How to Pick a Medical Specialty
Just a little humor above lol. It's that season that 3rd years are stressing out about applying for aways, forming their 4th year schedules, thinking about Step 2. It's even more stressful because unless you're on the accelerated -pre-clinical curriculum offered at numerous medical schools, you haven't even finished all of your core rotations to even make a definitive decision on a specialty! But that is okay, I promise. Please don't stress even more and add more grey hairs to your head!
Below are some tips to help you pick a specialty. These helped me on my path to choosing a specialty. Just remember to overall be true to yourself. You do not want to be stuck in a specialty because you chose it for the wrong reasons.
1. First and foremost, keep an open mind. Some people come into medical school thinking they know what they want to do and they completely switch. It's okay to have preferences and ideas, but give each rotation a full chance. I never thought I would love OB and end up in Family Medicine!
2. Define yourself and your priorities. What kind of person are you? What are aspects in a career (after residency +/- fellowship, that's key!) that make you happy? And then figure out answers to key questions
- Surgical, nonsurgical, or both?
- Adults, kids, or both?
- Inpatient, outpatient, or both?
- Specialist or generalist?
- How much patient contact?
- Ill, not ill, or both?
- Adrenaline, time or both?
- What are things of importance?
- Balanced lifestyle
- Surgical, nonsurgical, or both?
- Adults, kids, or both?
- Inpatient, outpatient, or both?
- Specialist or generalist?
- How much patient contact?
- Ill, not ill, or both?
- Adrenaline, time or both?
- What are things of importance?
- Balanced lifestyle
- Prestige
- High pay
- No call
- No clinic, all clinic, etc
- High pay
- No call
- No clinic, all clinic, etc
4. Find your people. There is truth in finding your "people." Which residents and attendings do you vibe with the most? Where do you feel the most comfortable and fit in? Don't force it because when you know, you know.
5. Find mentors. Not only mentors in the intended field you think you're going into, but also in different fields! My mentors were in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Radiation Oncology. They all had loads of experience and different perspectives to provide that provided me a well-rounded approach to rotations and forming my life. Look for mentors that hold you accountable, can provide opportunities or connections, will carve out time to help you, and ones that you connect with.
Do you have any other tips on picking a specialty? Please share them below!
- Cherriese
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