Residency advice ( 1

Lynn,



I think that combining family practice and ob/gyn would be great and give you a little bit of everything. 20+ years! Wow! When my husband asked his last family practice preceptor about combining the 2, he said that you can't make any money with the family practice salary and the malpractice insurance while trying to get out of debt. Money isn't all that important to me but with all of the debt we are accruing, it would be nice to know that there is a decent living after all this work. Do you live in a rural area? Do you ever have the desire to throw the pager away?!



Christy, Thanks for the comments. My husband has added family practice onto his list of possible specialties. The more he thinks about it, the more he wants to be with the family. Does your husband get to help assist in surgeries at all? I checked out AAFP and the call schedule and lifestyle sound so much better than what I have been reading in regards to surgery. There is hope!! Plus most of the surgery programs that we have been looking at are in the East and we are in Arizona now. We aren't sure we want to move that far away from friends and family (everyone lives in the West). Where are you at? I'm sure I have read it somewhere before but I can't remember. Also, how did you narrow down the choices for residency? There are so many to choose from? Thanks, Robin

Lynn,



I think that combining family practice and ob/gyn would be great and give you a little bit of everything. 20+ years! Wow! When my husband asked his last family practice preceptor about combining the 2, he said that you can't make any money with the family practice salary and the malpractice insurance while trying to get out of debt. Money isn't all that important to me but with all of the debt we are accruing, it would be nice to know that there is a decent living after all this work. Do you live in a rural area? Do you ever have the desire to throw the pager away?!



Christy, Thanks for the comments. My husband has added family practice onto his list of possible specialties. The more he thinks about it, the more he wants to be with the family. Does your husband get to help assist in surgeries at all? I checked out AAFP and the call schedule and lifestyle sound so much better than what I have been reading in regards to surgery. There is hope!! Plus most of the surgery programs that we have been looking at are in the East and we are in Arizona now. We aren't sure we want to move that far away from friends and family (everyone lives in the West). Where are you at? I'm sure I have read it somewhere before but I can't remember. Also, how did you narrow down the choices for residency? There are so many to choose from? Thanks, Robin

Lynn,



I think that combining family practice and ob/gyn would be great and give you a little bit of everything. 20+ years! Wow! When my husband asked his last family practice preceptor about combining the 2, he said that you can't make any money with the family practice salary and the malpractice insurance while trying to get out of debt. Money isn't all that important to me but with all of the debt we are accruing, it would be nice to know that there is a decent living after all this work. Do you live in a rural area? Do you ever have the desire to throw the pager away?!



Christy, Thanks for the comments. My husband has added family practice onto his list of possible specialties. The more he thinks about it, the more he wants to be with the family. Does your husband get to help assist in surgeries at all? I checked out AAFP and the call schedule and lifestyle sound so much better than what I have been reading in regards to surgery. There is hope!! Plus most of the surgery programs that we have been looking at are in the East and we are in Arizona now. We aren't sure we want to move that far away from friends and family (everyone lives in the West). Where are you at? I'm sure I have read it somewhere before but I can't remember. Also, how did you narrow down the choices for residency? There are so many to choose from? Thanks, Robin

Hi there Robin!



I totally agree with Kaaren in that I too am in awe of what other spouses have to contend with in demanding residencies. It's like Kaaren said exactly what I have felt many times reading these posts!



As far as Family Medicine goes and where we are, Bob is an Intern in Family Medicine residency. Bob is a very family man and he likes the diversity of Family Medicine, so he chose this field. I know he would be willing to talk to your husband if you would ever want him to. I just asked Bob the other day what he would have gone into if he didn't chose Family Medicine and he said Internal Medicine. When Bob first went into medical school he wanted to go into Pediatrics, but later found that he wasn't as interested in it. Now that I think about it, I think Bob didn't really decide what he wanted to go into until the end of his 3rd year of medical school. So, there is still plenty of time! Bob didn't like surgery in med school at all! But now, he likes surgery. Actually, he is doing his out-patient surgery rotation this month!



