[Unknown Member]

It is not unusual for your perspective of radiology to constantly evolve as you go through training and early work years. Careful about making rash decisions. 
 
How you feel about radiology as a med student; as a resident; as a somewhat autonomous fellow that is moonlighting on weekends; as a practicing radiologist in your first few years; to when the work gets easier (if still busy) after a few years out ; all that changes.  
 
This is just my perspective:
 
Once the work gets easy – e.g. a couple years out of training – and you don’t get queasy walking into work every day or when confronted with an ugly case .. it just becomes work. If you picked a job that kills you with volume because you had dollar signs in your eyes, yeah you’ll hate radiology. But let’s assume you avoid that trap. The work is sometimes a little stimulating, sometimes a little annoying, and sometimes a little boring, but for the most part, it’s just routine, and dare I say – compared to another field where you have to constantly talk to patients in clinic or do procedures all day (okay, if you are IR, you will understand in 10 years) – the work is relatively easy even if it gets busy or you don’t know what you are looking at. You sit you azz down in a comfortable chair and you look a little and scroll the mouse a bit, you talk a little, you hit a button and it disappears. Wash rinse repeat. It does not get hella boring if there is variety in modality and some pathology here and there. You make friends with the techs and some of the docs and that can add a lot to your day. If you can finish at a reasonable time most days, you build a great life outside of work and that is what becomes important in your life. Medicine is noble, and it is great we get to do it, for sure. But work is also just an ATM machine. Just don’t spend money like a rock star such that you are stressed about paying the bills. 
 
Yeah I might be happier in a field other than radiology, maybe. But I am far more certain that I’d be much *unhappier* in many fields other than radiology. Being a ‘real’ doctor is hard work, man. Yes it’s more rewarding sometimes, but deep down you know that people don’t want that “rewarding feeling” as much as they want it to be easy. Radiology is easy, it does not bring great joy to my life, people and other activities do. 
 
If you do jump ship, careful where you land.  

[rwalmsley_851]

Great post by Flounce as usual.

Definitely gets better after a few years when that feeling of angst that Flounce describes goes away.

Similar to residency when call became less stressful as time went on.

[Unknown Member]

Quote from Flounce

It is not unusual for your perspective of radiology to constantly evolve as you go through training and early work years. Careful about making rash decisions. 

How you feel about radiology as a med student; as a resident; as a somewhat autonomous fellow that is moonlighting on weekends; as a practicing radiologist in your first few years; to when the work gets easier (if still busy) after a few years out ; all that changes.  

This is just my perspective:

Once the work gets easy – e.g. a couple years out of training – and you don’t get queasy walking into work every day or when confronted with an ugly case .. it just becomes work. If you picked a job that kills you with volume because you had dollar signs in your eyes, yeah you’ll hate radiology. But let’s assume you avoid that trap. The work is sometimes a little stimulating, sometimes a little annoying, and sometimes a little boring, but for the most part, it’s just routine, and dare I say – compared to another field where you have to constantly talk to patients in clinic or do procedures all day (okay, if you are IR, you will understand in 10 years) – the work is relatively easy even if it gets busy or you don’t know what you are looking at. You sit you azz down in a comfortable chair and you look a little and scroll the mouse a bit, you talk a little, you hit a button and it disappears. Wash rinse repeat. It does not get hella boring if there is variety in modality and some pathology here and there. You make friends with the techs and some of the docs and that can add a lot to your day. If you can finish at a reasonable time most days, you build a great life outside of work and that is what becomes important in your life. Medicine is noble, and it is great we get to do it, for sure. But work is also just an ATM machine. Just don’t spend money like a rock star such that you are stressed about paying the bills. 

Yeah I might be happier in a field other than radiology, maybe. But I am far more certain that I’d be much *unhappier* in many fields other than radiology. Being a ‘real’ doctor is hard work, man. Yes it’s more rewarding sometimes, but deep down you know that people don’t want that “rewarding feeling” as much as they want it to be easy. Radiology is easy, it does not bring great joy to my life, people and other activities do. 

If you do jump ship, careful where you land.  

There should be a appendix to this forum with the best posts.
This would be one.

[JohnnyFever]

Need to ask yourself if you’ll really be happy anywhere in medicine. If not, either change careers or buckle down for a few years of radiology, live life like you make the average american income, and then retire or change careers. Every year worked on radiology will earn you as much as the average american makes in 10 years. Do rads for 3-4 years and you could retire if you’re willing to live under your means

[Dr_Cocciolillo]

Come on

OP is in serious debt.

