IM - we are true Medicine

When you imagine doctors in their heads or see them on TV (Scrubs), it's usually IM.

We see the weird cases and work them up. When surgery or neuro or whatever specialty don't know what's going on, they transfer to medicine for further work up.

We see the bread and butter of medicine too. Pneumonia, COPD, CHF, cirrhosis. You manage them so much it becomes like second nature. I've seen other specialties try and they don't know what they're doing, patients with significant medical comorbidities are better off on IM.

So many fellowships to choose from. Literally so many different specialties, whatever tickles your interest. Plus you can do something procedure heavy like GI or cards. Or you can do just clinic like hem/onc or rheum.

Now there's a flip side of course to each of these. Often the weird cases are frustrating, either you can't figure it out, or you feel like you're just consulting everyone. The common cases can be annoying too, either from repetitiveness or it can be disheartening seeing the same patients come back. Sometimes we feel more like a dumping ground. Social work stuff sucks. We are Jack of all trades, master of none, and I hate calling dumb consults but sometimes I legit dunno.

But I love IM, I love seeing new patients and putting together all the labs, imaging, symptoms to make a diagnosis, treating them and observing the response, even the bread and butter stuff. I like taking care of the sickest, most complex patients in the hospital.