The Difference Between a Family and Internal Medicine Residency

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

Believe it or not, family and internal medicine are often confused amongst patients and medical students alike. This is largely due to the fact that the patients these two fields oversee overlap. However, an internal medicine residency prepares students for an in-depth care of adults. Unlike family medicine, an internal medicine residency Baltimore prepares doctors for primarily outpatient care.  As internists are trained with a deeper focus on sub-specialties, students who follow this path often find their residency is the beginning of a deeper sub-specialty.

For those who would like more in-depth training that includes the diagnosis of children, you can work with many programs to arrange secondary training on pediatrics.  These students have even developed their own pet name, “med-peds.”

Who Should Apply for an Internal Medicine Residency

If the idea of family practice bores you and the rush of the intensive care unit is a bit too extreme, you are likely a great fit for an internal medicine residency program Baltimore.  As internists approach things from a scientific aspect, those who enjoyed the research process may also find a career in internal medicine rewarding. In fact, many internists become the pioneers of their area by offering a sub-specialty  that otherwise cannot be found in that geographical area.  On the other hand, if you’re deeply involved with the ethics of practicing medicine, you may wish to look at other programs.  Though internists are likely to have long-term patients, they are not family doctors and rarely form life-long relationships with their patients.

If you’re unsure whether an internal medicine residency Baltimore is the right fit for you, talk to your professors and advisers at school.  You may be surprised by the insight they can offer you.  Not only have they worked closely with you for three years, they can help you identify your major strengths and weaknesses.

Residency is no easy decision.  The process can be stressful, time-consuming, and testing-but it’s well worth it.  All the efforts you put into applying to residency help you further your career and prepare for the future.

To learn more your local internal medicine residency program Baltimore, visit: http://www.medstarhealth.org/.

 

When to Consider a Family Medicine Residency

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

If you are nearing the end of your third year or entering your fourth, it’s time to start closing in on your specialty.  Many doctors find a fulfilling and rewarding career after completing a family medicine residency.  After completing a family medicine residency program Baltimore, you can begin working as a primary doctor in family medicine.  This includes yearly check-ups, allergies, and much more.  Not only will you work closely with families, it’s very likely that you will come to know all of your patients individually.  For those who feel that emergency medicine would be a little too disconnected for them,  family practice is often a perfect fit. Unlike emergency specialties, the daily duties of a family doctor are not riddled with competition and high-risk situations.

That’s not to say that a family medicine residency Baltimore is for everyone who doesn’t see themselves as a trauma doctor.  Some find family practice to be incredibly boring.  If routine has no part in your ideal career, it’s a good idea to consider other options before applying to a family medicine residency program Baltimore. Create a pros and cons list for each of the specialties you are interested in and compare them against one another.  Don’t get too stressed out if you can’t make a decision quickly, this isn’t a small decision!  It’s a huge one that easily dictates the first few years of your medical career.

Looking for a Family Medicine Residency

If you’ve decided that a family practice is your ideal end result, it’s time to start looking at hospitals and care centers that offer your desired specialty.  In addition to researching the hospital’s accreditation and curriculum, you will also need to investigate the area.  If you hate everything about snow, you may want to look for programs in a few of the sunshine states. It’s highly likely that you will end up working in the area that you complete your residency in, so make sure you truly enjoy living where you apply for your specialty.  No matter what you decide, congratulations! You’re one step closer to being a doctor.

What is an Emergency Medicine Residency?

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

An emergency medicine residency is the first step a training physician must take in order to further their career in emergency medicine.  Not only do these programs focus on treating in trauma situations, they require the doctors who work within them to be trained in various fields of medicine in order to treat the extreme cases that walk through the doors of hospitals across the nation.  If you are interested in working within ICUs or emergency rooms alike, you will need to undergo extensive training with a 3-year emergency medicine residency program DC.

What to Look for in an Emergency Medicine Residency Program DC

If you have concluded that an emergency medicine residency program Washington DC is the logical next step for your career in medicine, it’s a good idea to make a list of your requirements. Keep in mind the essential factor of this decision: You will be living wherever you complete your residency.  If you’re not going to be happy in the environment where you’re offered your residency, there’s no point in making a 3 year commitment to a place you don’t want to stay.  In addition to the credentials of the facility, make sure to look into the surrounding area and analyze whether or not the hospital is a good fit for you and your career goals.

Once you’ve decided on a location, it’s a good idea to start collecting the credentials of hospitals.  Often times, hospitals have very specific departments set aside to guide applicants through the emergency medicine residency program DC and application process.  Ask the hospital where you can find this information and asses the facilities at hand.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Does the hospital have a lot of training site available?
• What does the program emphasize?  Trauma?  Pediatrics?
• What are the demographics of the area I’ll be caring for?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can begin to truly investigate and apply for the residency program that fits your individual needs and desires.  Though this decision is a difficult, it’s one that could create a new home for you and your family.

To learn more about local emergency medicine residency program DC, visit: http://www.medstarhealth.org/