Does it sound extremely naive to be married to a specific specialty?

[betterweather]

I have worked as a mid level/allied health provider in a specific specialty for 3 years, and it's become clear to me that I could serve my community better as a physician in this (not particularly popular or well-paying) specialty. I have deep knowledge in the one small area, to the point that I do some of the lectures on this topic for the first year medical students at my local medical school. I am published in this specialty area, and my research contributed to an updated consensus guideline in the field. All this to say: I am very dedicated to my niche thing.

My desire to apply to medical school has been motivated by:
1) I want to better serve my current patient population, who is increasing undeserved as physicians in my specialty are retiring and not being replaced. My state has only two of these specialists practice right now, both at my clinic, and their waitlist is over a year long even with mid-levels seeing as many of the referrals as possible. Both of these physicians are planning on retiring in the next 5 years. My hospital has had 2 open positions for this specialty since 2009 and has failed to recruit anyone.

2) I am increasingly unfulfilled by not knowing more, both broadly about medicine and deeply about my specialty.

Should I be honest about this in my personal statement, or does it seem impossibly naive to say, "I want to be a [specific specialist that will require a fellowship after residency]" instead of "I want to be a doctor"? Should I come up with a more general story for my personal statement even if that isn't my authentic story?

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[Crayola227]

I mean, I get what you're saying, but you absolutely have to make the case for yourself about why you want to be a doctor. All physicians regardless of specialty get a medical degree, and have to study and rotate through various specialties and topics, so it is actually important you demonstrate enough interest in that that one can believe you'll succeed even when you're off your favored topic.

Also any number of things can happen that stand in the way of one pursuing a particular specialty, so it is important that you want the actual medical degree itself and could theoretically thrive in something else.

While I respect how you feel, and it's fine if the more narrow thing is your ultimate goal you work towards, I hope I have explained exactly why yes, your approach is hopelessly naive and is likely to be received that way.

Try to find a balance. Explore what it is to be a physician or have a medical degree, outside your area of interest. Figure out if being a physician, not just one type, is really for you. Demonstrate this.

 

[Goro]

I have worked as a mid level/allied health provider in a specific specialty for 3 years, and it's become clear to me that I could serve my community better as a physician in this (not particularly popular or well-paying) specialty. I have deep knowledge in the one small area, to the point that I do some of the lectures on this topic for the first year medical students at my local medical school. I am published in this specialty area, and my research contributed to an updated consensus guideline in the field. All this to say: I am very dedicated to my niche thing.

My desire to apply to medical school has been motivated by:
1) I want to better serve my current patient population, who is increasing undeserved as physicians in my specialty are retiring and not being replaced. My state has only two of these specialists practice right now, both at my clinic, and their waitlist is over a year long even with mid-levels seeing as many of the referrals as possible. Both of these physicians are planning on retiring in the next 5 years. My hospital has had 2 open positions for this specialty since 2009 and has failed to recruit anyone.

2) I am increasingly unfulfilled by not knowing more, both broadly about medicine and deeply about my specialty.

Should I be honest about this in my personal statement, or does it seem impossibly naive to say, "I want to be a [specific specialist that will require a fellowship after residency]" instead of "I want to be a doctor"? Should I come up with a more general story for my personal statement even if that isn't my authentic story?

The mindset of "X specialty or bust" is not a good one to bring to an application. It is indeed naive.

 

[betterweather]

I completely understand what you're saying, and there's a reason I asked the question. I believe whole-heartedly that I will come back to my specialty, but I get how it sounds. And I enjoyed the time I've spent in general pediatrics and a bunch of other specialties that I have experience with! There are certainly other things I'd be happy doing, I just know that my specialty is weird and no one likes it and it needs me.

As an aside, I don't see how people make a convincing argument that they want to be a doctor, specialty doesn't matter, any kind of doctor is fine as long and they'll be a physician. The day to day life of, say, a surgeon, a psychiatrist, and a pathologist are wildly different - they are more similar to other non-physician careers than they are to each other. The only things they seem to have in common with each other that they don't share with NPs/PAs/Lab techs in similar environments is the prestige, the title, and the pay, none of which matter to me. Well, and the education, which I'm super stoked about, but it seems to me that you're only in med school for 4 years then you spend the rest of your career practicing as something specific, and it seems like it would be most important to like that thing. What am I missing here?

 

[petomed]

I completely understand what you're saying, and there's a reason I asked the question. I believe whole-heartedly that I will come back to my specialty, but I get how it sounds. And I enjoyed the time I've spent in general pediatrics and a bunch of other specialties that I have experience with! There are certainly other things I'd be happy doing, I just know that my specialty is weird and no one likes it and it needs me.

