in September) really struggling to decide between a couple specialties. One would allow me to pursue critical care (IM) and one where I could not pursue critical care (radiology). I know these are very different fields and I’ve spent many hours of my life trying to decide between them. Both would be ~6 years of training. I love both the ICU and radiology but for different reasons. The rational part of my brain tells me that radiology is probably better although I’m having a very difficult time letting go of the ICU. This is probably med student naivety, but in many ways I feel “called” to the ICU as dumb as that may sound.
My first experience in an ICU was when I was 13 after my mom had had complications during an aneurysm clipping (bilateral ACA strokes and right MCA stroke). 17 years later I still remember going to the ICU to visit her and being simultaneously terrified, but amazed at everything I saw in that room. All the lines, monitors, vitals, etc. I guess that experience stuck with me and is making my decision feel very difficult. I've spent a lot of time shadowing in the ICU and also spent a fair amount of time in the SICU during trauma surgery in my core rotations and enjoyed it a lot.
Anyway I feel that people pursue critical care for different reasons than someone who goes into derm or orthopedics so I’d love to hear why you all chose it.
Thanks!
My first experience in an ICU was when I was 13 after my mom had had complications during an aneurysm clipping (bilateral ACA strokes and right MCA stroke). 17 years later I still remember going to the ICU to visit her and being simultaneously terrified, but amazed at everything I saw in that room. All the lines, monitors, vitals, etc. I guess that experience stuck with me and is making my decision feel very difficult. I've spent a lot of time shadowing in the ICU and also spent a fair amount of time in the SICU during trauma surgery in my core rotations and enjoyed it a lot.
Anyway I feel that people pursue critical care for different reasons than someone who goes into derm or orthopedics so I’d love to hear why you all chose it.
Thanks!