Why I chose Radiology... and does it suit me

Summary

In this reflective video, a radiology resident shares the ups and downs of their journey through their second year of residency. They candidly discuss their initial choice of radiology based on a lack of attraction to other specialties, the broad reach of radiology in medicine, and the allure of its evolving technology. However, they also express mixed feelings, highlighting the limited patient interaction and the need for continuous study. The video serves as a heartfelt guide for those considering a career in radiology, urging them to seek diverse advice and consider personal preferences.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker is a radiology resident in their second year, reflecting on their choice and experiences in the field.
• 🤔 The speaker often faces the question of why they chose radiology but has mixed feelings and is unsure if they truly like it.
• 🔍 The speaker chose radiology because nothing else seemed attractive at the time, and they wanted a specialty with fewer professionals compared to internal medicine.
• 🏥 Radiology is appealing due to its relevance in almost every medical field, as imaging is a fundamental part of diagnosis and treatment.
• 🌐 The speaker finds the constant development of imaging techniques and the integration of AI in radiology intriguing and important.
• 🚫 A downside for the speaker is the limited patient interaction in radiology, preferring a more extroverted work environment.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Radiology is likened to being a detective in medicine, requiring problem-solving skills and continuous learning.
• 👐 The speaker misses the opportunity to use their hands for practical work, which they excel at, and feels this is a missed aspect in radiology.
• ⚠️ Concerns about radiation exposure are valid, especially in interventional radiology, but less so in other radiology specialties.
• 📚 The speaker was surprised by the lack of a comprehensive textbook for radiology, expecting a more structured study approach.
• 👩‍⚕️ The speaker advises potential radiologists to seek diverse opinions and experiences to make an informed career choice.

Q & A

Why did the radiology resident choose radiology as their specialty?

The resident chose radiology because nothing else seemed attracting at the time, and they wanted a specialty with fewer professionals compared to the large pool of doctors in internal medicine.

What are the resident's mixed feelings about their choice of radiology?

The resident has mixed feelings because, although they are halfway through their residency, there are aspects of radiology that click with them and others that don't, leading to uncertainty about their choice.

What does the resident find intriguing about radiology?

The resident finds it intriguing that radiology touches on every field in the hospital, allowing them to experience a wide range of diseases and interact with different doctors from various specialties.

How does the resident view the impact of AI on the future of radiology?

The resident believes that AI will assist radiologists rather than replace them, similar to how autopilot technology supports pilots but doesn't eliminate the need for human pilots.

What is one of the pros of radiology that the resident finds appealing?

One pro is that radiology allows the resident to be a 'detective in medicine,' diagnosing conditions based on images and patient information, which can be both fun and challenging.

What is the resident's opinion on the cons of radiology regarding patient interaction?

The resident feels that the lack of direct patient interaction is a con, as they wish they could see and talk to patients more, understand their symptoms, and observe treatment responses.

How does the resident's personality affect their view of radiology?

As a more extroverted individual, the resident finds the solitary nature of reading CTs and MRIs in a room all day to be isolating and not entirely suited to their personality.

What is the resident's concern about radiation exposure in radiology?

The resident is concerned about radiation exposure, especially for those in interventional radiology, where despite using protections, there is a higher chance of radiation doses.

What was the resident's expectation about studying radiology that turned out to be incorrect?

The resident expected to find a comprehensive textbook covering all radiology information but discovered that they had to study from various textbooks for different fields individually.

What advice does the resident give to those considering radiology as a profession?

The resident advises potential radiologists to seek advice from experienced peers, doctors, and professors, and to watch various videos on the subject to gain a well-rounded understanding of the field.

How does the resident summarize their experience in radiology residency so far?

