Medical Specialty Aptitude Test

[BPlaysItCool]

I have wanted to go into endo since I was diagnosed at 11 years old. However, I guess I just looked at IM/FP/GP as a compromise due to age. I am not sure how fellowships (etc) work, so I assumed it takes more time with not very much money. I guess my feeling is that I would like to be able to see patients that I can let know that I relate to their situation (at least some of them), and that I can say from personal experience what will happen, not just the words of a doctor...

don't know, I'm sure to some it sounds wishy-washy, touchy-feely, but I think it is that kind of relationship that builds trust and allows patients to really feel cared about, and not just another number...

Me too. You just gotta keep pushing that desire against what interests you. And what is available to you. Until a door opens. And then off we go into our separate corners of the medical world. There's a wide range of things that shape the habitat of each. It takes a lot of effort to try to understand the nature of each eventual niche. Given the distances between where we are and where we'll be. One way or another. But I think you're sense of measured instinct and internal compass is the key. At least that's the premise I'm going with. That and intense thought.

I try to set up a scenario in which I can open my intuition to the life of a particular type of doctor. Radiology allowed me this sort of sensing. And so did EM.

I tried IM but couldn't connect with the right situation. 3rd year it will come. But you cannot always depend on that. Some things you have to go out and find.

Did somebody spike my drink. I can't stop talking.

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[Evergrey]

It's interesting to not how my compatibility with number 1, is much lower (higher number) than Evergrey's #15... Maybe mine is saying I shouldn't be a doctor... In reality though, where were a number of factors I didn't really care about one way or the other, so my number was ~3, which becomes the multiplier of the initial squared value (factors)... I suppose that explains my high numbers... but it's still funny to see.

Wow, that's interesting! Maybe it's just a relative number, and doesn't have any meaning in its value except when compared with your other results. At any rate, having the numbers, and being able to understand how my different weighted factors affect the specialty suggestions, makes that test feel more objective to me, even though it probably is just confirmation bias.

 

[Evergrey]

Did somebody spike my drink. I can't stop talking.

Thanks for the thoughts, BPlays. We appreciate it

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

We are merely players on the stage of life... I just have faith and determination, and figure I'll get where I'm supposed to be... We can only control our own fates to a limited extent soooo.... I just figure I'll be happy where ever I end up It can't be worse than where I am now!

 

[neurologist]

Hmmm . . .

1. Rads (45)
2. Derm (40)
3. Allergy (39)
4. Neuro (38)


. . . . I have to admit that in med skool I never even remotely considered any of my apparent top 3 . . . .

 

[jl lin]

Rated high for lots of internal medicine type of specialties, hemonc, nephro, pediatrics, etc. What's up with these: neuro, thoracic, and orthopedic surgeries?

???really ortho???? I don't see that.

Hmmm. . .

I tried to be as honest as I could be. Surprised I got so high for surgical specialties. Say what????

I worked in one ICU with the most awesome nephrologist-MD ever. She was absolutely great, superintelligent and insightful, compassionate to boot, and detail oriented w/o being a major biatch.

Where the hell did the aeromedicine come from?

 

[livedie]

This is one of those times that I believe everything happens for a reason. I was researching the PCL and wondering if I should take out hese loans. Several Medical students have told me that they started school wanting one thing, and changed their mind several times before graduation. I just took the test and my highest scores had nothing to do with PC. I am glad I took the test because I am not taking the PCL.

 

[WashMe]

This is one of those times that I believe everything happens for a reason. I was researching the PCL and wondering if I should take out hese loans. Several Medical students have told me that they started school wanting one thing, and changed their mind several times before graduation. I just took the test and my highest scores had nothing to do with PC. I am glad I took the test because I am not taking the PCL.

Translation: Primary Care Loans?

 

[livedie]

I am sorry PCL stands for Primary Care Loans.

 

[thes_hunter]

Here is what I got:

Rank Specialty Score
[SIZE=-1]1 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]aerospace med[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]44
2 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]radiology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43
3 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]pulmonology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
4 nephrology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43
5 r[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]adiation oncology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE]

6 [SIZE=-1]med oncology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

7 r[SIZE=-1]heumatology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42
8 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]pediatrics[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

Aerospace med? WTF is that? Is that where I do rocket science and brain surgery?! or is it brain science and rocket surgery?



Med-onc is the only one I have seriously considered.

Don't get me wrong, I like the kidneys, but I like dealing with the kidneys and how they interact with all the other systems all at the same time. I'd rather manage a hypertensive, DM-II, HIV positive person with an acute hepatitis then look at X-rays and CT's all day. So gen med where are you... all the way down at #27.

