{"id":3460,"date":"2019-04-03T19:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-03T19:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=3460"},"modified":"2025-05-08T15:49:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T23:49:23","slug":"how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty","title":{"rendered":"How To Choose Your Medical Specialty"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#Research_the_Requirements_for_Your_Specialty_Interest\" >Research the Requirements for Your Specialty Interest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#Understand_What_Kind_of_Person_Each_Specialty_Needs\" >Understand What Kind of Person Each Specialty Needs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#Use_the_Process_of_Elimination\" >Use the Process of Elimination<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#Money_Matters_But_So_Does_the_Actual_Job\" >Money Matters, But So Does the Actual Job<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#Be_Honest_with_Yourself\" >Be Honest with Yourself<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#You_Only_Choose_Once_or_Not\" >You Only Choose Once (or Not)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-choose-your-medical-specialty\/#About_the_Author\" >About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Know how to choose the medical specialty that&#8217;s right for you isn&#8217;t always easy. Here&#8217;s some helpful advice from a fourth-year medical student.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I\u2019m writing this, I find myself at the end of the process of choosing my specialty&#8230;I think. Maybe by the time you have read this post, I\u2019ll have already changed my mind a couple of times. Since, I\u2019ve been doing my clinical rotations, the topic of choosing my specialty has been on my mind lately. While I might still be figuring it out, these are some strategies I\u2019ve taken to deciding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Research_the_Requirements_for_Your_Specialty_Interest\"><\/span>Research the Requirements for Your Specialty Interest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After you get your USMLE\u00ae Step 1 score, you\u2019ll face a reality check of what specialties are an option. Is your desired residency even possible? Each year, the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP\u00ae) reveals the data concerning each program, including mean Step 1 scores for matched and unmatched candidates. Students that have received a low score (20-25 points below the mean) should focus on less competitive specialties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it is not impossible to get into a competitive program with a low score, candidates will have to supplement their application with years of research and clerkships. Even then, there is no guarantee of getting invited to interviews. Once you\u2019ve determined how your Step scores stand up, you need to check the other application requirements to make sure you\u2019re on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understand_What_Kind_of_Person_Each_Specialty_Needs\"><\/span>Understand What Kind of Person Each Specialty Needs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though there\u2019s hardly enough time in medical school to really get an idea of the daily grind in a particular specialty, you can still get a pretty good idea of your personal strengths and weaknesses. Psychiatry needs a doctor with a lot of patience and good listening skills. A pediatrician should have an innate ability to interact with children and their parents. A radiologist ought to have the eyes of an eagle for the hundreds of CT scans and X-rays they encounter. Figure out what you\u2019re good at, what you struggle with, and what you wouldn\u2019t be able to do even if your life depended on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AMA has prepared a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ama-assn.org\/specialty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Specialty Guide<\/a>&nbsp;to provide more info into each specialty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_the_Process_of_Elimination\"><\/span>Use the Process of Elimination<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To narrow your search, trying using z process of elimination. During your clinical years, you\u2019ll experience a lot of things that will make you think, \u201cI\u2019d never want to do this the rest of my life.\u201d Recognizing what you don\u2019t enjoy doing helps lessen the noise of making a decision about your specialty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve eliminated the specialties that are definitely not for you, focus on getting more experience, an extra clerkship, perhaps, and see which one pleases you the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Money_Matters_But_So_Does_the_Actual_Job\"><\/span>Money Matters, But So Does the Actual Job<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is no secret that some specialties have higher salaries than others. Most medical students graduate with a heavy burden of debt. Often it takes doctors about 20 years from graduation to pay off student loans. Not to mention, most doctors start making money many years after the average person has been taking in income. But while money is of great importance, as a doctor, you\u2019ll likely be working at least 60 hours per week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could make more money at one specialty over another, but you\u2019ll still be spending a lot of your time at one of them either way. It\u2019s hard to imagine what will satisfy you in 50 years of work while you\u2019re doing rotations during third and fourth year, but try to ask yourself this, \u201cIf you woke up tomorrow with all the money you could ever need, what would you prefer to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Be_Honest_with_Yourself\"><\/span>Be Honest with Yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve all met that first-year student (or pre-med) who watched too much Dr. Strange and proudly proclaimed that he or she was destined to be a neurosurgeon. While fantasizing is fun, you need to be practical and true to yourself. While some specialties have that \u201ccool\u201d factor (plastic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, surgery in general?!), not all of us are interested in the same things. Some may find more stimulation in pondering a patient\u2019s diagnosis, others may prefer manual work and minimal patient contact while some enjoy watching other people sleep (no offense anesthesiology).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_Only_Choose_Once_or_Not\"><\/span>You Only Choose Once (or Not)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finding the right specialty is a long and tedious process. Pay attention to what is required of you for your desired specialty, and stay practical. It is one of those life choices that truly matters, but if you\u2019re careful and honest with yourself, you can nail it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span>About the Author<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elad Eylat<\/strong> is a 4th year medical student in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cuni.cz\/UKEN-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charles University in Prague<\/a>. He&#8217;s currently preparing to begin the application process for Internal Medicine residency programs in the US. In his free time, he likes to read books, play the piano and compete in local tennis tournaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/create\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/09\/Blog_Display_Ads_MD1_2023.png?w=700\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/09\/Blog_Display_Ads_MD1_2023.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/09\/Blog_Display_Ads_MD1_2023.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>USMLE\u00ae is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Test names and other trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Osmosis or this website.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><em>Try Osmosis today! Access your&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>free trial<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;and find out why millions of clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Find out how a 4th-year med student approaches choosing a medical specialty by balancing USMLE scores, personal strengths, and career goals for residency success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":6269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,6,5,35,43],"tags":[850,84,849,851,853,330,852,854,848,664],"class_list":["post-3460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-career-advice","category-clerkships","category-osmosis-health-leadership-initiative-ohli","category-residency","tag-career-planning","tag-medical-education","tag-medical-specialty","tag-medical-student-advice","tag-residency-application","tag-residency-match","tag-specialty-competitiveness","tag-specialty-guide","tag-student-tips","tag-usmle-step-1"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - 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