Is applying to multiple specialties a bad thing?

[Blowflu]

Hello SDN!

As an OMSIII, I've already started the process of applying through VSAS...but I recently heard that what I'm doing might hurt me.

My interests are still really spread out, and my top 2 specialties are Anesthesiology and Oncology (probably through IM there). Would it be bad of me to apply for and interview for both? They're honestly neck-and-neck and I could be perfectly happy doing either. Should I drop one to focus on the other to increase my chances?

EDIT - for more qualifiers....

Anesthesia will be the majority of my DO match....IM more towards the MD match. So far, I don't have any overlap in specialty/location (i.e. all my Anesthesia programs are in different cities compared to my IM's).

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[BoardingDoc]

Given that you don't really need to do a subI in either of those fields (anesthesia might benefit from an away in it) you could probably apply to both. You probably shouldn't apply to both specialties at the same institution though. The downside to this is that you will need to go on a TON of interviews to do this correctly. That might sound OK now, but once you're 10 interviews in, you really start to hate the whole process. If you think you're ok with going to 20, so be it. I wouldn't have been.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Hello SDN!

As an OMSIII, I've already started the process of applying through VSAS...but I recently heard that what I'm doing might hurt me.

My interests are still really spread out, and my top 2 specialties are Anesthesiology and Oncology (probably through IM there). Would it be bad of me to apply for and interview for both? They're honestly neck-and-neck and I could be perfectly happy doing either. Should I drop one to focus on the other to increase my chances?

EDIT - for more qualifiers....

Anesthesia will be the majority of my DO match....IM more towards the MD match. So far, I don't have any overlap in specialty/location (i.e. all my Anesthesia programs are in different cities compared to my IM's).

Back when I was applying many years ago, our dean told us that applying to two different specialities was generally OK -- applying to more than two really wasn't (both logistically and because it indicates a lot of uncertainty about what you want to do). I had a fellow intern who applies in a lot of different specialties and then left after first year to of course switch specialties, so yeah, I can see why program directors might wonder if you apply to too many things.

 

[GoSpursGo]

It's fine, and certainly plenty of people do it.

Personally, you just said that you could be perfectly happy doing either. I can relate to that--I could have done probably 2 or 3 different specialties, and within my specialty there are probably about 4 subspecialties I would have been perfectly happy going into. But you can only do one, and you have to choose eventually--so you might as well pick now, put all your eggs in one basket, and maximizing your chances in one field. The only reason I might consider applying to multiple fields is if for some reason you perceive yourself as borderline competitive for anesthesia, in which case I think applying to IM or some other specialty as a back up makes sense.

Moving to ERAS/NRMP match.

 

[Blowflu]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

It's fine, and certainly plenty of people do it.

Personally, you just said that you could be perfectly happy doing either. I can relate to that--I could have done probably 2 or 3 different specialties, and within my specialty there are probably about 4 subspecialties I would have been perfectly happy going into. But you can only do one, and you have to choose eventually--so you might as well pick now, put all your eggs in one basket, and maximizing your chances in one field. The only reason I might consider applying to multiple fields is if for some reason you perceive yourself as borderline competitive for anesthesia, in which case I think applying to IM or some other specialty as a back up makes sense.

Moving to ERAS/NRMP match.

I guess this begs the question....I got in the mid 500's on my Comlex Step 1. Obviously, I plan on doing far better in a few months on Step 2, but based on numbers from a few years ago, shouldn't that still keep me competitive for DO Anesthesiology programs? I already have my sights on places to audition, and plan on doing at least 2-3 at my top picks. Maybe more.

 

[koan]

I don't know why you'd restrict yourself to only AOA anesthesia programs (13 programs with a total of 31 positions nationwide vs ACGME 117 programs with 1,049 positions). Did you not take the USMLE? If you do go through with this plan, however, there will no issue since you'll go through the AOA match first and be withdrawn from the ACGME match if you get an anesthesia spot.