Is it okay to express an interest in two very different specialties?

[cryhavoc]

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Say you shadow two different specialties and have an interest in both. Let us say that one doctor you shadowed rights you a LOR and says "So and so displays fine qualities for a " and the other doctor does the same.

Is this problematic? I am honestly interested in both, but they seem different. I'm worried an admission board will think I'm just pretending to get a certain doctor to look at me more favorably for liking their specialty?

Plus I heard some schools like to try and say stuff like "why not general practice or research?" Will those specialty doctors saying I have an interest in their field hurt me because of that?

Honestly just curious, I can come up with a way they are both related if I have to.

 

[Boolean]

People do not expect you to decide your specialty in undergrad. It is more than okay to express an interest in both.

 

[cryhavoc]

People do not expect you to decide your specialty in undergrad. It is more than okay to express an interest in both.

Okay, thanks! People always give me odd looks when I say what I'm leaning toward because they are so different. But in my mind, they both are incredibly interesting, and I enjoyed shadowing both . . .

So how does one deal with the general practitioner/research question when asked by an interviewer, if you have no interest in either? I have a lot of research hours so I'm worried how to explain I don't like it as much as patient interaction.

 

[Hospitalized]

Meh. I doubt a physician is going to say you are fit for a certain specialty when they are writing you a letter to get into medical school. They aren't writing you a letter for residency. If both doctors did this for different specialties, that would just allow admissions to infer that you have the qualities of a future physician.

It's okay to express a variety of interests this early in the game. You should be interested in figuring out what is right for you.

 

[Boolean]

Okay, thanks! People always give me odd looks when I say what I'm leaning toward because they are so different. But in my mind, they both are incredibly interesting, and I enjoyed shadowing both . . .

So how does one deal with the general practitioner/research question when asked by an interviewer, if you have no interest in either?

"While I certainly note the value of field X, my passions lie in field Y"

Not everyone wants to be a researcher or a GP and they understand that.

 

[ProudMD]

No problem at all.

At my interview, I expressed my interest in both internal medicine and general surgery. Accepted!

 

[Zelda840]

I don't see why it would be a problem. I think it would actually be much worse if you acted like you were 100% set on a specific specialty, especially if it was a very competitive one.

 

[ProudMD]

I don't see why it would be a problem. I think it would actually be much worse if you acted like you were 100% set on a specific specialty, especially if it was a very competitive one.

Concur with this. It is absolutely alright to express passion and desire for a particular specialty or two. But it is also very important to demonstrate flexibility.

 

[mimelim]

The real question is, why are doctors that you shadowed writing you letters of rec. Weak letters++

 

[Psai]

They aren't going to take a LOR from someone you shadowed as seriously because you probably didn't have much interaction with them.

 

[gyngyn]

Say you shadow two different specialties and have an interest in both. Let us say that one doctor you shadowed rights you a LOR and says "So and so displays fine qualities for a " and the other doctor does the same.
.

I am going to suggest that you not use shadowing letters for MD applications.

 

[cryhavoc]

They aren't going to take a LOR from someone you shadowed as seriously because you probably didn't have much interaction with them.

Seriously? I shadowed both of these doctors for 40 hours each. We talked during lunch, and after seeing each patient? I visited some professor's office hours a couple times and have less time with them, yet they are giving recommendations?

 

[gyngyn]

Seriously? I shadowed both of these doctors for 40 hours each. We talked during lunch, and after seeing each patient? I visited some professor's office hours a couple times and have less time with them, yet they are giving recommendations?

These letters carry very little (if any) weight.
I can understand that you wish it were different, though.
Just list your shadowing hours in the activities section with the appropriate contact information.

 

[cryhavoc]

These letters carry very little (if any) weight.
I can understand that you wish it were different, though.
Just list your shadowing hours in the activities section with the appropriate contact information.

I have a committee at my school and they specifically say 4 LOR from professors, 3+ from volunteering, shadowing, research, etc.

I think (might be mistaken) MD schools only get the committee letter so I might just do what the committee wants. If they do get all the LOR though, I would be concerned, hence my question above.

 

[gyngyn]

I have a committee at my school and they specifically say 4 LOR from professors, 3+ from volunteering, shadowing, research, etc.

I think (might be mistaken) MD schools only get the committee letter so I might just do what the committee wants. If they do get all the LOR though, I would be concerned, hence my question above.

If your committee requires this, you must comply. They are asking for this for their own reasons, however, not because we value them. If you are choosing your own letters, almost any other source would be better.

 

[cryhavoc]

If your committee requires this, you must comply. They are asking for this for their own reasons, however, not because we value them. If you are choosing your own letters, almost any other source would be better.

I understand and believe you, but I am mildly interested why allopathic medical schools care more about the LOR from college professors, or maybe the middle-aged lady who supervised your community clean-up, than the word of doctors?

It seems like doctors would know best if a candidate possesses the qualities to be a doctor, not your professor. Seems like this is how DO schools think anyway, as they require a DO's LOR.

 

[Mad Jack]

Okay, thanks! People always give me odd looks when I say what I'm leaning toward because they are so different. But in my mind, they both are incredibly interesting, and I enjoyed shadowing both . . .

