“EDG scale of doctor’s comfort: guide for medical students” – How to choose medical specialty

Choosing a medical specialty is possibly one of the most important variable factor in doctor’s life. This one factor will decide the rest of the  life of the doctor. General rough guide to the factors involved, which persist forever and throughout the life, after a doctor chooses a specialty is given below. There can be individual variation depending upon the individual attitudes, compromises and way to do practice. Therefore there will be some variation in all the fields for individuals, places, systems and countries.

Re-blog

There can be extremes and variations  on either side of spectrum, but are exceptions. Following article does not include satisfaction and earning gained from   other businesses done by doctors, running nursing home or hospitals, commercial gains  from pharmaceuticals etc. this is on basis of income purely from professional work of treating patients.  These  factors and units can be used as a scale for guidance of medical students and hence named as EDG scale of doctor’s comfort (Extinct doctor good)

Factors—

1.      Earning
2.      Prolonged tough training
3.      Satisfaction of treating patients
4.      Satisfaction of making diagnosis
5.      Emergency & odd hour duty
6.       Stress of life and death
7.       Legal complexity and stress

The Unit—-Single * or (I) is  one unit. With experience and years of work , this unit  (for same doctor) will also multiply with age.

UNIT

India ( * or 1) is  1  million  rupees/annum

Advanced countries- (* or 1)== one lac or 100,000 dollars/ annum

 

General practice
1.  Earning	**to ***      2-3
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	**
Internal medicine
1.  Earning	**to****        2-4
2..   Prolonged tough training	**to***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	***

 

cardiology
1.  Earning	**to*******  2-7
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****

 

gastroenterology
1.  Earning	**to******   2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	***
7. Legal complexity and stress	**

 

Neurology
1.  Earning	**to******  2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	****
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	***                  3

 

Nephrology
1.  Earning	**to******   2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	***
7. Legal complexity and stress	***           3

 

Pulmonary medicine
1.  Earning	**to*****     2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	***
7. Legal complexity and stress	***                    3

 

 

Emergency  Medicine
1.  Earning	**to****     2-4
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	****
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****                4

 

Anaesthesia
1.    Earning	**to*****     2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	**
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****                 4
Endocrinology
1.  Earning	**to*****       2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                2
Psychiatry
1.  Earning	**to*****       2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                  2

 

 

 

 

paediatrics
1.  Earning	**to*****       2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	***
7. Legal complexity and stress	****                  4

 

Critical care
1.  Earning	**to*****   2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	****
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****           4

 

Paediatric critical care
1.  Earning	**to*****     2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****               4

 

General Surgery
1.  Earning	**to*****      2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****               4

 

Minimal access surgery
1.          Earning	**to******    2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	***
7. Legal complexity and stress	***                3

 

 

Cardiac surgery- CTVS
1.  Earning	**to******    2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****               4

 

Urology
1.  Earning	**to******    2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	***                 3

 

Gastro-surgery
1.  Earning	**to******    2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****            4

 

Neurosurgery
1.  Earning	**to******   2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	****
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****            4

 

Head and Neck surgery
1.  Earning	**to******   2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	***               3

 

Orthopaedics
1.  Earning	**to******                2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	***
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	***                             3

 

Ophthalmology
1.  Earning	**to*****             2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                           2

 

Radiology
1.  Earning	**to******   2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	*
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	****
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                  2
ENT
1.  Earning	**to*****    2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                 2

 

Dermatology
1.  Earning	**to*****   2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	*
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	*                1

 

Gynaecology/obstetrics
1.  Earning	**to*****   2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	****
6. Stress of life and death	****
7. Legal complexity and stress	****

 

Plastic Surgery
1.  Earning	**to******    2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	*
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	*
7. Legal complexity and stress	**              2

 

 

Oncology
1.  Earning	**to*****   2-5
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	***
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	**               2

 

Onco-surgery
1.  Earning	**to******     2-6
2..   Prolonged tough training	***
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	***
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	**
6. Stress of life and death	**
7. Legal complexity and stress	**                    2

 

Anatomy
1.  Earning	**to***     2-3
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	Nil
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	Nil
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	Nil
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	Nil

 

Physiology
1.  Earning	**to***
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	Nil
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	Nil
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	Nil
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	Nil

 

Biochemistry
1.  Earning	**to***    2-3
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	Nil
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	Nil
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	Nil
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	Nil

 

Microbiology
1.  Earning	**to****    2-4
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	0 to*
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	**
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	*
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	*

 

 

Pathology
1.  Earning	**to ****    2-4
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	NIl
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	****
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	*
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	*

 

Medical administrator/Manager
1.  Earning	**to********  2-8 sometimes multiple
2..   Prolonged tough training	**
3..   Satisfaction of treating patients	Nil
4.  Satisfaction of making diagnosis	Nil
5. Emergency & odd hour duty	*
6. Stress of life and death	Nil
7. Legal complexity and stress	*

. There can be extremes and variations  on either side of spectrum, but are exceptions.

If the reader have some different view, or want to add something, they are welcome to  write in comments. This table just  highlights a trend of factors and may not be perfect. But it gives the factors which need to be taken into account,  before choosing specialty.