I think it's great for your husband to have a list of possible areas of interest. There may be 2 or 3 that he narrows it down to and then, he'll have to decide where his niche is and what would make him the most content and what the family can handle, I think. You asked if my husband assisted in surgeries at all? I will have to get the nitty gritty from him on that! I am not sure to what extent he gets to assist, but I believe he has many times. He's delivered several babies this year...at least 20, but I think it has been even more than that! Robin, we are located in Pennsylvania which unfortunately is not the West Coast! However, we have had several residents come here from the West Coast like Oregon (last year and the year before) and San Diego, California. So, if your husband is ever interested in Family Medicine, please consider here! I believe our residency program director will pay for the flight out here, at least he did this year! In fact, the residents are voting on top choices today for the "Match". When, Bob chose places to interview at for residency, he chose places close to our families and good places to live and of course, a decent salary! If you would like to see our residency program, it has a web address. http://www.washingtonhospital.org . Just click on Family Medicine or Residency. And of course, you can email me! You also asked how we narrowed down which residency program we were interested in. Well, we had it narrowed down to two. One was 45 minutes from family, yet in a different state. We liked it because it provided free housing and maintenance for the house, paid all utilities, except long-distance phone & cable/satellite. The insurance paid 100% for prescriptions which is good since my husband is diabetic, free meals at the hospital for residents. This residency justs treats their residents well! The other residency we were interested in, we were an hour and 15 minutes from our families, in the same state as our families, great salary, $10,000 scholarship (Bob applied and got if he stayed in the state), yet we would have to buy our first home or rent which we didn't want to do yet! They had good insurance, offered free meal cards for the residents for so many meals. It was a great program too, but one that didn't meet all are wants and needs. And bottom line is that we would have made out better here at this residency program, than to get the $10,000 scholarship money. We would have been happy at either place though. Bob ranked them #1 and #2 and was blessed to get his #1 choice, yet again would have been happy with #2 also. We are thankful to be here though. Being close to family is important to us. As we get older, we love our families more and realize that some are getting closer to dying like Bob's almost 92-year-old great-grandmother of which we are close to and love very much!! So, knowing we were wanting for our family before deciding on residency was a #1 consideration in our case.



Christy

Hi there Robin!



I totally agree with Kaaren in that I too am in awe of what other spouses have to contend with in demanding residencies. It's like Kaaren said exactly what I have felt many times reading these posts!



As far as Family Medicine goes and where we are, Bob is an Intern in Family Medicine residency. Bob is a very family man and he likes the diversity of Family Medicine, so he chose this field. I know he would be willing to talk to your husband if you would ever want him to. I just asked Bob the other day what he would have gone into if he didn't chose Family Medicine and he said Internal Medicine. When Bob first went into medical school he wanted to go into Pediatrics, but later found that he wasn't as interested in it. Now that I think about it, I think Bob didn't really decide what he wanted to go into until the end of his 3rd year of medical school. So, there is still plenty of time! Bob didn't like surgery in med school at all! But now, he likes surgery. Actually, he is doing his out-patient surgery rotation this month!



I think it's great for your husband to have a list of possible areas of interest. There may be 2 or 3 that he narrows it down to and then, he'll have to decide where his niche is and what would make him the most content and what the family can handle, I think. You asked if my husband assisted in surgeries at all? I will have to get the nitty gritty from him on that! I am not sure to what extent he gets to assist, but I believe he has many times. He's delivered several babies this year...at least 20, but I think it has been even more than that! Robin, we are located in Pennsylvania which unfortunately is not the West Coast! However, we have had several residents come here from the West Coast like Oregon (last year and the year before) and San Diego, California. So, if your husband is ever interested in Family Medicine, please consider here! I believe our residency program director will pay for the flight out here, at least he did this year! In fact, the residents are voting on top choices today for the "Match". When, Bob chose places to interview at for residency, he chose places close to our families and good places to live and of course, a decent salary! If you would like to see our residency program, it has a web address. http://www.washingtonhospital.org . Just click on Family Medicine or Residency. And of course, you can email me! You also asked how we narrowed down which residency program we were interested in. Well, we had it narrowed down to two. One was 45 minutes from family, yet in a different state. We liked it because it provided free housing and maintenance for the house, paid all utilities, except long-distance phone & cable/satellite. The insurance paid 100% for prescriptions which is good since my husband is diabetic, free meals at the hospital for residents. This residency justs treats their residents well! The other residency we were interested in, we were an hour and 15 minutes from our families, in the same state as our families, great salary, $10,000 scholarship (Bob applied and got if he stayed in the state), yet we would have to buy our first home or rent which we didn't want to do yet! They had good insurance, offered free meal cards for the residents for so many meals. It was a great program too, but one that didn't meet all are wants and needs. And bottom line is that we would have made out better here at this residency program, than to get the $10,000 scholarship money. We would have been happy at either place though. Bob ranked them #1 and #2 and was blessed to get his #1 choice, yet again would have been happy with #2 also. We are thankful to be here though. Being close to family is important to us. As we get older, we love our families more and realize that some are getting closer to dying like Bob's almost 92-year-old great-grandmother of which we are close to and love very much!! So, knowing we were wanting for our family before deciding on residency was a #1 consideration in our case.