 

[Mindscrew]

[SIZE=-1]1[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]

dermatology[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]44[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]2[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]

pulmonology[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]3[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]

radiology[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

I like internal, oncology, family, infectious disease

 

[Mindscrew]

1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2. Pediatrics
3. Family Practice
4. Radiation Oncology
5. Neurology
6. Allergy and Immunology
7. Nephrology
8. Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
9. Urology
10. Gastroenterology
11. Psychiatry
12. Geriatric Medicine
13. Cardiology
14. Medical Oncology
15. Infectious Diseases

The second one is much closer to what I like

 

[jl lin]

Here is what I got:

Rank Specialty Score
[SIZE=-1]1 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]aerospace med[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]44[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]radiology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]3 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]pulmonology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]4 nephrology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]5 r[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]adiation oncology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]43[/SIZE]

6 [SIZE=-1]med oncology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

7 r[SIZE=-1]heumatology[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]8 [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]pediatrics[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]42[/SIZE]

Aerospace med? WTF is that? Is that where I do rocket science and brain surgery?! or is it brain science and rocket surgery?



Med-onc is the only one I have seriously considered.

Don't get me wrong, I like the kidneys, but I like dealing with the kidneys and how they interact with all the other systems all at the same time. I'd rather manage a hypertensive, DM-II, HIV positive person with an acute hepatitis then look at X-rays and CT's all day. So gen med where are you... all the way down at #27.

Aerospace med? WTF is that? Is that where I do rocket science and brain surgery?! or is it brain science and rocket surgery?

Exactly.

What interests me the most is critical care medicine, but it's a longer residency/fellowship. Plus there is sooo much nauseating politics when you get into areas like that.

There is something to be said for going in, doing your best to help your pts in every way that you can, bypassing the political BS, and going home.

This political junk is a big part of the academic world and academic medicine. But there are certain areas where people are vying to be top dog. You work around it, and it's like Zofran time.

 

[OneTyme]

Here is another test to try.

Pretty spot on.


http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/RESIDENT/CareerCounseling/interior.htm?self-assessment.htm

 

[dreamislanddoc]

occupational med 49
2 emergency med 49
3 med oncology 48
4 preventive med 48
5 physical med & rehabilitation 48
6 pediatrics 47
7 orthopaedic surgery 47
8 radiology 47
9 dermatology 47
10 radiation oncology

 

[rangoon1984]

Interesting....

1 radiation oncology 46
2 gastroenterology 45
3 neurology 45
4 neurosurgery 44
5 ophthalmology 44
6 thoracic surgery 44
7 general surgery 44
8 radiology 44
9 endocrinology 44
10 emergency med 44

Gastro/Endo did initially appeal to me as specialties I might want to do.

 

[MedWonk]

1) Radiology
2) Dermatology
3) Allergy, Endocrinology, Pathology (tied)
4) Neuro
5) Nuclear Med, Psych (bleh), PM&R, IM, Rheum, ID

Surgical specialties were all at the bottom. No surprise there. I don't see myself doing Psych or Pathology. PM&R was unexpected. The rest match pretty well with my interests. Which means nothing because it could all change during med school.

Here is another test to try.

Pretty spot on.


http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/RESIDENT/CareerCounseling/interior.htm?self-assessment.htm

Derm, Neuro, Allergy, Endo, ID and PM&R popped up at the top
IM, Rheum, and Psych were in the middle somewhere

Surpises: Radiology and Pathology were the least compatible specialties, Rad Onc was second best match.

 

[Back 5]

my top 10.

1 med oncology 44
2 pulmonology 43
3 obstetrics/gynecology 42
4 thoracic surgery 42
5 general surgery 42
6 radiology 42
7 plastic surgery 42
8 hematology 42
9 anesthesiology 42
10 radiation oncology 42

My top 10 for the other test above:

Gastroenterology
Otolaryngology
Sports Medicine
Vascular and Interventional Radiology
Orthopaedic Surgery
Anesthesiology
Urology
Radiation Oncology
Plastic Surgery
Colon and Rectal Surgery

 

[Erakis]

1 preventive med 45
2 emergency med 44
3 allergy & immunology 43
4 pulmonology 43
5 nuclear med 43
6 neurology 43
7 neurosurgery 43
8 pathology 42
9 aerospace med 42
10 psychiatry 42


Considering that EM and preventative were the two things I did the most as an SF medic and that they are the two things I am most eager to get away from, I am disappoint.

 

[abolt18]

Great bump!

Rank Specialty Score
1 thoracic surgery 48
2 radiology 48
3 nuclear med 47
4 emergency med 47
5 dermatology 46
6 obstetrics/gynecology 46
7 anesthesiology 45
8 ophthalmology 45
9 otolaryngology 45
10 orthopaedic surgery 44

30 general surgery 40
34 psychiatry 37
36 family practice 35

The two bolded are those that interest me most at this time. Not surprised they're at the top. Also family practice interests me the least.... obviously lol.

The other one gave me these as my top few.


Gastroenterology
Colon and Rectal Surgery
Sports Medicine
Orthopaedic Surgery
Otolaryngology
Anesthesiology
Neurological Suregery
Urology
Plastic Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Ophthalmology

 

[Xenops]

Here's my results for the Virginia test:

1 general surgery 45
2 pathology 43
3 pulmonology 43
4 infectious disease 42
5 radiation oncology 42
6 otolaryngology 42
7 urology 42
8 thoracic surgery 42
9 plastic surgery 41
10 orthopaedic surgery 41
11 obstetrics/gynecology 41
12 anesthesiology 41
13 emergency med 41
16 neurosurgery

The italics are ones I'm kinda interested in, the bold are the ones I'm very interested in.