The resident summarizes their experience as having many days of regret but ultimately deciding to continue with radiology, acknowledging the challenges of the first two years and looking forward to the third year.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Dilemma of Choosing Radiology

The speaker, a radiology resident in their second year, expresses mixed feelings about their choice of specialty. They admit to not having a strong initial attraction to radiology but chose it over other fields like surgery due to the desire to specialize and the appeal of a less crowded profession. The speaker also mentions the difficulty of the first two years of residency and the sense of being halfway through, leading to a reluctance to switch paths despite some regrets.

05:02

🔎 The Broad Reach and Technological Advancements of Radiology

The speaker highlights the universal role of radiology in hospital settings, touching every medical field and offering exposure to a wide range of diseases and imaging techniques. They express fascination with the constant development in imaging technology and the integration of AI, drawing parallels with autopilot technology in aviation to argue that radiologists remain indispensable despite technological advancements.

10:05

🕵️‍♂️ The Pros and Cons of a Radiologist's Life

The speaker enumerates the pros and cons of their radiology career. They appreciate the limited patient interaction, which some find appealing due to its low-stress nature, but personally find it isolating. They also enjoy the detective-like problem-solving aspect of diagnosing from images, though it requires continuous learning. The speaker also discusses the misconception about radiation exposure and the lack of a comprehensive textbook for radiology, which was a surprise during their training.

15:06

📚 Reflections on Radiology Residency and Advice for Prospective Radiologists

In the final paragraph, the speaker summarizes their thoughts on radiology residency, acknowledging both the aspects they like and dislike. They advise potential radiologists to seek diverse perspectives, including watching videos and consulting experienced professionals, to gain a well-rounded understanding of the field before making a career choice.

Keywords

💡Radiology

Radiology is the medical specialty that uses imaging technologies to diagnose and treat diseases. In the video, the speaker discusses their choice of this field and their experiences as a radiology resident, highlighting both the pros and cons of the profession.

💡Residency

Residency refers to the period of graduate medical training that follows medical school. The speaker is in their second year of radiology residency and shares their insights and challenges faced during this training period.

💡Imaging

Imaging in the medical context refers to techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs that help visualize the body's internal structures. The speaker mentions that radiology is integral to every field in a hospital due to its reliance on imaging for diagnosis and treatment.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI in the video is discussed in the context of its impact on the field of radiology, with the speaker expressing their opinion on how AI might assist rather than replace radiologists in interpreting medical images.

💡Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiology is a subspecialty of radiology that involves minimally invasive, image-guided procedures. The speaker mentions it as a field where radiologists might be exposed to radiation, which is a concern for them.

💡Extroversion

Extroversion is a personality trait characterized by outgoing and sociable behavior. The speaker identifies as more extroverted and expresses a preference for interacting with patients and colleagues, which contrasts with the solitary nature of some radiology work.

💡DICOM

DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard protocol for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting information in medical imaging. Although not explicitly mentioned, the discussion of reading CTs and MRIs implies the use of DICOM in radiology.

💡Pros and Cons

The speaker lists the pros and cons of their radiology profession, providing a balanced view of the field. This includes the benefits of less patient contact for introverts and the downside of limited hands-on work for those who enjoy manual tasks.

💡Medical Specialties

Medical specialties are specific areas of medicine that a physician chooses to focus on after completing general medical training. The speaker's choice of radiology over other specialties like surgery or internal medicine is a central theme in the video.

💡Patient Interaction

Patient interaction refers to the communication and contact between healthcare providers and patients. The speaker expresses a desire for more direct interaction with patients, which is less frequent in radiology compared to other medical specialties.

💡Study and Continuous Learning

The speaker mentions that radiology requires continuous study and learning due to the vast amount of information and the constant development of new imaging techniques. This reflects the need for lifelong learning in the medical field.

Highlights

The radiology resident discusses their experience and reasons for choosing radiology, providing insight into the profession.

They admit to having mixed feelings about their choice of radiology, which may resonate with others facing similar career decisions.

The resident lists their top 10 reasons for choosing radiology, offering a personal perspective on the decision-making process.

Despite not being completely satisfied with their choice, the resident acknowledges the value of their investment in the radiology residency so far.

