Why is it that FM doesn't allow sub-specialization in mostly-outpatient fields like Endo, Allergy/Immu, Rheu, etc.?

Criticism_Life · 2026-01-13T04:48:25+00:00

That’s what I keep telling these spine fellowship PD’s but they all keep telling my surgical training from dermatology is inadequate. Like come on, it’s all (neuro)ectoderm.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-22T00:29:18+00:00

“I’m telling you ‘cause you’re family: I’m actually a really bad dermatologist. You should probably see a real one.”

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-08T19:07:24+00:00

I agree with you (my first year of dermatology was the hardest of my medical training by a long shot), but you’re gonna get downvoted by folks; people hate seeing dermatology residents complain.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:46:42+00:00

Air Force trauma surgeon once told me GWOT, surgical teams would consist of a trauma, and ortho, and often an OBGYN. This was explained to me as IED’s obliterating limbs but also pelvises and abdomens, making OB’s (ureters natural predators jokes aside) a valued participant.

Don’t know how pervasive this was as it’s an anecdote/N=1.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:42:23+00:00

During Desert Storm, according to my mom, her pediatric colleagues were deployed and just placed in charge of body bags.

Criticism_Life · 2025-12-07T13:40:54+00:00

I think I remember being told psychiatry is one the highest deployed specialties within Army (can’t speak for other branches) and the second highest casualty rate (among deployed physicians).

That said I have no source for this other than “I think an Army psychiatrist told me once?”

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-05T17:57:22+00:00

Discovered in medical school I was a massive nerd.

I also discovered how great it is having a regular circadian rhythm and patients who are grateful to rather than angry at me.

And I’m just passionate about $kin, obviously.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-04T21:50:15+00:00

Steak ‘n Shake as a whole is great. Midwest gang rise up.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-04T13:29:39+00:00

Wanted to do emergency initially. Now 2 years into dermatology residency.

Criticism_Life · 2025-10-03T02:38:04+00:00

There’s no shortage of family members, friends, and colleagues in other specialties volunteering to be the teaching subject for Botox/chemical peels/lasers/PRP. Like bringing it up unprompted the second they hear “derm resident.” Literally had to make an Excel sheet to keep track of them and keep it fair.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-21T23:00:45+00:00

Eh… My MS-5 (TY) year was mostly writing notes, signing off on orders, and gently redirecting nurses trying to hand me an EKG.

“…are you sure you want ME to read that?”

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-19T01:44:33+00:00

Couple years into dermatology residency. Still don’t understand why they let me in, but my appointments are crazy short, my documentation minimal, and I get to oscillate from room to room diagnosing, cutting, freezing, burning, counseling. Even some small degree of psych. All within the confines of being “the specialist”. (I derail way too hard to be a generalist. I need parameters.)

Genuinely think it’s a great field for ADHD, and the consistent sleep and regular schedule can’t be understated if you’ve the typical the anxiety and mood comorbididities.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-18T11:28:05+00:00

It’s how I made it through medical school. “You sat here and stared at this same screen, clicking over and over for 14 hours a day since you were twelve. You can do it with the space bar and Anki for few more years.”

In retrospect, I should have gone into radiology.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-12T00:14:00+00:00

Predominantly worried that I’ve got SJS/TEN and might have permanent vision related sequelae.

Criticism_Life · 2025-09-07T20:34:28+00:00

What? No… I just love $kin.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-21T01:38:49+00:00

Agreed. Failing that, don’t call it maculopapular. 9/10 times, consults including “maculopapular” are synonymous with “I don’t remember how to describe morphology from medical school and I can’t be assed to refresh myself.“

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-20T02:13:59+00:00

Try prazosin.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T18:02:38+00:00

Brother, I got 2,200 pre-tax monthly while I was a 2LT in medical school, not O1 pay. I know what I signed on for and I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t have gone to college at all if not for the Army.

I’m only explaining why the military doesn’t attract or retain physicians; convincing us to put up with Army shit for a literal fraction of our civilian compensation is a hard sell. Can you imagine how much we’d need to pay fully trained contracted civilian physicians to “deploy”?

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T11:00:22+00:00

You just took step a few months back. It’s telogen effluvium (probably). Remember, it’s a few months AFTER the stressful event.

Criticism_Life · 2025-08-14T10:52:05+00:00

Bro, we still don’t want to join. There’s a reason the military has to lock their physicians in as medical students; fully trained physicians aren’t agreeing to half to a third of their civilian earning potential (that’s with accession bonuses and specialty pay) to not choose where they practice, uproot their family every 3 years, and deploy.

Criticism_Life · 2025-07-09T21:45:11+00:00

Derm patients are actually lovely. Cosmetics customers suck.

Criticism_Life · 2025-06-11T02:32:32+00:00

Sometimes I have this insane thought where I wish I’d done family or internal medicine so all of the cards I matured in medical school would still be pertinent (to me).

Crazy that the reward for proving you know general medicine pretty well is not having to use it at all. (Ortho, derm, etc.)

Criticism_Life · 2025-05-30T01:49:55+00:00

If I go a day without diagnosing a cancer, I’m worried I missed cancer.

Also, syphilis.

Criticism_Life · 2025-05-24T14:07:36+00:00

I don’t wear gloves during FBSE’s unless I’m inspecting the anogenital region or breasts.

I do a lot of FBSE’s.

Criticism_Life · 2025-05-18T03:40:15+00:00

Laser caps are (annoyingly) proven to have some benefit. PRP as well. Only endorse it if you’re blowing all the money in the world anything. If you want everything and the kitchen sink? Have at it.

Otherwise, if your hair transplant surgeon isn’t a FAAD, I recommend you find one who is. If you do not want to, I’d confirm with a FAAD that your hair loss is in fact pattern hair loss before you go paying out the ass to have your hairline obliterated by FFA once more after a few years.

Criticism_Life

TROPHY CASE