Is it bad if I don't know what I want to do in medicine?

[Free2B]

Hello, this is my first time posting here. I'm a non-traditional student and I really want to become an MD or perhaps a DPM. This may be a silly question but it seems like so many students I know who are pre-med know exactly what they want to specialize in already. When I tell them I don't really know what i'd like to do ppl think I have no focus at all. In my thinking I couldn't really even say right now because I would just appreciate to be in the field and could see myself doing almost anything, maybe except for neurosurgery or PEDS.
Does it look bad on an interview if you don't have a firm idea in mind of exactly what type of doctor you want to be?

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[shimauta]

Hi! how are you?
I'm a premed applying for the class of 2012. I think your qeustion is a valid one; from what my premed advisor told me, adcoms don't care if you don't know what field you want to specialize in as long as you are truly passionate about medicine - that's what clinical years are all about, discovering what you are really passionate about.
Godd luck with everything!

 

[FootballFan14]

NO! Your point of view looks GOOD. It is naive to think that one could know what specialty they absolutely want to commit to without even being in med school yet (I know there are exceptions). I think interviewers get tired of the applicant who insists they want to be X type of very specific doctor with A) limited experience in that field and B) even if they did a shadowing, no experience in other fields. I'd just give them a rough ballpark to show that yo are thinking about it but flat out say "I have no idea yet." Like I think I want to go into Medicine or OB/GYN over Surgery. Or I want to see patients over being a radiologist or pathologist. Etc.

 

[Ginzo]

To the OP, you're in great shape. One of my med school interviewers actually told me, "Don't get too caught up in any one specialty just yet because you really have no idea until you get out onto the wards."

Remember that the whole point of MS3/MS4 is to figure out what the heck you want to do. If you're too caught up in a specialty prematurely and you go into your clinical rotations with a closed mind, you could miss out on something that you would have otherwise really enjoyed.

There is one caveat to this. You should consider whether or not you think you might want to try to match into some competitive specialties. If there is a strong chance of that, you need to start med school from day 1 with that in mind. Study accordingly to get the necessary grades and Step 1 score, basically.

If you going to tell your interviewers that you don't know what specialty you're interested in, you should try to shadow doctors from as many different specialties as possible. Be sure to mention that as an aside if they ask you what specialty you're interested in.

 

[UFMed]

NO! Your point of view looks GOOD. It is naive to think that one could know what specialty they absolutely want to commit to without even being in med school yet (I know there are exceptions). I think interviewers get tired of the applicant who insists they want to be X type of very specific doctor with A) limited experience in that field and B) even if they did a shadowing, no experience in other fields. I'd just give them a rough ballpark to show that yo are thinking about it but flat out say "I have no idea yet." Like I think I want to go into Medicine or OB/GYN over Surgery. Or I want to see patients over being a radiologist or pathologist. Etc.

Yeah I totally agree with you. Until the day comes when we are actually performing procedures, handling patients with greater responsibility than a job shadower, keening in on the lifestyle of each specialty, yada yada... how can we ever really know?
I use to intern with a thoracic surgeon for almost two years, and if people asked me what I wanted to be, I'd say..."We'll...heart surgery is really cool." But its the only thing I had actually seen; my first love. But later on I found myself shadowing a busy family practice residency and I discovered I could see myself doing that too. It kind of liberated my thinking- allowing me to know that there would be no way of me personally knowing without trying as many things out as possible. Of course, I can only speak for me. I know some people find a field and are in to it balls deep- and good for them- although I still think is important to enter med school with an open mind.

 

[UFMed]

OP, during my interviews I was never really asked "What specialty do you see yourself going into?" Instead, I was asked questions like "What qualities do you think a doctor must possess?" Or "Where do you see yourself after med school, or in 10 years?" Either way I think if you really are asked the original question, it may be better to say "I am interested in so many fields" or swing the conversation to highlight the type of doctor you want to be; "Whatever specialty/field I end up going into, I want to make sure I have plenty of patient contact, build relationships in a rural setting...etc etc." And don't be afraid to ask your interviewer questions on his/her own field of medicine- I know I did and it usually led us into interesting conversation, and a very relaxed interview.