The first reason for choosing radiology was the lack of attraction to other specialties, highlighting the importance of elimination in career choice.

The resident was drawn to radiology due to its less physically demanding nature compared to surgery, emphasizing personal preferences in career paths.

Radiology's interdisciplinary nature and its importance in diagnosis and treatment across all medical fields were key attractions.

The rapid development of imaging technology and the integration of AI in radiology were mentioned as exciting aspects of the profession.

The resident counters the notion that AI will replace radiologists, arguing for the irreplaceable role of human expertise in diagnosis.

A notable advantage of radiology is the reduced need for direct patient interaction, which is a pro for some but a con for the resident.

The resident's extroverted nature makes the solitary work in radiology less appealing, suggesting personality traits can influence job satisfaction.

The role of a 'detective in medicine' is highlighted as an enjoyable aspect of radiology, involving problem-solving and continuous learning.

The resident expresses frustration with the lack of a comprehensive textbook for radiology, indicating the need for self-directed study.

The potential downside of radiation exposure in certain radiology subspecialties is discussed, with a personal decision to avoid it.

The resident's desire for more hands-on work is mentioned as a con of radiology, suggesting a mismatch between personal skills and job requirements.

The video concludes with advice for those considering radiology, emphasizing the importance of gathering diverse perspectives and experiences.

