So, you’ve put all this time into beefing up your application for radiation oncology, urology, neurosurgery, or medicine. You have researched and toiled in these or other subspecialty electives for countless hours to make a good impression. And, it’s about time to make that ultimate decision to pursue your final goal. But, something doesn’t feel quite right. Your gut tells you that you will probably not want to spend the rest of your life in this field. What do you do? For those of you that have to make soon that heart-wrenching decision of which specialty to choose, it is OK to make a last-minute decision. Trust me. Don’t worry about disappointing others or not pursuing your original goal. Here are the reasons why.
A Subspecialty Career Lasts A Lifetime
We are not talking about just a few years. Whatever specialty you decide to choose can last the remainder of your career. So, don’t worry about disappointing your colleagues, research cohorts, and mentors. Don’t do it if you are sure that you are pursuing the wrong path!
Physicians Are Miserable When They Don’t Pick The Specialty Their Heart Desired
I know that too many physicians are miserable and burnt out in their career path. Many of them regret the day that they chose the wrong specialty. And, many decide upon the incorrect medical field because the one they want is time-consuming or “tough.” Most of us can live with a few challenging years, but not for difficult years for the remainder of our careers!
Friends, Colleagues, Mentors, Will Understand Your Last-Minute Decision
You may receive some disappointed looks at first. But, in the end, your true friends will understand that you need to make this decision for yourself, not for someone else, and certainly not for a superficial reason. Real friends will eventually understand the choice you made
Last-Minute Decisions Happen All The Time
I don’t know about you. But, I know many physicians, specifically radiologists, who decided to join the fold at the last minute on their fourth-year radiology rotation. No, they may not have all the credentials of someone preparing to do this pathway all along. But, they can make excellent radiologists (sometimes even better than ones that already knew their destiny!)
Hard to Back Out Once In A Pathway
The easiest time to make a decision is now. Once you have already started a new residency, it is much harder to reverse course. You need to get permission from program directors, colleagues, and the federal government! And you may not have the funds to change paths so easily. So, make this decision to go into radiology before you start another residency if you can!
You Don’t Need Tons Of Research To Get Into A Decent Radiology Program
Yes, completing research is excellent. But do you need tons of research to get into a radiology program? No! We have selected many candidates who did not have a laundry list of radiology-relevant projects. So, if you decide to avoid radiology because you don’t have the research to do so, don’t!
Better Off Getting Into A Mediocre Radiology Program Than None At All (It’s A Self Taught Discipline Anyway!)
Think again if you are interested in radiology and are not applying because you can only get into mediocre programs. Many great radiologists have not gone to man’s best institution. Fortunately for you, much of radiology is a self-taught discipline regardless. Any program in your desired field of choice is better than no program!
Look At Me! I Made A Last-Minute Decision
Lastly, and more importantly, please consider that I am one of those radiologists who made their decision after being on the internal medicine track all along. I only made my final decision at the beginning of the fourth year. And, it all worked out very well for me. You can make a last-minute decision to go into radiology as well!
The Last-Minute Decision!
Society puts too many negative connotations on the last-minute decision. In truth, though, last-minute choices are not always bad. What is terrible is refraining from pursuing what you want because you believe you have a fixed path. So, make that last-minute decision to join the radiology fold if that is what you want. Your last-minute decision can be the best one!
