Considering a career in medicine? If so, one of the most fundamental tasks you will have to undertake is deciding on what specialty you wish to pursue. This is not a decision to be made lightly, as the three or more years that you will spend training in this specialty after medical school will require both passion and commitment. Research has shown that the majority of medical students change their minds about their specialty, which is why it’s important to make a confident and informed decision the first time around (Compton et al, 2008).
So which medical specialties are “hot,” and how should you go about choosing the one that suits you best? The following information may be of interest as you begin doing your homework in order to choose the right specialty for you.
Anesthesiology
According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), an anesthesiologist is a specialist “trained to provide pain relief and maintenance or restoration of a stable condition during and immediately following an operation or an obstetric or diagnostic procedure.” The lure of the salary that anesthesiologists make – anywhere from $311,600 to $446,994 per year (AAMC 2009) – is hard for some people to resist. However, it takes four years of residency beyond medical school to train to become an anesthesiologist, so you definitely want to do your research on this specialty before you commit!
Cardiology
Interested in heart health? If so, you may want to consider becoming a cardiologist. Cardiologists work closely with patients who are believed to have heart conditions. They are the doctors who diagnose heart disease and recommend treatment. (Matthews, 2009).
With the ever-growing need to care for aging baby boomer patients (who are suspected by medical experts to be the population greatest at risk for heart disease), cardiology has become an increasingly high-demand, high-income medical specialty. Doctors specializing in cardiology can make anywhere between $230,000 and $520,000 per year (Student Doctor Network, 2007).
Critical Care
If the thought of caring for critically ill patients and making decisions that could potentially spell the difference between life and death for them ignites both a strong interest and a sense of purpose in you, you may wish to consider a specialty in critical care medicine. Referred to as “intensivists,” doctors who specialize in critical care work exclusively in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital. As many as 80% of them have backgrounds in internal medicine, although doctors who have residency training in other specializations can and often do work toward their certification in critical care medicine. Intensivists can earn an annual starting salary of anywhere from $187,000 to $215,000 (Shulman, 2008).
Dermatology & Plastic Surgery
If you long to experience the intrinsic rewards that can go along with helping people feel good about their physical appearance and condition, then a specialty in either dermatology or plastic surgery may be for you! According to an article written by Natasha Singer of The New York Times (2009), dermatology and plastic surgery are two of the most sought-after medical specialties, attracting some of the best and brightest medical students out there. Singer writes, “The vogue for such specialties is part of a migration of a top tier of American medical students from branches of health care that manage major diseases toward specialties that improve the life of patients – and the lives of physicians, with better pay, more autonomy and more-controllable hours.
Along with the intrinsic rewards of being a dermatologist or plastic surgeon comes a pretty impressive salary too; on average, dermatologists earn between $287,832 and $385,953 per year, while plastic surgeons can make anywhere from $300,000 to $791,510 (AAMC, 2009). However, before you choose one of these specialties, be sure to educate yourself on the non-glamorous aspects associated with them. For example, dermatologists deal with such things as skin disorders and diseases, hair loss and even certain sexually transmitted diseases (AAMC, 2009).
Still Undecided?
If, even after reading up on the various medical specialties, you feel confused about which one suits your personality the best, the University of Virginia School of Medicine website contains a Medical Specialty Aptitude Test that you can take to put you one step closer to making a confident decision. During the test – which takes somewhere between 15-20 minutes to complete online – you will respond to 130 questions about such things as your preferred ways of working, interacting with people and making important decisions. Upon completing the test, you will immediately receive a computer-generated ranking of specialties that are most likely to fit your interests and your personality.
Although it helps significantly if you have a strong preference toward a specialty upon entering medical school, do not despair if this is not your case. You will be exposed to a variety of specialties while in medical school that will further expand your knowledge base and help you figure out what the best path is for you to take. The most important thing to remember is that your decision should be one that you’ll feel good about – regardless of the salary or the prestige. The life of a doctor is a very demanding one and it is critical that above all else, you really love what you do for a living!
Sources:
AAMC (2009). Careers in Medicine: Specialty Information. Anesthesiology.
AAMC (2009). Careers in Medicine: Specialty Information. Dermatology.
AAMC (2009). Careers in Medicine: Specialty Information. Plastic Surgery.
Compton, M.T., Frank, E., Elon, L. & Carrera, J. (2008). Changes in U.S. Medical Students’ Specialty Interests over the Course of Medical School. Journal of General Intern Medicine. July 2008. Vol. 23(7): 1095-1100.
Matthews, Robert (2009). Cardiology.
Shulman, M. (2008). ‘Critical Care’ Is a Rising Med School Specialty. U.S. News & World Report. March 26, 2008.
Singer, Natasha (2008). The Price of Beauty: For Tip Medical Students, An Attractive Field. The New York Times. March 19, 2009.
Student Doctor Network (2007). Medical Specialty Outlook: What Does the Future Hold?
The University of Virginia School of Medicine (2009). Medical Specialty Aptitude Test.