Transcripts

so i'm a radiology resident i'm in my

second year and i'm almost going into my

third year

and i get this question all the freaking

time

why did you choose radiology and do you

like it

well if you're interested in any of this

just keep on watching

even though people keep asking me this

question all the time

i haven't actually answered them because

of several reasons i try to jot down

my top 10 reasons why i chose radiology

and if i like it and honestly if you're

a close friend or if you're someone

who know me in person and if you ask me

that question do you like radiology

then i would say i really don't know

because i really don't know although i'm

almost halfway done with my radiology

residency i still feel like

there are some things that click with me

and some things that don't

and if you're someone who are

considering

radiology as a medical profession then i

hope that this video can help you in

some way

because i wish i knew these things

before i started

this program i have had so many days

regretting my choice

of choosing radiology like so many days

no not days

months now it's just settled into me

that

i'm just gonna continue with it because

i'm halfway there

and the first and second year of

residency is the hardest

so now that i'm going into my third year

i don't want to waste all my

energy and work that i did throughout

the two years of my life

so i don't want to do that because i

don't hate it completely

i like it still but i wish i knew some

things before i started residency

i wrote down in my phone the top five

pros and five cons about my profession

radiology so i'm gonna just bluntly tell

you

honestly tell you everything that i

think about my profession

what i like and dislike so number one

the first reason

why i chose radiology this might be a

pro

i don't know but this is the main reason

some people may say

that it sounds stupid or just i don't

know

but this was my choice and i don't

regret it

i have mixed feelings with my choice but

the main

first reason why i chose radiology

is because nothing seemed attracting

at that time i know this really

might sound dumb because i chose my

profession that i'm gonna do for the

rest of my life

and i chose it based on the fact that

nothing else

seemed attracting so i could be just a

general physician

if i don't choose my specific career but

i really wanted to have a profession

because i wanted to be a doctor who's

professional at some

specialty there are a lot of professions

as you guys all know

broadly you can just divide it into

surgery

internal medicine and then there's

emergency medicine

and then there's other things like

radiology rehabilitation medicine

neurology and so on there are a lot of

professions

but i really didn't want to do surgery

because

i watched a lot of surgeons during my

medical school years

and during my intern year surgeries like

main surgeries take a lot of time

so they are standing for hours and hours

and hours at that time i really didn't

want to

stand for a continuous amount of time to

do surgery and that is very very

hard work so i narrowed it down to

internal medicine or radiology

but in the end um i don't know internal

medicine might have been a nice choice

also

but i just decided to do radiology

because it seemed more interesting

and i wanted to do a profession that has

less people and internal medicine is a

huge

pool that has a lot of lot of doctors

compared to radiology

yeah so that is one of the reasons why i

chose radiology my peers and professors

and other doctors

told me some advice on how you should

choose your profession

and one of those advice was that if you

don't really have

a specific specialty that you want to do

then narrow it down by taking the things

out that you don't like

and that is how i narrowed it down to

those two and

eventually i chose radiology a second

reason

this is definitely a pro radiology

touches on basically

every field if you go to the hospital if

you are admitted to a hospital

i don't think there would be a patient

who don't take

any imaging for example chest x-rays are

such a basic thing imaging is very very

important

on diagnosis and treatment so it's just

the base to every field that was one of

the intriguing factors to me as well

because

radiology is everywhere in your hospital

in every department so think about it if

you go to pediatrics or general surgery

or internal medicine you're gonna only

deal with those patients but if you go

to radiology

you see so many ct mris x-rays

in every field you get to experience

every diseases and i thought that was

very

unique and special and something that

was very intriguing

so that's one of the reasons why i chose

radiology and still

i think that's a really nice thing

because

you get to interact with different

doctors from different professions

and that is something very interesting

about this field and another pro about

radiology

is that imaging technique is developing

every single day

the dependence on imaging technology is

tremendous

there are so many different techniques

and technologies

in the imaging world and those were very

interesting to me as well

as a radiology doctor you get to

experience that and nowadays the ai

is very all over the place aia is

everywhere but people are worried

that if the ai is here artificial

intelligence is here

then we won't need radiologists to read

ct mris because the ai will do it for

you

but there are a lot of controversies and

a lot of problems to that

statement because think about it before

we had

autopilot for the airplanes the pilots

would drive the airplanes by themselves

after autopilot was here people thought

pilots won't be needed

anymore but do we not have pilots

anymore even though autopilot is here we

still need the pilots to actually drive

the airplanes

in the same sense well this is my

personal opinion

if the ai is here in the medical field

for radiologists

then if the radiologists aren't there

to actually read ct mris are you going

to put the responsibility

solely on the ai it's a machine it's a

technology and

it can't hold any responsibility someone

has to either help it or use it to draw

the accurate diagnosis

and someone needs to take responsibility

and people are needed

i think i ramble too much about this but

it's just my opinion the technology of

ai will help the radiologists rather

than

lose them their jobs another pro that

a lot of other clinical professions

really

envy about radiology is that we don't

see a lot of patients

in person we see a lot of their images

a lot of their images a day but in

person

we don't really see that much but if we

do ultrasound or

other procedures or interventional

medicine then we see patients

all the time if we are just reading ct

mris in our own room then we don't get