3-4 yrs of rad salary wont allow him to retire but maybe pay off debt if its under 400k

This is assuming decent compensation

Id stick with it for 10 yrs. only OP knows how miserable you are however and how good you are at alternative careers.

[JohnnyFever]

Student loan debt is capped at 10% of your income

[kstepanovs_485]

Quote from RoleCall

Student loan debt is capped at 10% of your income

Only if you’re enrolled in federal loan consolidation program like REPAYE will your loan payment be the 10% of your income. These loans typically carry higher interest rates, 6-7%, (not including the current 0% rate during covid, set to expire at the end of the year). If you have $400-500k of student loans then minimum monthly payments barely cover the interest of the loan. Would have to look into PSLF if they qualify, or once an attending refinance for a lower rate and pay off the loan aggressively. 

[cchandc]

Maybe OP is just depressed because they cant pass the core exam? If so, Id advise getting some study help. For me, just doing tons of questions and using those to review topics you dont know.

Radiology definitely gets better as an attending…. or at least it can, as long as you find the right job.

[satyanar]

I don’t mean to be harsh but people that make poor choices early tend to keep making poor choices. The best course now is to stick with it and learn to make the best of it. At least that is the easiest path to getting the loans paid off.

[Unknown Member]

PSLF is a double edged sword. Youd have to work in academics or other nonprofit which tend to pay less than PP.

[harrisonlunason]

Can I just say FLOUNCE NAILS IT AGAIN. A true sage. 

[ipadfawazipad_778]

Totally agree with Flounce.

I see an oral Surgeon in the morning at 7 when I get coffee. He looks rested and I imagined happy. A few days ago he told me,

Another day of listening to patients whine all day then home to hear the kids whine

Made me appreciate rads even more. Im IR and gradually giving it up because the main problem with working with the general public is working with the general public.

[aldoctc]

Quote from AKOMAN

…. Im IR and gradually giving it up because the main problem with working with the general public is working with the general public.

 
Best career advice I ever got was as a teenager:  Avoid the jobs where you have to deal with the general public.  
 
The older I get, the more I appreciate that.  
 

[Unknown Member]

In addition to the advice above regarding dealing with the general public, another piece of career advice that also helped me was:
 
Better to work in something where you are stationary and the work comes to you (e.g. interpreting exams) vs. where you have to physically go to the work (e.g. rounding on patients or going up to various clinics and operating rooms).
 

[Unknown Member]

To people who say OP should switch to the field that he likes:

The OP doesn’t know what he likes. 5 years ago he thought that he likes radiology which turned out to be wrong. Now if he “thinks” that he likes GI or Ortho or psychiatry, what’s the liklihood that 6-7 years down the road he won’t likes those fields?

[Unknown Member]

Knowing what you like;  or being able to make yourself like what you have; are probably huge determinants of happiness. 

[rwalmsley_851]

The song lyric…its not about getting watch you want, its wanting what you got

[jennycullmann]

Quote from Flounce

In addition to the advice above regarding dealing with the general public, another piece of career advice that also helped me was:

Better to work in something where you are stationary and the work comes to you (e.g. interpreting exams) vs. where you have to physically go to the work (e.g. rounding on patients or going up to various clinics and operating rooms).

 
Two really good ones in a row from Joe Mama and again from Flounce. Yes.

[Unknown Member]

You give a lot of good advice, but I would take this nugget and bury it.  In fact I think one of the major drawbacks of radiology is that it is stationary.  We are made to be moving, not sitting in a seat for hours on end.   We’ve all heard “sitting is the new smoking” and while I dont think its as bad as smoking, it is very bad for you.  Hospitalists rounding on patients are getting plenty of exercise a day just from working.  Rads are getting 0 and then compensating for it by working out an hour a day still probably is not enough.  Many rads are overweight and unless you exercise or watch your diet as a radiologist, it’s almost a gaurantee you will become overweight.  Many rads go home and watch tv after work…more sitting time and more screen time.  It’s just way too much sitting and screen time.  I don’t have any concrete data on this, but I bet you hospitalists are generally more healthy than radiologists, and I’m not talking about lifespan.  In fact with all our drugs and interventions, average lifespan may be the same, but I bet you Hospitalists healthspan is much higher…being healthy and having the ability to be physically active at an old age. 

