[2klthor]

(Original post by GodspeedGehenna)
I think Psychiatry is the only field that I can safely rule out at this point.

Agreed.

[TobeTheHero]

(Original post by vertigo.0012)
Medical. Maybe paeds, maybe anaesthetics, maybe something like cardiology....who knows.

Saying that, I'll probably end up cutting people open now!

let a neurosurgeon have a look at your brain just to be sure its gears are in place.

[7589200]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Hey, if you don't mind, could you explain what made the neurology attachment so fascinating and interesting? Neurology is actually the specialty I'm most interested in by far, but only from theory. The thing is, I'm getting the impression there are a lot of specialties which are more interesting to practice compared to neurology, but I just don't think I could give up studying the brain and related problems! So knowing that it's quite fascinating in practice is quite encouraging.

I was also wondering, have you done any neurosurgery attachments and how were they? Is the training entirely different from neurology? Also, is it true that neurosurgery is probably one of the most demanding specialties in terms of the hours worked, the irregular timings, the intensity of the job and length of training?

Cheers.

I found Neurology had the most problem-solving of any speciality. It wasn't a case of 'this pattern and set of symptoms' = this disease. In neurology you try and find the location of a lesion and then the process causing it and I really liked that approach. Also the clinical examinations aren't set in stone like other ones: when you examine a chest or abdomen there's a very well defined set of things you do in a particular order. In Neurology, you tailor your examination to what you think the likely diagnosis is and the whole thing is so much more intelligent.

Neurosurgery, obviously, a lot more interventional and the difference is that you're doing a bit less diagnosis and a bit more doing the same operation over and over. However, you do have clinics and will be in MDT meetings discussing patients and there is a lot of theory you have to know too. 'Specialist' surgery is quite fascinating. Its not just drilling and sawing, there's functional anatomy you have to know and you can do procedures such as deep brain stimulation etc

Training wise, its around 10 years to becoming a consultant and also those posts are often hard to get. People are registrars for years...

[Nator]

Surgery does it for me; heart or brain is really competitive but where my genuine interest lies

[Helenia]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Hmm.... getting interested in why ACCS is so popular. To those who a partial to ACCS, what attracts you to it?

Range of acute specialties, being the first person to see sick patients and do something to fix them, not having to deal with the endless crap of ward work (though a fair bit of this in acute med). Lots of toys and cool procedures without having to be a surgeon.

I can think of few specialties I'd like to do less than neurology/neurosurgery.

[Circadian_Rhythm]

Psychiatry at the moment, pretty sure it's going to be Medical though, if not psychiatry, as my hands are just too shaky!

[manic_fuzz]

Currently very leaning towards the medical route I'd absolutely love to work in paediatrics or tropical diseases! I really enjoyed the ward round during work-ex.
I don't think i'd hugely enjoy a career in surgery, i've had shadowing of watching lots of simple surgeries and open-heart surgery, and from that it doesn't seem like what i want to do in medicine, but all i've done is observe so...
I haven't even applied to med school yet, so (fingerscrossed if i get in) all of this is quite likely to change if and when i get more experience in actually working in the area

[7589200]

I think an equally interesting question to ask would be: What are the specialities you have decided you are definitely not going to do?

I have a pretty big list lol

They include:

Paediatrics - because I can't deal with children.
Psychiatry - because they say you often end up like your patients
Dermatology - because it doesn't seem very interesting
General Surgery (Abdominal, Vascular etc) - because firstly, I dislike them greatly and secondly because their surgery is SO boring, its just plumbing and drilling.

and many more.

[Cities]

(Original post by Vazzyb)
I found Neurology had the most problem-solving of any speciality. It wasn't a case of 'this pattern and set of symptoms' = this disease. In neurology you try and find the location of a lesion and then the process causing it and I really liked that approach. Also the clinical examinations aren't set in stone like other ones: when you examine a chest or abdomen there's a very well defined set of things you do in a particular order. In Neurology, you tailor your examination to what you think the likely diagnosis is and the whole thing is so much more intelligent.

