Would you see a specialist who is a brand new doctor?

[Kassia]

I have been seeing a GI doctor who recently totally screwed things up for me and I am very upset because it will cost me thousands and I don't know if his advice up until now has been good or bad.  When I chose him last year, he seemed like the best choice based on reviews of other local doctors.  His personality is fine and I haven't had any issues with him up until yesterday.  

 

Today I searched for other GI doctors covered by insurance in our area and a new one popped up.  She just completed her fellowship last year and started practicing with a large university group last August.  

 

Would you start over with a new unknown doctor or stick with the specialist?  I have terrible insurance and would have to pay in full for a new patient visit if I switch and there's a risk that I won't even like her.  

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes, I would.  New doctors often know of new developments in medicine. 

[AK_Mom4]

I definitely would.

[MeaganS]

A specialist isn't a brand new doctor. A gi doctor will have had 6 years of training minimum after medical school, often more, so will have been a doctor for that long. And would have practiced in GI for a minimum of 3 of them.

 

I would feel very comfortable with it.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Meagan S

[Seasider]

Yes, I would. New doctors often know of new developments in medicine.

Especially if they have connections with a university/research center.

 

I wouldn't be afraid to ask, though, if/who he might consult with when his patients have complicated cases and he needs some insight from an experience perspective.

[Jaybee]

Yes, I would.  New doctors often know of new developments in medicine. 

 

This was my line of thinking when we moved to a new city and had to find a new doctor. The young one was still taking new patients, and I thought of at least two benefits: the one above, and that he probably won't retire on me when I most need him.

[Ausmumof3]

Possibly. Often they will be more up to date and in touch with the latest medical information. They may have less experience with what an actual case can look like I guess. If you are already unhappy with the experienced doctor I would switch.

 

My answer can be taken with a pinch of salt though because it depends on cost as well.

[scootiepie]

Another yes, but I would also call and say "I really need to see someone who specializes in (your condition)".  GI docs can develop a focus of practice, such as liver disease,

so it's helpful to find one that can really speak to your diagnosis.

 

[Alice]

Yes, I would. 

 

Painting with a very broad brush...
 

Pros of a younger doctor: More up to date on recent developments/research. Often more up to date on techniques/newer ways to do things. For a general medical person usually better at procedures since you often do them as a resident but not as much in practice. For a specialist that is not necessarily the case. Possibly more used to complicated medical cases as residents/fellows usually are in larger university hospitals where more complex cases go (that might not be true if your experienced doctor is part of a university or research hospital). 

 

Pros of an “experienced†doctor: For specialists may have more experience at procedures. More willing to go against the standard recommendations because they have heard recommendations come and go. More able to see patients as individuals because they’ve had more experience. More experience in dealing with things when they don’t go well. 

 

I know when I first got out of residency I was way better at things like sutures and other procedures than I would be now. I also was more up to date with whatever the current recommendations were. However, I also know that I treated people more by the textbook because the textbook was what I knew. Over time you learn that people don’t always follow the textbook. 

 

[Crimson Wife]

Possibly. Often they will be more up to date and in touch with the latest medical information. They may have less experience with what an actual case can look like I guess. If you are already unhappy with the experienced doctor I would switch.

 

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that younger doctors may be more willing to treat the patient/parent as partner rather than taking a paternalistic "I'm the medical school graduate here and how DARE you take my word as anything other than gospel" attitude. I'm certainly interested in hearing the doctor's professional opinion based on his/her training and experience, but I am not one for just blindly following it.

[J-rap]

Probably.  But it depends.  In the case of something very complex and very serious, I'd want someone who had years and years of experience and had seen a lot.  But probably most things don't fall into that category though.

[Crimson Wife]

I never would've gotten my daughter the proper diagnosis if I'd just been willing to accept whatever one doctor happened to tell me as gospel.

[fraidycat]

Sure. A new doctor should know a lot of the new research, up and coming techniques and tools, etc.

[Kassia]

 The problem I've had here is the offices keep expanding and buying other offices out so it was really, really hard to get out of the same practice of my long-term GI, and a younger doc in the same practice is NOT typically going to overrule what the higher level MD already documented.