[jennycullmann]

Quote from striker79

You give a lot of good advice, but I would take this nugget and bury it.  In fact I think one of the major drawbacks of radiology is that it is stationary.  We are made to be moving, not sitting in a seat for hours on end.   We’ve all heard “sitting is the new smoking” and while I dont think its as bad as smoking, it is very bad for you.  Hospitalists rounding on patients are getting plenty of exercise a day just from working.  Rads are getting 0 and then compensating for it by working out an hour a day still probably is not enough.  Many rads are overweight and unless you exercise or watch your diet as a radiologist, it’s almost a gaurantee you will become overweight.  Many rads go home and watch tv after work…more sitting time and more screen time.  It’s just way too much sitting and screen time.  I don’t have any concrete data on this, but I bet you hospitalists are generally more healthy than radiologists, and I’m not talking about lifespan.  In fact with all our drugs and interventions, average lifespan may be the same, but I bet you Hospitalists healthspan is much higher…being healthy and having the ability to be physically active at an old age. 

 
I’d agree with this, striker usually on point and is here again. Let’s face it, on average people (especially modern americans) are marginally healthy at best, and as they age it gets exponentially worse. Physicians usually don’t buck this because they are either more invested in working harder or stressed, and they typically aren’t the athletic type. I’m in a lower stress atmosphere, and I’d say 50% are in good shape – I can’t imagine what years of working under PP stress or weekends would do to that average person, though. The truth is, if you haven’t invested in your body (years – again most haven’t) via weight training by now, you better do intermittent fasting at a minimum. Most don’t.

[khodadadi_babak89]

Quote from Casino Royale

Quote from striker79

You give a lot of good advice, but I would take this nugget and bury it.  In fact I think one of the major drawbacks of radiology is that it is stationary.  We are made to be moving, not sitting in a seat for hours on end.   We’ve all heard “sitting is the new smoking” and while I dont think its as bad as smoking, it is very bad for you.  Hospitalists rounding on patients are getting plenty of exercise a day just from working.  Rads are getting 0 and then compensating for it by working out an hour a day still probably is not enough.  Many rads are overweight and unless you exercise or watch your diet as a radiologist, it’s almost a gaurantee you will become overweight.  Many rads go home and watch tv after work…more sitting time and more screen time.  It’s just way too much sitting and screen time.  I don’t have any concrete data on this, but I bet you hospitalists are generally more healthy than radiologists, and I’m not talking about lifespan.  In fact with all our drugs and interventions, average lifespan may be the same, but I bet you Hospitalists healthspan is much higher…being healthy and having the ability to be physically active at an old age. 

I’d agree with this, striker usually on point and is here again. Let’s face it, on average people (especially modern americans) are marginally healthy at best, and as they age it gets exponentially worse. Physicians usually don’t buck this because they are either more invested in working harder or stressed, and they typically aren’t the athletic type. I’m in a lower stress atmosphere, and I’d say 50% are in good shape – I can’t imagine what years of working under PP stress or weekends would do to that average person, though. The truth is, if you haven’t invested in your body (years – again most haven’t) via weight training by now, you better do intermittent fasting at a minimum. Most don’t.

 
Totally off topic – but I will play.

This discussion is not about health aspects of your job. I happen to know Flounce is an avid cyclist. You do not and should not rely on your job for your exercise- unless you are an aerobics instructor. Flounce doesn’t. Do your job – come home and run 5 miles. Further – walking the wards is hardly exercise – as in REAL excercsie. 

[Unknown Member]

Quote from striker79

You give a lot of good advice, but I would take this nugget and bury it.  In fact I think one of the major drawbacks of radiology is that it is stationary.  We are made to be moving, not sitting in a seat for hours on end.   We’ve all heard “sitting is the new smoking” and while I dont think its as bad as smoking, it is very bad for you.  Hospitalists rounding on patients are getting plenty of exercise a day just from working.  Rads are getting 0 and then compensating for it by working out an hour a day still probably is not enough.  Many rads are overweight and unless you exercise or watch your diet as a radiologist, it’s almost a gaurantee you will become overweight.  Many rads go home and watch tv after work…more sitting time and more screen time.  It’s just way too much sitting and screen time.  I don’t have any concrete data on this, but I bet you hospitalists are generally more healthy than radiologists, and I’m not talking about lifespan.  In fact with all our drugs and interventions, average lifespan may be the same, but I bet you Hospitalists healthspan is much higher…being healthy and having the ability to be physically active at an old age. 