As an aside, I don't see how people make a convincing argument that they want to be a doctor, specialty doesn't matter, any kind of doctor is fine as long and they'll be a physician. The day to day life of, say, a surgeon, a psychiatrist, and a pathologist are wildly different - they are more similar to other non-physician careers than they are to each other. The only things they seem to have in common with each other that they don't share with NPs/PAs/Lab techs in similar environments is the prestige, the title, and the pay, none of which matter to me. Well, and the education, which I'm super stoked about, but it seems to me that you're only in med school for 4 years then you spend the rest of your career practicing as something specific, and it seems like it would be most important to like that thing. What am I missing here?

The goals of a medical school are:

1) for as few students to fail out as possible
2) for as many students to match into residency as possible

#2 becomes a risk when the student isn’t willing to bend on their specialty of choice. Your specialty may or may not be competitive, so it’s hard to tell the risk. But nonetheless, the idea of being forwardly attached to a singular eventual practice area may not be highly valued by adcoms.

 

[Crayola227]

The goals of a medical school are:

1) for as few students to fail out as possible
2) for as many students to match into residency as possible

#2 becomes a risk when the student isn’t willing to bend on their specialty of choice. Your specialty may or may not be competitive, so it’s hard to tell the risk. But nonetheless, the idea of being forwardly attached to a singular eventual practice area may not be highly valued by adcoms.

/wins the thread

also, I have to know what your avatar is an animation of

 

[Sn00pygrrl]

/wins the thread

also, I have to know what your avatar is an animation of

Dynein? Or kinesin?

 

[stinkycheeseperson]

"I have a lot of experience in ;field; and I am likely to continue in it or closely related field. This is why and what I feel like I bring and can do and what to contribute further" is one thing.

"Imma be a neopediatriccardioneuroorthointerventialradiosurgeon or nothing" is quite another

 

[petomed]

Dynein? Or kinesin?

Kinesin

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

You can express an interest in general things but don’t come across as rigid or inflexible. For example, if you love to study the nervous system, you could mention the possibility of pursuing neurology, neurosurgery; and psychiatry, but try not saying you’re only interested in medicine if you can be a pediatric neuro-oncology surgeon or something

 

[betterweather]

Thanks for the insight - I think there is definitely a way to be authentic without seeming rigid or closed off to new experience.

FWIW, my specialty is notably uncompetitive; more than half of the fellowship spots offered in the match in 2022 did not fill. I think that is the highest percentage of unfilled spots of any specialty, so with that info you can probably figure out what I am and what I want to be.

 

[Crayola227]

Thanks for the insight - I think there is definitely a way to be authentic without seeming rigid or closed off to new experience.

FWIW, my specialty is notably uncompetitive; more than half of the fellowship spots offered in the match in 2022 did not fill. I think that is the highest percentage of unfilled spots of any specialty, so with that info you can probably figure out what I am and what I want to be.

You can't just look at fellowship, how competitive is the specialty before fellowship?

 

[Dral]

It all depends on your narrative.

To be honest, (and this is just my opinion). If I was on a med school admin committee, this is how I would rank a concise version of possible narratives:

I'm interested in cosmetics and I don't see myself doing anything else.
🤨
(and that's coming from a Dermatologist)

I'm interested in cosmetics, but I'm open to other things depending on what happens throughout medical school
🤨

I'm interested in infectious disease and I don't see myself doing anything else.
🤨 😐

I'm interested in infectious disease, but I'm also open to other things based on what happens throughout medical school
🙂

Based on your history, it makes sense to use the last example as your narrative (replacing ID with your field of interest). I had significant history researching a body organ before med school. When I was applying to residency, numerous people asked me why I wasn't going into a residency that deals with that organ. For you, I'd almost expect you to express interest in your field of interest because you have so much invested in it already. The important thing is to make it patently clear that you are open to new things and could switch to something depending on where your path takes you.

 

[betterweather]

You can't just look at fellowship, how competitive is the specialty before fellowship?

Pediatrics, so not super competitive. Basically, I'd have to do poorly in med school/interview poorly to not have the option to do the thing I want to do, which has factored heavily in my belief that this is an eminently achievable goal (IF I get into medical school). Every other person (yes, I have reached out to all 3 of them) who was in the same role as me before going to medical school now practices in the specialty I want.

I am beyond excited to learn everything and spend time in as many specialties as possible in medical school if i am lucky enough to get in. I love hearing our residents and fellows talk about their specialties; if i had 100 lifetimes, I'd want to learn it all. I am certainly open to falling in love with something else in medical school, or with primary care in pediatrics, but if I did I'd feel more than a bit guilty about leaving my community high and dry. I really want to provide this care here, in my state, where we're about to have zero of these physicians.