Christy

Hi there Robin!



I totally agree with Kaaren in that I too am in awe of what other spouses have to contend with in demanding residencies. It's like Kaaren said exactly what I have felt many times reading these posts!



As far as Family Medicine goes and where we are, Bob is an Intern in Family Medicine residency. Bob is a very family man and he likes the diversity of Family Medicine, so he chose this field. I know he would be willing to talk to your husband if you would ever want him to. I just asked Bob the other day what he would have gone into if he didn't chose Family Medicine and he said Internal Medicine. When Bob first went into medical school he wanted to go into Pediatrics, but later found that he wasn't as interested in it. Now that I think about it, I think Bob didn't really decide what he wanted to go into until the end of his 3rd year of medical school. So, there is still plenty of time! Bob didn't like surgery in med school at all! But now, he likes surgery. Actually, he is doing his out-patient surgery rotation this month!



I think it's great for your husband to have a list of possible areas of interest. There may be 2 or 3 that he narrows it down to and then, he'll have to decide where his niche is and what would make him the most content and what the family can handle, I think. You asked if my husband assisted in surgeries at all? I will have to get the nitty gritty from him on that! I am not sure to what extent he gets to assist, but I believe he has many times. He's delivered several babies this year...at least 20, but I think it has been even more than that! Robin, we are located in Pennsylvania which unfortunately is not the West Coast! However, we have had several residents come here from the West Coast like Oregon (last year and the year before) and San Diego, California. So, if your husband is ever interested in Family Medicine, please consider here! I believe our residency program director will pay for the flight out here, at least he did this year! In fact, the residents are voting on top choices today for the "Match". When, Bob chose places to interview at for residency, he chose places close to our families and good places to live and of course, a decent salary! If you would like to see our residency program, it has a web address. http://www.washingtonhospital.org . Just click on Family Medicine or Residency. And of course, you can email me! You also asked how we narrowed down which residency program we were interested in. Well, we had it narrowed down to two. One was 45 minutes from family, yet in a different state. We liked it because it provided free housing and maintenance for the house, paid all utilities, except long-distance phone & cable/satellite. The insurance paid 100% for prescriptions which is good since my husband is diabetic, free meals at the hospital for residents. This residency justs treats their residents well! The other residency we were interested in, we were an hour and 15 minutes from our families, in the same state as our families, great salary, $10,000 scholarship (Bob applied and got if he stayed in the state), yet we would have to buy our first home or rent which we didn't want to do yet! They had good insurance, offered free meal cards for the residents for so many meals. It was a great program too, but one that didn't meet all are wants and needs. And bottom line is that we would have made out better here at this residency program, than to get the $10,000 scholarship money. We would have been happy at either place though. Bob ranked them #1 and #2 and was blessed to get his #1 choice, yet again would have been happy with #2 also. We are thankful to be here though. Being close to family is important to us. As we get older, we love our families more and realize that some are getting closer to dying like Bob's almost 92-year-old great-grandmother of which we are close to and love very much!! So, knowing we were wanting for our family before deciding on residency was a #1 consideration in our case.



Christy

Hi Robin again!



Bob just called and told me as far as assisting it depends on the residency program you go into. He said since Washington Hospital only has Family Medicine residents, then the residents always get to go on 1st assist. He told me he would talk with your husband or me to you, if you would like. Just email him or me.



I've got to go! Jonah's sleepy and needs a good nap!



Christy

Hi Robin again!



Bob just called and told me as far as assisting it depends on the residency program you go into. He said since Washington Hospital only has Family Medicine residents, then the residents always get to go on 1st assist. He told me he would talk with your husband or me to you, if you would like. Just email him or me.



I've got to go! Jonah's sleepy and needs a good nap!