The Pathway test:

Anesthesiology
Colon and Rectal Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
Gastroenterology
Vascular Surgery
Neonatal - Perinatal Medicine
Sports Medicine
Otolaryngology
Neurological Suregery
Orthopaedic Surgery

Did I read on this thread that having an idea of what specialty you want to do makes you a more interesting applicant to med schools?

 

[kayak30]

1 pulmonology 47
2 allergy & immunology 46
3 rheumatology 45
4 psychiatry 45
5 pathology 45

Interesting I do like psych, and path but also neuro which was my 7. I won't really know until med school/rotations though...

 

[Cellfie]

1. Nuclear medicine
2. Radiology
3. Neurology

As a hospital-based speech-language pathologist, I was thinking radiology...

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

What are these out of? 50?

Anyway:

1 pathology 45
2 allergy & immunology 45
3 physical med & rehabilitation 44
4 neurology 44
5 psychiatry 43

Pretty interesting. Neuro and psych are the two specialties I'll probably end up choosing between (hoping to do MD/PhD with the PhD in neuroscience so psych and neuro are the two obvious choices). Since I'm an introvert I'm not at all surprised that pathology ended up at the top of the list. I am surprised about immunology and physical med/rehabilitation. Don't think I'd enjoy either of those.

 

[MedPR]

Seems about right. Surg up top, primary care on bottom. Bolded are things I'm most interested in.
Rank Specialty Score
1 thoracic surgery 48
2 pulmonology 47
3 orthopaedic surgery 46
4 nuclear med 45
5 preventive med 45
6 general surgery 44
7 radiology 44
8 plastic surgery 44
9 neurosurgery 44
10 infectious disease 44
11 nephrology 43
12 allergy & immunology 43
13 pathology 43
14 otolaryngology 43
15 urology 43
16 aerospace med 43
17 neurology 42
18 obstetrics/gynecology 42
19 gastroenterology 41
20 ophthalmology 40
21 cardiology 39
22 emergency med 38
23 colon & rectal surgery 38
24 anesthesiology 38
25 endocrinology 38
26 occupational med 38
27 hematology 37
28 dermatology 37
29 general internal med 36
30 rheumatology 36
31 psychiatry 36
32 physical med & rehabilitation 36
33 radiation oncology 35
34 med oncology 32
35 family practice 30
36 pediatrics 30

 

[n3xa]

1 pathology 46
2 otolaryngology 43
3 general surgery 43

Pathology is still numero uno according to the NBOME% on my gradesheet.

 

[HesyRa]

1 nuclear med
2 neurology
3 infectious disease
4 pulmonology
5 nephrology
6 thoracic surgery
7 general surgery
8 obstetrics/gynecology
9 hematology
10 neurosurgery


Thoracic and neurosurgey interest me the most. I don't know where trauma surgeon falls into, but that is also of a high interest to me.

 

[wlt217]

well that was fun

1 nuclear med 45
2 pulmonology 45
3 infectious disease 45
4 thoracic surgery 43
5 plastic surgery 42
6 physical med & rehabilitation 42
7 radiation oncology 42
8 neurosurgery 42
9 cardiology 42
10 rheumatology 41

Pediatric Surgery
General Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Neurological Suregery
Anesthesiology
Orthopaedic Surgery
Pulmonary / Critical Care Medicine
Gastroenterology
Vascular and Interventional Radiology

... although I got the sense that I was answering questions with a surgeon's personality/lifestyle in mind rather than my own. We'll see!

edit: I like the typo the second test gave, "Neurological Suregery", clearly it can tell I need a boost of confidence

 

[gtoblobf]

I'm interested in infectious disease, and it was first or second on both tests even when I retook (I'd done the first one a few weeks before). Don't know if that means my specialty choice is well-thought-out or if I'm good at gaming tests; suspect the latter.

 

[mcdtheta]

CT Surgery (45)
General Surgery (44)
Pulmonology (42)
Nephrology (42)
OB (42)
Cardiology (41)


Not surprising to see surgery there - really enjoyed working in the OR. Interesting question bank.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Did anyone try SDN's specialty selector? It told me I have the personality of a neurosurgeon, which I find mildly insulting, although it's probably true.

 

[Dianyla]

Did anyone try SDN's specialty selector? It told me I have the personality of a neurosurgeon, which I find mildly insulting, although it's probably true.

I just tried it, with nearly identical results and reaction.

 

[ErrantWhatever]

Did anyone try SDN's specialty selector? It told me I have the personality of a neurosurgeon, which I find mildly insulting, although it's probably true.

I just took it. Interestingly, the closest "match" I had was an 80%, followed by about 12specialties between 65-78%. I guess that means I have options (?).

 

[MedWonk]

Did anyone try SDN's specialty selector? It told me I have the personality of a neurosurgeon, which I find mildly insulting, although it's probably true.

I did. The results were similar. It looked a lot like the U of Virginia test.

 

[as90]

just curious, how accurate was this to what u guys are shooting for or actually ended up going into?