As a pre-med, I often get asked the question of what specialty I’d like to pursue as a physician. It’s a natural question. After all, it is a decision that will affect how I live the rest of my life, so it’s perfectly reasonable to think that I’d know exactly what I’m aiming for. The truth of the matter is a lot more abstract and nuanced, but in the journey of finding that truth, I discovered the crux of what makes me so passionate about practicing medicine in the future.
When the younger version of myself thought about medicine, the first area that came into mind was emergency medicine, a field I thought about as the most pristine version of what medicine was supposed to be. These were the people, who in my eyes, would jump out the air and give you CPR or fix your massive bleeding in a jiffy before going to save another life. While every day of an ER doctor might not look exactly like that, it conveys the fast-motion and rapid decisions that ER physicians are tasked with each day. When training for my EMT license, this pace of care fascinated me.
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Emergency medicine is often connected to the broad area of extreme medicine, which includes, as the name suggests, the practice of medicine in austere and inaccessible areas. This type of medicine may not necessarily be a formal specialty in itself, but it really allows for healthcare to reach where it is needed most, whether that is in the midst of a natural disaster or conflict. One of the subfields of extreme medicine is space medicine. Throughout my time in college, I’ve gotten to learn more about this super niche field as well as engage with the broader space medicine community. I’ve had the chance to teach a class about space medicine to my fellow undergrads as well as attend two aerospace medicine conferences. While I’m not sure if space medicine will be my sole focus in a specialty, it is definitely something I’d like to integrate within my practice of medicine, perhaps as a subject matter expert. There are actually many physicians who are specialists in different areas who also have a connection to space medicine. For example, there are many emergency medicine doctors who also are involved with space medicine research and operations. Aerospace medicine is also a specialty that some physicians choose to pursue via a fellowship. These physicians are experts at providing care to those involved with aerospace, which also includes plane pilots. Even if I am not singularly focused on this specialty, I hope to still integrate it into my future career by pursuing research opportunities related to space medicine.
At one aerospace medicine conference, I got the chance to meet with a PM&R (physical medicine & rehabilitation) resident, leading to an interest in yet another field. PM&R doctors may not be well-known, but the work they do is of the utmost importance. It is often their responsibility to help people who have lost the ability to function in their normal lives due to musculoskeletal and neurological deficits. When I recently underwent a surgery to repair a torn meniscus, I realized the value of being able to do everyday tasks, from microwaving my own food to taking a shower. Although I was so very fortunate to have a family to take care of me, I was frustrated at how little I felt I could do for myself. As a PM&R physician, I could help people regain some of their independence back, a path that would be fulfilling long-term.
Some injuries and conditions, however, require a much more intensive standard of care, namely surgery. Being a surgeon requires a combination of manual dexterity, patience, and critical thinking. Oftentimes, surgery is a patient’s last option and, thus, their last hope for a solution. During my time shadowing a vascular surgeon, I noted how patients were often very grateful for the actions of the surgeon once they came to a follow-up appointment. A vascular surgeon is an expert on handling cases where the patient’s circulatory system (blood vessels) is involved, so the care he was providing was essential to their well-being. The combination of patient interaction as well as hands-on activities makes surgery quite fascinating. While I find surgery (and its many subfields) to be incredible, I realize that it is a large commitment, one that I want to be sure of before I begin.
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The field of anesthesiology is heavily involved in surgery, despite not being surgical itself. After going through a recent surgery myself, I became more aware of the critical role that anesthesiologists play in making sure the patient is comfortable and safe during a procedure. To be able to do that would be an immense privilege spurring my interest in this specialty. In particular, the skills of an anesthesiologist are broadly applicable, meaning I could provide support for many different types of surgery.
The truth of the matter is that I am not entirely sure of what field I should pursue as a physician. I am keeping an open mind to explore many opportunities that I have thought of and have not thought of. Through my period of exploring these many opportunities, I’ve begun to gain a deeper understanding as well as a deeper appreciation of what practicing medicine actually entails. Whether it is seeing someone at a critical point right after an emergency, operating on a person that requires an intense surgery, or following up with a patient continuously in a clinic, there is an undeniable impact that the physician leaves on the patient’s life. Regardless of how that positive impact is made, I genuinely want to be involved in such an endeavor.