 

I hadn't thought of that.  This would be the case if I switched to the younger doctor - she's in the same system as my current doctor.  I don't even know how to get out of that system since it's the only one local to me.  

[Lanny]

Is she a "Board Certified" Gastroenterologist?   If so, I'd give her a try.  With any specialist, you should always verify that they are "Board Certified" in their specialty.

 

ETA: What happened yesterday? Without going into detail, can you give us a tiny bit of insight about what happened to cause you to be looking for another Gastroenterologist?

 

ETA #2:   She is not a "brand new" doctor.   She's been an M.D. for awhile and has completed her Residency and you mentioned a "Fellowship".  Now, she's going into private or a group practice.

Edited March 7, 2018 by Lanny

[Kassia]

Is she a "Board Certified" Gastroenterologist?   If so, I'd give her a try.  With any specialist, you should always verify that they are "Board Certified" in their specialty.

 

ETA: What happened yesterday? Without going into detail, can you give us a tiny bit of insight about what happened to cause you to be looking for another Gastroenterologist?

 

ETA #2:   She is not a "brand new" doctor.   She's been an M.D. for awhile and has completed her Residency and you mentioned a "Fellowship".  Now, she's going into private or a group practice.

 

Good point.  She is board certified in Internal Medicine.  My current doctor is board certified in gastroenterology.

 

I had a failed colonoscopy prep.  I told the doctor (and the nurse and anesthesiologist) that I wasn't ready for the procedure and was reassured that it would be okay.  The procedure had to be stopped right away because the prep was so poor, which is what I told them.  Now I have to have it again, which will cost me thousands of dollars.  I am really angry about this.  Also, the doctor had me on a one day prep and, knowing my history, he probably should have had me on a two-day prep, which is what he wants me to do for the next colonoscopy.  He's always attentive when I see him and not in a hurry, but he doesn't seem all that thorough or understanding of my concerns (or my finances).  He's being conservative, which I normally appreciate, but with my issues I wish he'd be more aggressive with treatment.  

[J-rap]

Good point.  She is board certified in Internal Medicine.  My current doctor is board certified in gastroenterology.

 

I had a failed colonoscopy prep.  I told the doctor (and the nurse and anesthesiologist) that I wasn't ready for the procedure and was reassured that it would be okay.  The procedure had to be stopped right away because the prep was so poor, which is what I told them.  Now I have to have it again, which will cost me thousands of dollars.  I am really angry about this.  Also, the doctor had me on a one day prep and, knowing my history, he probably should have had me on a two-day prep, which is what he wants me to do for the next colonoscopy.  He's always attentive when I see him and not in a hurry, but he doesn't seem all that thorough or understanding of my concerns (or my finances).  He's being conservative, which I normally appreciate, but with my issues I wish he'd be more aggressive with treatment.  

 

Wow, I'd really fight them on that!  It sounds like you have a very good case, and the hospital really shouldn't expect you to pay anything for that first try.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yes. New docs can be the bomb.  They tend to work hard and be up on the latest everything.

 

My GP doc is a new doc and I really like her.  I've had such crap luck with doctors, but so far she really has been the best.

 

 

[Kassia]

Wow, I'd really fight them on that!  It sounds like you have a very good case, and the hospital really shouldn't expect you to pay anything for that first try.

 

I am really angry but I don't know what to do about it.  :(   And what makes it more complicated is that I had an upper endoscopy with it.  I told the nurse that I would not have the endoscopy without the colonoscopy (this was when I told her the prep failed and she thought the colonoscopy could be canceled - she told me I could still do the endoscopy).  I figured I would just have the endoscopy with the postponed colonoscopy but everyone convinced me that the prep would be good enough to do the colonoscopy so I went ahead with both.  

 

I called the doctor on call the night before the procedure to tell him that the prep wasn't working.  I called the hospital an hour before my arrival time to tell them it didn't work.  I told the nurse and doctor immediately when I saw them that the prep didn't work.  The anesthesiologist was annoyed with me when I wanted to use the restroom one more time before the procedure and said the doctor would take care of everything and I didn't need to use the restroom (I insisted on going anyway).  I guess they didn't care since I was on the schedule and they weren't paying for it.

