http://disqus.com/by/renalfellow/enSat, 14 Feb 2009 06:55:28 -0000http://www.kidneynotes.com/2009/02/13-things-i-hate-about-nephrology-by.html#comment-6257888<p>Just read Nephrogirl's Complaints about Nephrology.</p><p>I'm a Nephrology Fellow (and thus still only 1.5 years into my Nephrology career) and so far enjoy my career choice. All subspecialties have their flaws, and Nephrology is no different: Nephrogirl has listed some of the obvious ones (a deteriorating kidney function which is hard to stop, spending too much health-care dollars on sick ICU patients unlikely to get better, long waiting times for transplant) in a very negative way. But couldn't one make the exact same types of lists for other medical subspecialties? Neurologists dealing with catastrophic strokes...Cardiologists dealing with end-stage heart failure patients...Critical Care docs being asked to provide ICU-level care for patients who are getting older and sicker all the time... Bad stuff happens to people and that's why they need doctors! Sure, you could treat patients who are likely to have better outcomes--perhaps Nephrogirl would be better suited to being generalist and focusing on preventative issues which is also important--but it's the sick ones that really need our help.</p><p>Perhaps the best thing about Nephrology in my mind: every single one of the patients you take care of on Dialysis would not be alive without the medical technology that the nephrologist provides. Even if the current median lifespan is "only" a few years---when you get to know your patients, these can often be very worthwhile years!</p>renalfellowSat, 14 Feb 2009 06:55:28 -0000