This is why I like to do procedures and a little fluoro. Rads is definitely too sedentary.

[jvanand87_714]

Absolutely superb Flounce wisdom as always. Number one in NYT Best sellers. mark my words

[ljohnson_509]

Now remember that flounce based on what Ive read here is a true partner, working part time selling weekends, in a desirable location. The odds of most others ending up in this situation is slim. Your outlook wont be nearly as cheerful in most toxic jobs available these days.

[mariacardei7_785]

OP
 
You must find a way to pass the CORE. Not being BC will limit all your choices in Radiology. If you cannot pass it, you can still be a good radiologist, but you should strongly consider leaving radiology.
 
If you can or do pass it, find a niche like mammography that you can excel in
 

[Unknown Member]

If the OP hated pediatrics, then everyone would tell him to switch, you can find a field you like more and make a lot more.  Let’s say he hates radiology but loves peds, should he switch to peds?  Once you consider that you can make a peds salary with 1/2 radiology work, then the comparison is more full times peds vs 1/2 radiology which he hates….Better off doing 1/2 radiology in my opinion as long as you are competent in radiology.  If you love orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, or cardiology then I would say its still worthwhile to switch as long as you plan on working for 20+ years as most do.  5 years may seem like a major waste of time, but it’s just a small amount when you consider how much more time you will be working.  Happiness always finds its path, regardless of any advice you take or don’t take, rest assured you will find your way.  

[obebwamivan_25]

to OP:
If you hate radiology now, you will likely never learn to like it.  Practice may make you feel more knowledgeable or perhaps more confident, but with a mood of disliking the work, you will never truly succeed, IMO.  It will always be a weight.
 
The advice I’d give you if you were my spouse, partner, child or friend:  Get out now.  Find a career coach.  Do you like policy?  Do you like business?  Do you like medicine, but just something else?  Would pathology be of interest (i.e. radiology in color with microscopes)? Do you want direct patient care? Do you need mental health care?  There are paths, and you may even be able to tap the alumni association of your alma mater for career help.  Many people who have MDs don’t end up practicing, and I’d get out sooner rather than later before you end up hurting a patient or yourself.

[kstepanovs_485]

Sorry to hear about your scenario. It’s terrible to have gone through so many years of training and not enjoy what you do. Some questions I would ask are what parts about radiology do you dislike the most? Which other fields were you thinking of instead and why? How is life outside of work? Sometimes if you have external problems or issues with depression, that can spill into your work as well. 

Unfortunately, the financial concerns are real and need to be considered. The one fortunate thing is that being in radiology you should be able to obtain a job with a higher income and pay off those loans fast (assuming you can continue to live like a resident for the next few years). 

Once you pay off the loans and have a few years of attending work maybe you can transfer into a consulting gig or something outside of radiology. There’s an organization called SEAK which has more info. for physicians looking to change their career so you could explore the information they have available.

I’d also recommend reading the book “The second mountain” by David Brooks. You could also get the Harvard business review book about changing careers. There’s a lot of other good books on career transitions as well. 

I know it sucks feeling like you wasted all this time, money and energy; but realize that this is NOT the end and you still have a lot of life left and you can change and find something you enjoy doing. Just remember every job will have some aspects you don’t enjoy (see mark manson’s article, Screw your passion). 

[prisjustlive_717]

Thanks for all your advice.
 
What I dislike about radiology is the amount of information that you have to know, (mainly for the core, so this doesn’t matter as much later on).  And more importantly, that I’m not a visual image learner, have a hard time picturing or manipulating 3-D images in my head, don’t enjoy looking at images all day, and I’m not detail oriented when it comes to images.
 
Practically, it makes sense to stay.  I’m thankful for the opportunity to have gone through radiology residency, it could have been worse in a few others as some of you mentioned.  However, in an ideal world, I would switch.  Although, who knows if that would be better (and that’s why I hesitated to switch earlier), maybe that’s just my perception.  I know there’s no perfect job.  I also think that most people don’t have enough time to explore options in school.  I wasn’t sure which field would be best for me when I was a med student, and it’s hard to know how something will turn out.  It’s very different looking over a radiologist’s shoulder as a med student on your radiology rotation, compared to more involved rotations where you’re actively doing something and have more of an idea of what that field will be like in the future.  I also remember the radiologists and radiology residents in school were happy and enjoyed their work.   
 
