Medical specialty and personality

[ThatBrightHelper]

My dd is studying medicine in uni (year 1) and she wants to be a psychiatrist. She is kind, loves to talk, has a good memory and is empathetic but is also an overthinker and prone to say the wrong thing. She is also really energetic but dislikes competition.

From my anecdotal experience (my DH is a pediatrician), there is a certain correlation between the specialty doctors choose and their personality. For example, the competitive ones usually go to cardiovascular surgery, and the most patient and kind ones go to pediatrics (like my DH). Can't think of anymore for now.

Meant to be lighthearted discussion.

Ehh? Only paeds are kind? CTS is v niche and a 14 odd y post graduate training scheme and limits you to only working in a few hospitals in the country. Surgeons choose their career subspecialty in what they enjoy not "I want the hardest competition". Tbh most are leaving fullstop

I'm anaesthetics cos it allows you to generally focus on one person at a time, results to your interventions are instant, you can make a huge difference to an individuals life, good work life balance, the consultants are generally happy with life. Mix of elective and emergency work, cover everything from a&e to icu to theatre to labour ward so every day is different

I worked with 6 different psychiatrists and they had vastly different personalities and different motivations for chosing their specialty.

What’s the difference between orthopaedic surgeons and God? God doesn’t think he’s an orthopaedic surgeon 😉
In my experience, surgeons do tend to be competitive and some arrogant. Medical doctors tend to be gentle souls. That’s a sweeping generalisation of course!

Plenty of people start medical school thinking they want one speciality but with more knowledge and experience, realize that another speciality is a much better fit for them. I'd encourage her to approach each subject/specialty with an open mind.

I always thought the nicest went into anaesthetics.

So pathetic that the usual stereotypes get trotted out.

A psychiatrist prone to saying the wrong thing could be disastrous!

surely it depends which branch of paediatrics
urgent care needs urgent attitude

I was about to post that YABU and I don't believe the OP is true, however in the interests of lighthearted scientific research can anyone confirm if all orthopedic surgeons are arrogant bastards, because I only know one doctor, he’s one, and he is).
..And then I saw this comment! 😆 Point proven OP!!

Yes, that’s what struck me.

Based on the consultants I know (live near two hospitals so the area is awash with medics), there’s some correlation between cardiac consultants and being obsessed with cycling, but more than that I couldn’t say.

With respect OP, she’s barely 3 months into her degree. Things will almost certainly change with time and experience.

Sweeping generalisations are helpful for nobody.

Hehe I was sold on anaesthetics from 3rd Yr of uni when I requested a selected module in it to fulfil my cannula requirements for the year

I get this is meant to be light hearted but propogating stereotypes isn’t helpful. I’m in a male dominated field and the ol’ trope of us being lumbering Neanderthals makes it incredibly difficult to recruit females. I love my field - makes a huge difference to patients’ lives, age range from infant to the very elderly, every day is different.

having said that, sometimes the solution is to hit it with a hammer 😁

Beethovensafari, the bravest go into anaesthetics !!!

I work with them all day everyday - the vast majority of our orthopods (especially younger ones) are absolutely lovely and down to earth. I take it when you need your knee/hip replaced or have a fracture you won’t be needing the services of these ‘arrogant bastards’?

What a ridiculous comment.

A relative of mine is a paediatrician. She chose that speciality because she felt her coworkers were the nicest and most down to earth.

Please note: This is very, very, lighthearted!

I'm not a doctor, nurse or any kind of healthcare professional but I have just been diagnosed with Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Late stage, quite complicated but this is not about me.

I'm not in the UK or even in an English language country so the names of the specialities are different but my Rare, Tropical and Infectious Diseases doctor is the lovliest person. She's quite young and Polish. (I'm not in Poland.)

I thought, sitting there, waiting for my bloods to be taken, looking at the names of the many and various exotica that I was being tested for, despite my predicament, that it was a truly fascinating branch of medicine.

On the other hand, I hope my beautiful, clever and caring doctor doesn't find it too difficult to find a partner or even friends. ''I'm a Rare, Tropical and Infectious Diseases doctor" isn't the most alluring prospect for some, no doubt ignorant people.

"How did the date go?"
"She's gorgeous but I draw the line at catching Ebola for any woman."

Wishing your daughter every success and happiness whatever she chooses x.

I'm a Rare, Tropical and Infectious Diseases doctor" isn't the most alluring prospect for some, no doubt ignorant people.

She sounds lovely and really bright so it'll be useful if her specialty weeds out the ignoramuses before she has to - no doubt gently - bin them.

I think you missed where the OP said this was a lighthearted thread! 🫠

To add, I'm not sure there is much of a correlation between personalities and specialties. Sometimes it's just what you come across - I intended to be a GP but realised I loved one of the specialties I was doing as part of the GP training scheme, so that's what I ended up doing. I'd hated it as a student!

Here’s an idea. Maybe stop calling women ‘females’ and you might find recruitment easier?

Tbh most I’ve come across are mad as hatters themselves, but maybe that’s just most I have come across and those I haven’t aren’t?

Also second the cardiac and cycling correlation. Thats been my experience also.

There’s a rather large difference in lighthearted and your immature name calling.

I work in medical education and yes, while these are stereotypes, there is often some truth in it. To the point where we used to give advice when medical students were selecting their specialty to ensure that they were prepared and suited for the specific challenges in X, Y or Z specialty. Some are just better suited to one than another, like with any jobs.

Brain surgeons tend to be the type to have the "warrior gene" and can exhibit psycopathic behaviour, I don't mean they are serial killers though as in some situations pysycopathic traits are actually beneficial (risk taking etc).
A Brain surgeon I met compared his job to other doctors like this.
"Any surgeon can do what I do, like anyone can walk 10 feet in a straight line. Now imagine the 10ft is a narrow plank 50ft in the air with crocodiles waiting in a river below - thats being a Brain Surgeon"