What does Respiratory Medicine have to offer?
All Respiratory Physicians work closely with the unselected acute medical take , at least a quarter of which is respiratory
emergencies .
This specialty involves team working with a wide number of
other specialties such as, Intensive Care units, Thoracic surgeons,
Oncologists, Radiologists, Microbiologists, Pathologists, Palliative care
teams, Specialist nurses in different respiratory sub- specialties, such as TB,
Lung cancer, COPD outreach teams.
All Respiratory Physicians are trained in endoscopic and
practical skills like Bronchoscopy, Pleural procedures. There are increasing
opportunities to sub specialise in interventional pulmonology due to the
exciting developments that are happening in this field e.g. EBUS – TBNA (
Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration ) , Medical
Thoracoscopy, Indwelling pleural catheter insertions .
All Respiratory Physicians must understand respiratory
physiology and be able to interpret lung function tests.
The speciality involves working in outpatients and there is
increasing opportunities to be able to lead and develop community services for
chronic lung disease by consultant
respiratory physicians, as a special interest. This could be an opportunity for
those too , who are looking for a career in the community in the future NHS.
Respiratory Medicine , as a specialty offers the opportunity
to sub specialise in a number of areas ; Lung cancer being one of the examples.
There is significant opportunities for research and teaching
in Respiratory Medicine .