As for the CORE, it is the most difficult exam I’ve ever taken, by far.  To be fair, I probably didn’t study as much as I should have, and I wasn’t so dedicated because I dislike it.  But I also think that radiology isn’t something that comes easily for me, so I would need to study a lot more for a radiology exam than others and would need to study a lot more for radiology than I would for something that I enjoy, or am good at, or something that doesn’t involve images.  I also had better focus and concentration when I was younger.   Or actually, as a kid I didn’t need that much focus to study for a test, but as the volume increased, starting from medical school, it became harder to focus for long periods of time.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I have undiagnosed ADD.  
 
I’m not depressed.  There’s a lot I’m grateful for.  I just wish I liked radiology.  

[consuldreugenio]

I dont think Ive ever heard of an easy board exam. Any examples out there?

Most board exam have a lot of questions that wont be relevant for real life practice.

[Unknown Member]

If you might have some medical condition, whether psychiatric or otherwise, definitely get that checked out. 
 
But as far as this: 
 
”  But I also think that radiology isn’t something that comes easily for me, so I would need to study a lot more for a radiology exam than others and would need to study a lot more for radiology than I would for something that I enjoy, or am good at, or something that doesn’t involve images”
 
…let me tell you, realize you are in the same boat as most radiology residents, and for that matter most *people* who are trying to achieve something. Nobody enjoys studying for boards, even if they enjoy radiology. You cannot let your actions be determined by your motivation level, otherwise your potential will always be limited. Because there will always be times when you feel unmotivated, that goes for everyone in everything, no matter which specialty.  You decide what you want to achieve, you figure out what is necessary to reach that goal, and come up with a schedule – meaning what task to do at what time such as “study for 1 hour Mon-Thurs at 8pm” – and you let your schedule dictate your actions. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it or not, whether you are tired that day or not, you treat it like a job and show up. A pro cycling coach who did my bike fit said that the difference between pro cyclists and advanced enthusiasts was that a pro cyclist showed up for their workouts rain or shine, well-slept or hung over. They treat it like a job because… it *is* their job. When the doc tells a pro cyclist that they have to stay off the bike for X days and do boring rehab, they off the bike even if they want to ride; they treat it like a job. The enthusiast told told by the same doc to stay off the bike will see the sun and the cyclists outside and say ‘screw it’ and will go ride anyway. 
 
Among the most important skills to have for success is the ability to make yourself do things you hate doing, and to make yourself do it over and over and over again until you reach your destination. Don’t just go through the motions. Don’t “phone it in.” If you are going to take the time to do something, do it 100%. 
 
Watch this:
 
[link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwGa-VY-UkU[/link]
 
 

[Unknown Member]

To be successful at anything one needs to work. 
W O R K.
 

[william.wang_997]

Cheer up !
The anatomy of abdomen and pelvis is not that difficult. Same with breast ( 1 organ)
Try to choose the subspecialty that you like the most.
You can always go into radiology admin.
Take some coaching with core.
 

[Unknown Member]

If there was a field that you feel is your calling, I would jump ship for that.  There probably is not since you havent mentioned any other fields.  In that case, I would simply suck it up and enjoy the paychecks.   An easy job with little work still will earn you plenty of dollars.   If you really enjoy procedures, do full time IR if you can.  If you are in a job which is high volume, you won’t last because you dont like radiology AND it’s high volume…take the paycut and the easy low volume job.  

[Unknown Member]

You need to understand what it is about the job that you don’t like. 
The stress of making decisions all day? The stress of a worklist that never ends? Boredom of lots and lots of normal studies? 

Radiology, stripped to its bare essentials is for me very interesting. Any thing that can happen to a human, comes to radiology. People NEED to know what you think. There are many ways to look for a particular pathology now, and you need to be creative.

However – that intrinsic interest was killed two times in my career. One in which the political environment of the academic center over rode the practice of Radiology -I spent 30% of my time trying to figure out how to protect myself from my chairman. And more worrying about it.
So I went to a PP. This PP was advanced, and welcomed anyone who wanted to add something new to the mix. I always liked trying new things, so I did. 10 years into that I was bored and listless and so I started two new projects in MR – totally new areas, that I could screw up and look stupid or pay attention, be careful, and help a lot of people. I was no longer bored. I had something more than just a pile of reports I had dictated. I was learning new stuff, some of it not in the literature. Fun

Then the group went to a PE model and it turned the group into a sweatshop, with every increasing hours, ever increasing RVU requirements. People started arguing and fighting. A true hell hole.
So I quit. 