Christy

Hi Robin again!



Bob just called and told me as far as assisting it depends on the residency program you go into. He said since Washington Hospital only has Family Medicine residents, then the residents always get to go on 1st assist. He told me he would talk with your husband or me to you, if you would like. Just email him or me.



I've got to go! Jonah's sleepy and needs a good nap!



Christy

Hi Robin!!

I don't know why he told you that but you can make a VERY good living in Family practice!And the the OB/Gyn an even larger salary!The OB part is normal in family practice unless some docs don't care to do it.If you look at some of the job ads in all the journals there are lots and lots looking for family doctors plus most of them WANT you to do OB also.They pay the bigger bucks for that.As for malpractice insur.when your husband finds a job all employers pay that...as part of the benefit package.So that wouldn't come out of his salary.Also there are lots of job openings in the area you want to move to..plus all over the US.It's never a prob in that field to find a job.And as for the surgery phill came home today and told me the 2surgeries he performed today.He always does a little bit of everything and he loves it that way.It grosses me out...but HE loves it!LOLAlso if you go to an underservered area when he starts out a lot will repay your loan for you.Thats something to think about too.Let me know if we can help you anymore.

Lynn

Hi Robin!!

I don't know why he told you that but you can make a VERY good living in Family practice!And the the OB/Gyn an even larger salary!The OB part is normal in family practice unless some docs don't care to do it.If you look at some of the job ads in all the journals there are lots and lots looking for family doctors plus most of them WANT you to do OB also.They pay the bigger bucks for that.As for malpractice insur.when your husband finds a job all employers pay that...as part of the benefit package.So that wouldn't come out of his salary.Also there are lots of job openings in the area you want to move to..plus all over the US.It's never a prob in that field to find a job.And as for the surgery phill came home today and told me the 2surgeries he performed today.He always does a little bit of everything and he loves it that way.It grosses me out...but HE loves it!LOLAlso if you go to an underservered area when he starts out a lot will repay your loan for you.Thats something to think about too.Let me know if we can help you anymore.

Lynn

Hi Robin!!

I don't know why he told you that but you can make a VERY good living in Family practice!And the the OB/Gyn an even larger salary!The OB part is normal in family practice unless some docs don't care to do it.If you look at some of the job ads in all the journals there are lots and lots looking for family doctors plus most of them WANT you to do OB also.They pay the bigger bucks for that.As for malpractice insur.when your husband finds a job all employers pay that...as part of the benefit package.So that wouldn't come out of his salary.Also there are lots of job openings in the area you want to move to..plus all over the US.It's never a prob in that field to find a job.And as for the surgery phill came home today and told me the 2surgeries he performed today.He always does a little bit of everything and he loves it that way.It grosses me out...but HE loves it!LOLAlso if you go to an underservered area when he starts out a lot will repay your loan for you.Thats something to think about too.Let me know if we can help you anymore.

Lynn

robin:

the question about family practice MDs assisting in surgeries -- not in any instances i am familiar with. i will admit that i have a limited knowledge of just duke and tennessee - but family practice MDs do not have anything to do with the surgery except as far as referring a patient to a surgeon & possibly prescribing meds after. let me add another cautionary by saying that when i am thinking of "surgery", i am addressing general, cardio-thoracic, neuro, etc. -

so if he loves cutting and sewing, family practice will not provide those opportunities.

*again, as far as *I* know*

robin:

the question about family practice MDs assisting in surgeries -- not in any instances i am familiar with. i will admit that i have a limited knowledge of just duke and tennessee - but family practice MDs do not have anything to do with the surgery except as far as referring a patient to a surgeon & possibly prescribing meds after. let me add another cautionary by saying that when i am thinking of "surgery", i am addressing general, cardio-thoracic, neuro, etc. -

so if he loves cutting and sewing, family practice will not provide those opportunities.

*again, as far as *I* know*

robin:

the question about family practice MDs assisting in surgeries -- not in any instances i am familiar with. i will admit that i have a limited knowledge of just duke and tennessee - but family practice MDs do not have anything to do with the surgery except as far as referring a patient to a surgeon & possibly prescribing meds after. let me add another cautionary by saying that when i am thinking of "surgery", i am addressing general, cardio-thoracic, neuro, etc. -

so if he loves cutting and sewing, family practice will not provide those opportunities.

*again, as far as *I* know*