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How did you answer
"What speciality are you interested in pursuing?"
"What speciality are you interested in pursuing?"
II question
- Thread starter anoxredcat
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Never got that question in any of my 6 interviews. However, if I would have been asked, I would have said that I'm keeping an open mind to all fields and not decide until medical school. I think it's okay to talk about some specialties you're interested in. But saying you are deciding between Neurosurgeon or Cardiothoraic surgeon, or something outrageous might be viewed with some skepticism..
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Depends on how much space you have.
I remember one secondary where we only had 50 characters to respond. Responses had to be terse. If you have space, just be honest. If there's a specialty or specialties you're interested in, then say that. But also demonstrate that you're open to experiencing all fields. We lol at the pre-meds who are "neurosurgery or bust," because it's pretty likely that they'll change their minds. You're allowed to have a specialty in mind, but also don't be naive and realize that most med students change their minds multiple times throughout med school.
I remember one secondary where we only had 50 characters to respond. Responses had to be terse. If you have space, just be honest. If there's a specialty or specialties you're interested in, then say that. But also demonstrate that you're open to experiencing all fields. We lol at the pre-meds who are "neurosurgery or bust," because it's pretty likely that they'll change their minds. You're allowed to have a specialty in mind, but also don't be naive and realize that most med students change their minds multiple times throughout med school.
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A possible answer could be:
"I'm interested in x and y because of z. However, I am not married to either of these specialties and understand that my interests will change during med school, especially once I get to clinicals, therefore I am keeping my mind open to all possibilities."
"I'm interested in x and y because of z. However, I am not married to either of these specialties and understand that my interests will change during med school, especially once I get to clinicals, therefore I am keeping my mind open to all possibilities."
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Great responses. Thank you!
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/closethread lol
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As long as you're prepared to answer WHY you're interested in a given specialty, I think you'll be fine. If you're truly undecided, I would just say something along the lines of "I'm not leaning towards any one specialty yet. I'm really looking forward to exploring different fields during clinical rotations." (You could also use this as an opportunity to mention any clinical opportunities the school offers during 1st/2nd year. Like having a clinical mentor, a student-run clinic, etc.)