So how does one deal with the general practitioner/research question when asked by an interviewer, if you have no interest in either? I have a lot of research hours so I'm worried how to explain I don't like it as much as patient interaction.

If you are certain of your specialty in undergrad without substantial health care experience you're probably being pretty damn naive. Being set on a particular specialty before starting medical school is actually kind of a red flag.

 

[cryhavoc]

If you are certain of your specialty in undergrad without substantial health care experience you're probably being pretty damn naive. Being set on a particular specialty before starting medical school is actually kind of a red flag.

So, this is just an example, the specialty I'm interested in is different, but just as a point of curiosity, is having 100+ hours volunteering on an oncology ward, 200+ hours of research relating to cancer, 40 hours of shadowing an oncologist, and having several relatives suffering/died of cancer enough to warrant believing you have some health care experience/interest, or should I still just say I "might" be interested in that but haven't really made up my mind.

I don't want them to see all that on my resume (in another specialty, oncology was just the example)and think I am a liar for saying I don't have at least one strong interest..

 

[Mad Jack]

So, this is just an example, the specialty I'm interested in is different, but just as a point of curiosity, is having 100+ hours volunteering on an oncology ward, 200+ hours of research relating to cancer, 40 hours of shadowing an oncologist, and having several relatives suffering/died of cancer enough to warrant believing you have some health care experience/interest, or should I still just say I "might" be interested in that but haven't really made up my mind.

I don't want them to see all that on my resume (in another specialty, oncology was just the example)and think I am a liar for saying I don't have one strong interest..

Seems legit. They won't think anything of it. It's usually the people who come in and are like, "I volunteered as a candy striper for 100 hours and it really ignited my interest in orthopedic surgery and that's the place where I envision myself" that are more the problem.

 

[gyngyn]

I understand and believe you, but I am mildly interested why allopathic medical schools care more about the LOR from college professors, or maybe the middle-aged lady who supervised your community clean-up, than the word of doctors?

It seems like doctors would know best if a candidate possesses the qualities to be a doctor, not your professor. Seems like this is how DO schools think anyway, as they require a DO's LOR.

You are correct in observing that DO schools have a preference for a physician (especially DO) letter. This is one of the many differences in strategy between the two applications. We actually don't want a letter from your supervisor in the community clean up either, just include the activity in the appropriate place on the primary application with her contact info.

We have observed that the nature of the shadowing experience results in predictably similar letters that do nothing to distinguish between applicants of varying strengths.

 

[cryhavoc]

You are correct in observing that DO schools have a preference for a physician (especially DO) letter. This is one of the many differences in strategy between the two applications. We actually don't want a letter from your supervisor in the community clean up either, just include the activity in the appropriate place on the primary application with her contact info.

We have observed that the nature of the shadowing experience results in predictably similar letters that do nothing to distinguish between applicants of varying strengths.

Okay, makes sense. Thanks.

 

[Psai]

dude you're talking about your experiences in terms of hours. i don't care if you shadowed them for 1000 hours and talked to them throughout the entire patient encounter. the amount of time you spent has little relevance for admissions purposes although they do ask it on your application. what matters is what you've seen, how it pertains to your goals of being a physician and what you learned about taking care of patients and about being a doctor. shadowing is sitting there in the room for a while as the doctor talks to the patient. you have no idea what is going on. i remember sitting in on clinic during first year asking people what their lisinopril is for

 

[MU420]

I have a committee at my school and they specifically say 4 LOR from professors, 3+ from volunteering, shadowing, research, etc.

I think (might be mistaken) MD schools only get the committee letter so I might just do what the committee wants. If they do get all the LOR though, I would be concerned, hence my question above.

Your committee makes you send 7+ LOR's? Is that normal these days?

 

[ridethecliche]

Your committee makes you send 7+ LOR's? Is that normal these days?

I believe the OP has a committee letter, i.e. the committee writes a letter that combines all the other letters.

 

[Goro]

Perhaps because your professors can attest to your dedication, maturity and intellect, while a doctor's judgment in only a few hrs time is a poor predictor of anything you might do or become?

I understand and believe you, but I am mildly interested why allopathic medical schools care more about the LOR from college professors, or maybe the middle-aged lady who supervised your community clean-up, than the word of doctors?

DO schools like these because they show you're going the extra mile, and the experience of talking to and/or shadowing a DO lets them know you understand the differences between MDs and DOs.

It seems like doctors would know best if a candidate possesses the qualities to be a doctor, not your professor. Seems like this is how DO schools think anyway, as they require a DO's LOR.

 

[sunflower18]

Plus I heard some schools like to try and say stuff like "why not general practice or research?" Will those specialty doctors saying I have an interest in their field hurt me because of that?

YMMV, but I've never had an interviewer ask me why I'm not interested in becoming a general practitioner. Many interviewers have inquired as to whether I have any specialties in mind, and when I tried to say, "Well, I'm keeping my mind open..." They said, "Yeah, yeah, I know, but what are you thinking about right now?". So I don't think that expressing initial interest in a specialty or two is a negative at all -- or at least it hasn't seemed to be for me.

 

[Lysinee]

It's normal.

Many med students have a few specialties that they are interested in. The Step 1 score helps clear that up.