to see a lot of patients

and that can be a real pro but for me

it's a con rather than a pro

i didn't really have the desire to not

see a lot of patients

a lot of the doctors out there they envy

radiology because of that

but now that i experienced two years in

radiology residency

i realized that i am not an introverted

person

i do have some introverted

characteristics in my personality but

overall i'm more extroverted a little

bit more extroverted

than introverted so if i'm staying

in the reading room like all day just

reading ct mris

all day then i feel very trapped

and i don't say a single word it just

i don't like it it's not it's not it

doesn't really

suit me a hundred percent but for others

people really like that fact about

radiology

so if you're someone who are introverted

or you like to be alone

and not to be bothered by other people

then radiology is

really really great for you but for me

when i do

ultrasound or do any procedures there

are the patient

and there are also nurses there are

other radiology technologists

and when i work with other people around

me

i'm happier and i feel like i'm living

i know it might sound silly but i

noticed that i noticed that during my

intern years

as well i worked better with people

rather than

alone so if you're someone like me you

should really definitely

seriously think about it before you

choose your

career as a radiologist number five pro

about radiology is that you get to be

a detective in medicine that is a fun

trait

in radiology so basically whoa the sun

is

like right there i don't know when the

sun started to be like

right there but it's there okay we're

just gonna work with it

it's like a mic you know there's a

microphone

anyway so if you're someone who likes

solving problems and you like

um i don't know solving problems then

radiology might be a really nice choice

for you because

the work that you're doing all day is

exactly that you get a

image and you get your information about

the patient and you try to

diagnose that image and it's fun

sometimes but it's really frustrating

sometimes

because you are a detective and you have

to deal with

every field of medicine you have to

learn

a lot and study a lot radiology equals

studying in my opinion because you have

to

learn a lot study a lot and just

continuously study new things

okay so let's move on to the five cons

so number one is i already

talked about it in the pro section is

that i'm not an introverted person

so i wish i had more contact with other

people and that's the number one

con about my profession but it can also

be a definite pro to

others and number two is also in the

same direction as i said before

because you don't see a lot of the

patients

in person we only get to diagnose it

with the image and all the clinical

information that we have on the chart

but sometimes i wish i could actually

see the patient and talk to the patient

and talk about the symptoms and hear

what they have to say

sometimes i wish i could see how the

treatment would respond to that person

we can see it through the images if they

follow up and normally they do

but sometimes there are no follow-ups or

if they go to another hospital or if

they don't show up or if the disease

is okay with just this medicine and they

don't do a follow-up ct or mri then we

don't have a follow-up

so sometimes i really wish i could see

the patient in person

another con number three is that i'm

really good with

diys making and crafting things with my

hand

so i'm pretty good with using my hands

on

anything but since i'm in radiology i

don't really

have the opportunity to do anything with

my hands so

sometimes i think about what if i

went to the surgery field sometimes i

think about it

doing ultrasound and doing medical

procedures

it's not that difficult for me i like it

yeah so if you're someone

like me who like making things or doing

something with your hands

then definitely think about surgery if

not like general surgery then think

about like

minor surgeries there are tons of minor

surgery departments

so think about that because that could

be a great profession for you

and the other con that i wanted to talk

about is radiation

because we are radiologists people think

we would get

a lot of exposure to radiation and that

is

half true and half wrong because if you

go to interventional radiology as your

subspecialty in radiology then

even though you use all the protections

there is a great chance that you will

get a lot of doses of radiation

throughout your profession but if you

are going into

other fields like abdominal radiology or

chest radiology then there's a good

chance that you won't get any

exposure to radiation so it really

depends on

what specialty you choose to do and i

definitely don't want to do

interventional radiology so i won't get

that kind of radiation exposure after

i finish my residency the last con

number five

about choosing radiology for me

personally

and keep in mind that this is my

personal opinion it might be different

to others

other people might have 10 different or

100 different pros

only pros to their profession and the

other thing is that it might just be our

hospital's residency program but i

thought if i come

into the radiology residency then there

will be like a textbook of

all the radiology information and i

would be able to

study it one by one and do readings and

stuff

but it's not like that in our hospital

we don't have a textbook

well we do have textbooks for every

field like the textbook is

like this thick for every field

abdominal

chest muscular skeletal intervention

what else head and neck

and like all these different fields

there are tons and tons of textbooks

but there aren't like this one compact

textbook or any sort of book that tells

you

how to read ct mris there aren't like

that sort of thing

and i was very surprised at first

because i thought there would be like a

textbook

that was handled down from generation to

generation

for us to study but there aren't

anything like that we just have to study

one by one

on our own so yeah that was one of the

cons but

that might be just our hospital so

yeah that is everything that i have to

share

about my residency why i chose radiology

and why i like it and why i don't like

it so i hope this video

helped you out if you are considering

radiology then don't just look at my

video but there are a lot of videos out

there on youtube and definitely

ask your peer doctors and professors

and who have experience in radiology

definitely ask them

and get advice because that will

definitely help you i hope this answered

a lot of you guys's question thank you

for watching this video if you aren't

subscribed go ahead and click

subscribe and i will see you guys in my

next one

bye guys

[Music]

uh

i love you