 

[Free2B]

To the OP, you're in great shape. One of my med school interviewers actually told me, "Don't get too caught up in any one specialty just yet because you really have no idea until you get out onto the wards."

Remember that the whole point of MS3/MS4 is to figure out what the heck you want to do. If you're too caught up in a specialty prematurely and you go into your clinical rotations with a closed mind, you could miss out on something that you would have otherwise really enjoyed.

There is one caveat to this. You should consider whether or not you think you might want to try to match into some competitive specialties. If there is a strong chance of that, you need to start med school from day 1 with that in mind. Study accordingly to get the necessary grades and Step 1 score, basically.

If you going to tell your interviewers that you don't know what specialty you're interested in, you should try to shadow doctors from as many different specialties as possible. Be sure to mention that as an aside if they ask you what specialty you're interested in.

Thank you all for your replies I feel a lot better now. I have considered about the possibility of a very competitive residency so I really want to do the best in med school because who knows what i might have an interest in. So i guess its a good motivation

 

[lord_jeebus]

I don't think it is a problem, but at a minimum I think you should be able to say that you've seen some area of medicine and can explain what is attractive to you about it.

I have observed that people who can narrow down their interests are better able to articulate their goals in a concrete way. However when people state that they are interested in ____ without a good reason, it's a little off-putting.

If you can make a good case for why the medical field is a good match for you (beyond vague statements like "It's an evolving field" and "I like science and people") I wouldn't worry about not knowing what specialty you like best.

 

[Perrotfish]

When someone in Undergrad, who has never done a clinical rotation, knows exactly what they want to do I think there are 4 possibilities:

1) They saw it on House

2) They found a list of best paid specialties (or had ROAD specialties explained to them).

3) They got their EMT-Basic and 'know' they want to do EM

4) They thought about it several years, read, reasearched, considered the quality of both the work and the associated lifestlye, and then decided they want to be the same speciality as their Dad.

Oddly enough people seem to hold on to reasons 2 and 4 in medical school

 

[nonesuchgirl]

Hello, this is my first time posting here. I'm a non-traditional student and I really want to become an MD or perhaps a DPM. This may be a silly question but it seems like so many students I know who are pre-med know exactly what they want to specialize in already. When I tell them I don't really know what i'd like to do ppl think I have no focus at all. In my thinking I couldn't really even say right now because I would just appreciate to be in the field and could see myself doing almost anything, maybe except for neurosurgery or PEDS.
Does it look bad on an interview if you don't have a firm idea in mind of exactly what type of doctor you want to be?

Most people don't know. Most people change their minds 578852487942 times. A few of us do have a concrete idea about which direction we'd like to go.

Just go in with an open mind, even if you've got your heart set on something. Nothing will tank an eval like a crappy attitude.

Oh, and Perrotfish, I'd add Grey's to #1.

 

[Free2B]

When someone in Undergrad, who has never done a clinical rotation, knows exactly what they want to do I think there are 4 possibilities:

1) They saw it on House

2) They found a list of best paid specialties (or had ROAD specialties explained to them).

3) They got their EMT-Basic and 'know' they want to do EM

4) They thought about it several years, read, reasearched, considered the quality of both the work and the associated lifestlye, and then decided they want to be the same speciality as their Dad.

Oddly enough people seem to hold on to reasons 2 and 4 in medical school

good list by the way,What is ROAD?
I feel a lot better reading these posts, I really have my heart set on East Carolina University and i'm hoping for the best.

 

[copingmethods]

What is ROAD?

Radiology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, and Dermatology

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Radiology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, and Dermatology

Widely considered to be specialties with good life style and good pay (Although people have been grumbling about dropping optho as their reimbursements have plummetted). They range from medium to extreme difficulty to match into.

And kudos to Perrotfish, I agree exactly. Any premed who tells me "this is what I want to do, and only this" sets off alarms in my head.