In each case – it was not the work, it was the environment.
 
Search your soul. This is a major decision. You MUST know what it is you like, and tailor your work to that.  Radiology is a BIG field. I took on new subspecialties several times. don’t know of another area of medicine you can do that. The job environments right now are 80% toxic, and I would never ever want to be in them. There are some, though that permit a real enjoyable work experience. Some of these are in “undesirable” locations – but for my money if you are unhappy in a desirable location – you are … unhappy. 

Also vitally important is to be happy in your life outside of your work. I have a number of hobbies outside of work, and they make it much more tolerable, I get joy from them. Your work has to be able to fit these.  

[william.wang_997]

Nice sharing of some history and excellent advice
 

[katiedavies05]

Right on, as usual.

[aldoctc]

“If what you’re doing isn’t working, STOP DOING IT.”  
 
Wise words I got from my oh-so-long-ago chess playing days.  
 
While not exactly germane to the OP, speaking as someone who stayed in a marriage for 10+ years after the expiration date, I’ll tell you that I wish I’d gotten out sooner as life isn’t a practice round.  But it’s a journey and we each have to take our own path.  
 
Some very thoughtful and excellent posts so far and some even touch on what struck me about OP.  
 
“If you don’t know what you want, you’ll never be happy.”  
 
Not trying to be harsh nor an a$$hole here but some tough love seems appropriate.  C’mon OP….  Applying to multiple specialties?   Doing a rad residency b/c you happened to match into it?  Knowing from BEFORE day 1 that radiology isn’t for you and yet sticking with it for years?  Posting on an anonymous internet BB looking for life advice?  All of that practically screams “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT!”  Not a lot of ownership in your post and it seems like rather than make a decision, you’ve let other things make decisions for you.  Unsurprisingly, this hasn’t worked out.  
 
So to reiterate, if what you’re doing isn’t working, stop doing it.  Figure yourself out and then hopefully your path forward will be clearer.  
 
Good luck.  

[mpezeshkirad_710]

Do mammo initially.
 
Learn software and make a tech startup.  Sell for $2 million and retire.  Anything less than that amount and your lifestyle will be very meager.
 
Problem solved!
 

[Unknown Member]

First and foremost, make sure your mental health is in the right place right now. Feelings of hopelessness are a common sign of depression. If you make a life-altering decision while depressed, you will regret it. If you do quit radiology (and I dont recommend it), dont even think about doing so until youve discussed it with a psychologist or psychiatrist to make sure you are in the right frame of mind. I know people who have dynamited their lives by making decisions while depressed, and regretted it forever. And depressed people often do not realize they are depressed, so you really need a professional opinion. It is quite likely that this is your current issue, not disliking anatomy, etc.

Second, if you have already done 3 years of rads, just finish up the 4th and get it done. You probably wont be able to get into a different residency due to the way residency spots are funded. Finish residency so you have options.

Third, understand that most people dont have jobs that are fun. They work to pay the bills. Even if you take another job that seems cool initially, odds are it will become a grind like most jobs over time.

Fourth, if you find that you simply cant stand radiology, do locums 3 days a month. We are paid well enough that you can live a perfectly comfortable middle class lifestyle on less than 1 workday per week. Use the other 27 days to do whatever you want.

But re-read my first point up top. That is the most important one.

[aejunk1]

This happen all the time.
I know a former ENT resident – took 1 year off.  Attempted to match into (brand name) rad hospitals-AOA/high steps/(ent) research papers/etc.   She got at least a few interviews.   i forgot exactly what happen but her line was question was like why should i go to your hospital.  Obviously fail to match into rad.   She went to work for brand name consulting company and 5 yrs later, she’s a director of a big insurance company.
Also, know a plastic person who fail to match into plastic.  Got into surgery–finish residency AND then match into plastic after that.   I think he’s plastic attending at some brand name place.
Same goes for a surgery resident.  Drop of out/finish pgy3, took 1 year off AND then match into gas.   She’s been gas attending ever since.
I can’t tell if any of these people are happy but they post nice vacation pictures on facebook.   So it’s not the end of the world.   life goes on.

