Working in rheumatology – 5 pros and 5 cons

Working in rheumatology – 5 pros and 5 cons

Rheumatologists are considered to be one of the last of the general physicians, offering a career in medicine that is uniquely positioned to provide long term care to patients. When considering a career in rheumatology, these few points may give you an idea of what to expect.

Pros

1. Holistic patients-holistic doctors – Unlike the short-lived patient experience that you may find working in A&E, Rheumatology offers long term patients, where you get to know the patient and their families. Similarly, as a rheumatologist you need to combine a thorough history and examination of all systems, in order to make differential diagnoses.
2. Biological Agents – The huge advancements in medicine have meant that there is a vast array of biological agents that can target specific parts of the immune system. They work much faster than more traditional medications, and can be more accurate, leaving rheumatologists with new and innovative treatment pathways.
3. Crossover – Rheumatologists work in conjunction with a whole host of other specialties, meaning the team is diverse and dynamic. This involves working very closely with Radiology, as well as Renal, ENT, various types of Surgery and more – depending on the patients. This makes the job and the doctors versatile and well supported by the wider healthcare team.
4. Interesting – In Rheumatology there is always something to engage your curiosity. The courses of chronic diseases are never straightforward and can leave lots of space for intellectual engagement.
5. Opportunities – Rheumatology presents a huge variety of opportunities outside of the contracted role; such as in research, innovation and learning about other specialties. There are so many niches that the job can present many different avenues to explore. There can be significant private practice as well.

Cons

1. Long term care – Due to the aforementioned holistic nature of Rheumatology (and the care that patients need), there are no ‘quick wins’; and it may be some time before you are able to see the differences you are making.
2. Resourcing – Rheumatologists tend to have less junior doctors and access to beds due to their lack of involvement in the general medical take. This can make the job frustrating, requiring creative solutions.
3. Knowledge span – the wide array of crossover with other specialties means that Rheumatologists will often need the input of other people. For patients who are severely unwell, it helps to have a firm grasp on general medicine as well.
4. Pre-existing structure – as in many departments in the NHS, current hospital structures mean that rheumatologists must be flexible.
5. Complex – The course of chronic disease is not always straight forward – this could be a pro or a con!

Summary

We have described working in Rheumatology, and 5 pros and 5 cons. We hope you have learnt something.

This article was written by Emilia Taylor, Medical Student