How do you become an expert in a disease area/specialty?

[Engrailed]

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The question is somewhat redundant because focusing on a specialty already implies expertise in a subject but I am more curious about how one becomes THE go-to person within one's field.
A couple of my mentors have been such figures (people would visit from far-flung places just for a brief consult), with a heavy research component to their profession (little to minimal clinical work).
If this difficult to achieve/ a one in a million sort of thing?

Is it mostly by luck that they gain such a reputation (through connections, word of mouth)?
(or some unexpected discovery they made along the way that caused them to be known as THAT guy)
Research? (lots of clinical research)?
Or just seeing tons of patients mostly?

 

[Rachapkis]

One does not become the preeminent subject matter expert in a particular field by luck. In most fields, including medicine, one is generally recognized as an expert after one has demonstrated consistent excellence over a sustained period. Of course, demonstrations of excellence can take many forms (e.g., publishing consistently high quality research; innovating new medical techniques; achieving notable clinical results; demonstrating mastery of difficult procedures; etc.) To become THAT GUY, all you need to do is to show that you are the best (are at least on the very pointy end of the spear) in the field you choose over the course of your career. (Of course, that is easier said than done. 🙂 )

 

[Cornfed101]

I think the answer is a little different in a practical sense than in your absolute sense that I think you are referring to. Let me give an example. My cousin is an ophthalmologist. After his general ophthalmology training, he did a 2-year ocular oncology fellowship and now he is doing a 2-year retina fellowship. He was trained on the East coast and West coast, respectively, for those two fellowships and there are definitely other similarly trained ophthalmologists in the country. The difference is that his goal is to be the only ocular oncology/retina guy in Utah and the surrounding states.

What I'm trying to say is that your location makes a difference in a practical sense. He will be receiving referrals from a thousand miles away. The same could not be said about someone in NYC or LA because it is more saturated.

Now if your question is how do you become the best in the world? That requires a bit of luck and some extensive research (with more luck).

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You publish a LOT, you present your research at your professional college's conferences, and you gain the clinical respect of other heavy hitters in the field.