Neurosurgery, obviously, a lot more interventional and the difference is that you're doing a bit less diagnosis and a bit more doing the same operation over and over. However, you do have clinics and will be in MDT meetings discussing patients and there is a lot of theory you have to know too. 'Specialist' surgery is quite fascinating. Its not just drilling and sawing, there's functional anatomy you have to know and you can do procedures such as deep brain stimulation etc

Training wise, its around 10 years to becoming a consultant and also those posts are often hard to get. People are registrars for years...

Thanks a lot. That's made me even more enthusiastic about neurology without even having even done anything properly . Just seems like a nice combination of everything.

[Cities]

(Original post by Helenia)
Range of acute specialties, being the first person to see sick patients and do something to fix them, not having to deal with the endless crap of ward work (though a fair bit of this in acute med). Lots of toys and cool procedures without having to be a surgeon.

I can think of few specialties I'd like to do less than neurology/neurosurgery.

Yes, I think ACCS is similar to what most people think of when they first go into medicine (well for me anyway).

For balance, what puts you off neurology/neurosurgery?

[Zakadoh]

forensic psychiatry for me every time!

[Helenia]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Yes, I think ACCS is similar to what most people think of when they first go into medicine (well for me anyway).

For balance, what puts you off neurology/neurosurgery?

Neurology - yes, lots of interesting diseases and "ooh isn't that fascinating?" signs/symptoms which you can be terribly clever about and get a syndrome named after you. You give steroids. Then IVIG or maybe a clever monoclonal antibody. Then you can't do anything and have to let PT/OT/palliative care take over, while you get loads of medical students to poke your patients.

Neurosurgery - well, I don't like surgery for starters, but these guys are top of the ******** league when it comes to referrals.

[Cities]

(Original post by Helenia)
Neurology - yes, lots of interesting diseases and "ooh isn't that fascinating?" signs/symptoms which you can be terribly clever about and get a syndrome named after you. You give steroids. Then IVIG or maybe a clever monoclonal antibody. Then you can't do anything and have to let PT/OT/palliative care take over, while you get loads of medical students to poke your patients.

Neurosurgery - well, I don't like surgery for starters, but these guys are top of the ******** league when it comes to referrals.

Hmm that does seem to be the problem with neurology; either no treatment or very generic.

[digitalis]

(Original post by Zakadoh)
forensic psychiatry for me every time!

[Cities]

(Original post by digitalis)

I was wondering (if you're clinical / F1,2) what has been your overall experience of psychiatry and what do you like about it / what puts you off?

[Sarky]

My head wants to do GP. My heart wants to do O&G.

[fairy spangles]

(Original post by Helenia)
Neurology - yes, lots of interesting diseases and "ooh isn't that fascinating?" signs/symptoms which you can be terribly clever about and get a syndrome named after you. You give steroids. Then IVIG or maybe a clever monoclonal antibody. Then you can't do anything and have to let PT/OT/palliative care take over, while you get loads of medical students to poke your patients.

True however i like to think of neurology as more of a person speciality.

Okay so theres not a great deal you can do im majority of cases but surely its about maintaining or regaining some life quality?

Dont you think the mind is an amazing thing? How can someone so sick regain some kind of functioning? Or infact the opposite?

(Do i sound like a pre fresher??)

[fairy spangles]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Hmm that does seem to be the problem with neurology; either no treatment or very generic.

Can i ask what year are you in??

[Cities]

(Original post by fairy spangles)
Can i ask what year are you in??

finished 3rd

[*Funky-buddha*]

(Original post by xXxBaby-BooxXx)
You realise most (if not all) surgeons do ward rounds and outpatient clinics?

Sorry to bother you with what may be a stupid question, but I'm hopefully I'm going to be at UEA next year.

So was just wondering if the comments about UEA not being a clever choice due to PBL etc, if I wanted to do surgery, had any truth in them? ( As heard by some people applying to more 'traditional' courses )

Thank you!