[Alice]

Good point.  She is board certified in Internal Medicine.  My current doctor is board certified in gastroenterology.

 

I had a failed colonoscopy prep.  I told the doctor (and the nurse and anesthesiologist) that I wasn't ready for the procedure and was reassured that it would be okay.  The procedure had to be stopped right away because the prep was so poor, which is what I told them.  Now I have to have it again, which will cost me thousands of dollars.  I am really angry about this.  Also, the doctor had me on a one day prep and, knowing my history, he probably should have had me on a two-day prep, which is what he wants me to do for the next colonoscopy.  He's always attentive when I see him and not in a hurry, but he doesn't seem all that thorough or understanding of my concerns (or my finances).  He's being conservative, which I normally appreciate, but with my issues I wish he'd be more aggressive with treatment.  

 

 

If she just finished fellowship she may not have had the opportunity to take the boards yet. I don’t know about gastroenterology but I know for pediatrics there was a delay between finishing residency and being able to take the boards. It was about 6 months (just when the exam was offered). So during that time I was “Board Eligible†but not “Board Certified.†

[gardenmom5]

while experience can be a good thing - getting behind the current research can be a very bad thing.

 

It was a brand new ped who got us in a better direction for treating 1ds  - when we'd repeatedly been into our regular ped (I've since fired him.),and the children's hospital without progress.

[Kassia]

If she just finished fellowship she may not have had the opportunity to take the boards yet. I don’t know about gastroenterology but I know for pediatrics there was a delay between finishing residency and being able to take the boards. It was about 6 months (just when the exam was offered). So during that time I was “Board Eligible†but not “Board Certified.†

 

Thank you!  I didn't know that.  Do you think it would be an issue if I saw her if she's in the same hospital practice as my current doctor?  They also both teach at the same med school.  

 

ETA - I just noticed that she's a DO and he's an MD.  

Edited March 7, 2018 by Kassia

[umsami]

Yes, in general, especially if she had a good high-volume fellowship.  She will be up-to-date on the latest treatments, techniques, etc.  She'll also likely to be super conscious and less-burned out.  Go for it.

 

I would not necessarily worry about a non-boarded person, either.   Nor DO vs. MD.  You can be excellent physicians either way.  My Dad and Uncle were DOs.... hubby and most of his friends are MD.  His fellowship had both, as most do these days.   For GI, she probably has to do internal medicine + GI boards.  I don't envy her.

 

For hubby, who was ophthalmology, they had an automatic 20-30% fail rate for the written.  It was put on a curve/weighted so that the lowest tier failed no matter if they passed 70% of the material or not.  Then they had to wait a long time before the orals came up, as they were only given twice/year.  No idea if it's changed or not, but it was one of the worst specialties.  

 

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by umsami

[Kassia]

Personally, I like D.O.'s and the general philosophy they bring with them. That's what our pediatrician is and we love her. 

 

http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-dos/Pages/default.aspx

 

I like them, too.  We haven't seen many but I've liked the ones we've seen.  

[Alice]

Thank you! I didn't know that. Do you think it would be an issue if I saw her if she's in the same hospital practice as my current doctor? They also both teach at the same med school.

 

ETA - I just noticed that she's a DO and he's an MD.

I wouldn’t care about DO vs MD.

 

Being in the same practice might be an issue. Some of the specialist groups around here are very reluctant to let people switch docs within the practice and as a PP mentioned she may be disinclined to go against a partner’s recs. It might depend on the size of the practice and how closely they work together. If they are more loosely affiliated (share call in a large practice for example) it might be less of an issue.

[Kassia]

 

Being in the same practice might be an issue. Some of the specialist groups around here are very reluctant to let people switch docs within the practice and as a PP mentioned she may be disinclined to go against a partner’s recs. It might depend on the size of the practice and how closely they work together. If they are more loosely affiliated (share call in a large practice for example) it might be less of an issue.

 

They are both part of the same university hospital system but not the same practice and both teach at the same university (he's a professor, she's an assistant professor).