Joshua Batt, Medical Student, Emergency Medicine
The cut was made, some dissection performed and the baby was pulled out. I was holding our patient's uterus in one hand and assisting my attending with the other during a scheduled cesarean section. All I could think was how this doctor's job is simply amazing. How many people can say that they get to open a person's body, pull out a living organism and twelve inches away, you can stare the patient in the face and have a discussion with them?
Between the work of the anesthesiologist and the obstetrician, I was enthralled by the situation. Their team effort and training made the operation a success. Baby was beautiful, mom and dad were happy and the medical crew had performed well. It was not a long procedure, but one that left me wondering if I could be doing this as a career. Yet another moment of reflection needed if I am ever going to decide what to be "when I grow up."
That question, "What are you going to be when you grow up?" continues to haunt me as time rushes past. At least I have the doctor part down; now to narrow things down a little. It certainly doesn't help going into residency applications and interviews with multiple fields of interest and no geographical preference. There are simply too many places, professions, and programs to choose from.
Some aids I have found include the specialty flowchart, the University of Virginia's Medical Specialty Aptitude Test (MSAT), and The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty. There are days when I agree with their advice and other days I think they are in left field. What have you found useful in making your decision?