[AcutelyObtuse]

I’m not attacking the person who posted this, but I think it’s a myth that you can work 3 days a month and have a comfortable middle class lifestyle. Locums pays about $1800 a day which comes out to $64,800 a year. Add in the costs of licensing, CME, etc. and you are in the lower middle class.
 
That’s without taking into account the fact that I have never come across a locums gig where they want someone to work less than at least 1 week per month. I’m not sure who would have a use for someone only working that sporadically. When I was a solo rad, I tried to find anyone willing to fill in for vacation a few days a month. I never found anyone. At this point, solo and very small practices are a thing of the past.
 
Not to mention you’d end up being a really shit radiologist working that few hours. My skills start atrophying even after a week off.
 
My point is that being a radiologist is not something you can do part time (less than 50%) unless you find a unique way to do it.
 

Quote from irfellowship

Fourth, if you find that you simply cant stand radiology, do locums 3 days a month. We are paid well enough that you can live a perfectly comfortable middle class lifestyle on less than 1 workday per week. Use the other 27 days to do whatever you want.

[JENNIFERG09_691]

This is the case.

It is much more expensive (and net loss) for groups to pay expenses for licensing, credentialing, etc for someone working only several days a month.

[emily.perry_477]

OP is a joke.  
1.  If OP is a troll, he has succeeded at tugging on hearts of the heaviest hitters on auntminnie with well thought, time consuming responses.
 
2.  If OP is sincere, he is in trouble.   Like a broken mast sailboat with a stuck spinnaker in a middle of a squall, whatever decision he makes, he is in for a rough ride in the open sea. He needs real help, professional help from life coaches, career mentors and even licenced psychiatrist.  And he reached out to us for opinions.  Once.  He has not returned since.  Or, is he one of us on this thread ?
 

[briankn58gmail.com]

Not that flounce needs any more horn tooting, but he should seriously consider scanning his posts on here over the years and distilling the gems into some kind of manual of guidance for graduating medical students as they pursue their career paths. Unfortunately many medical schools including mine own in the past do an insufficient job at providing good perspective on what lays ahead and so a lot of this info would be invaluable

[briankn58gmail.com]

If he doesnt do it, then perhaps someone else can and profit off his wisdom lol

[gabriella.ruffato.ext_635]

Don’t forget that as we age practicing medicine is hard on the body, especially in fields that require patient contact.  I work with a number of people in their 70’s who pull 24 hour ER/Urgent Care shifts.  To me that is elder abuse!
Radiology physically is a cakewalk.  

[ljohnson_509]

Radiology mentally is a grind. Hours of reading cases at full speed will drain you and burn you out. 46% radiologists burned out according to latest medscape surveys. Sitting on your ass all day will eventually make you sick. If your young, the thought of AI and extenders derailing your career will add to it.

[Unknown Member]

Could you be happy doing procedures? 
 
Do an IR fellowship. My job is completely different from diagnostic radiology. The field is ridiculously broad so you should be able to find some sort of disease process to pursue and learn about. 
 
If you don’t think you could be happy as a DR and don’t think you could be happy as an IR, then my next question is:
 
Is it possible your mentality is the cause of your distress? Maybe you need to be honest about your expectations in life. The reason I mention this is younger generation was fed the “do you would love in life, pursue your dream” type bumper sticker bullshit which is not a realistic way of seeing life. 
 
You’re making 6 figure salary in the United States. Life could be worse. 
 
Good luck. 

[jtvanaus]

Op, you don’t mention what you actually want to do…

What makes you think you’ll pass the exams in that specialty? The core exam is not an anatomy exam…

Doesn’t sound like you’re even competent at Radiology yet. I don’t say that to be mean. I say it because you basically say it. I would advise that you first, at least, become competent and hopefully confident (in your skill set) before deciding that you don’t like it. If you’re not confident or competent, of course you’re uncomfortable and hate it because every decision you make is made in a shroud of discomfort.

I would also think long and hard about what specialty or more broadly, what professional career, you would choose as an alternative to Radiology.

In the end, everything becomes routine work.

There are very few medical or non Medical Careers that give you the ability to earn the amount of money and give you the geographic flexibility that Radiology does. I’m not saying it’s perfect or that it’s for you, but in the grand scheme of things, not much will offer what the work you’ve already put in has.

Please post a list here.

I would also tell my family member to figure out why he or she failed the core exam and figure out how to pass it. Are you following the standard strategies? You passed through organic chemistry, USMLE, Medical School, etc etc. You should be able to pass this exam as well.