The Subspecialty Schedule

I mentioned before that i applied for the straight fellowship program in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery (TCVS)--- that means I only have to take up general surgery for 3 years instead of the usual 5 years, then I could proceed to fellowship training which would last for another three years. To give us a glimpse of our possible life for the next six years, pre-residency this time around had me rotating in general surgery for two weeks, while the latter half would have me rotating in TCVS.

I've been rotating in TCVS for about a week now, and I just have to say that the difference between general surgery and any sub specialty (TCVS, urology, plastic surgery) is like night and day. Everything is organized--- it's possible in general surgery, and I kept on wondering why they can't seem to fix things. In terms of schedule? I couldn't be more happier. I can squeeze a few hours of sleep even when I'm on duty. I can go home every three days. During week days, i can go home as early as 7 PM. I had time to go to the gym. On weekends, we're done by 11 AM! And today, I'm on call, yet I've managed to go to the mall and buy a few clothes, watch a movie, and eat a decent meal... I even went to a bar a few hours ago! LOL. Good thing there were no emergency cases. I was back in the hospital just in time to log in. :)

Come to think of it, going back at the same hospital isn't so bad--- as long as I'll be going back under the TCVS program. I'm familiar with everything already, I already know a lot of people here, asking for favors would be much easier... during the first two weeks while I was still in general surgery, I immediately remembered why I left this place... seeing all the things I hated--- things haven't improved... in some aspect, they have worsened. But in TCVS--- I believe I could live like this. Yeah, I would still have to go through three years of no life in general surgery, for three whole years this hospital would swallow my entire life again... but after that, it would be three years of getting my life back, with the added bonus of surgical training. I guess that's a fair exchange. :)

Yeah there are drawbacks... they say it would be better to finish general surgery first so i would be board certified to handle cases in both general surgery and TCVS... they say I would be more capable to handle intra-abdominal lesions if i finish general surgery first... add the fact that several hospitals prefer those who finished general surgery compared to those who underwent the straight program... but i'm tired of the whole general surgery lifestyle--- at least in this hospital. I guess all this though is a bit presumptive, i haven't been accepted yet. LOL. If I don't get accepted, I'll be given the option to undergo general surgery instead--- an option I won't take, even if I said during the interview that I would be willing to. If I'm not accepted, that would be fine with me. It's not something that would bring me down. That just opens the door for other opportunities to explore, opportunities that would arguably be better. I love helping others, it's just that I'm sick of giving up my entire being just so I could be of service. This time, I'd like to leave a little piece of my life for my own. That's not too much to ask for, right?