Most Competitive Residencies?

[kickster]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I know derm is, but what others are? Also is it fair to compare schools' match lists based on the competitiveness of their residencies?

 

[Lollygag]

Plastics, Rad oncology, Ortho...

I think neurosurgery is competitive too but I heard that their is a lot of "weeding out" so that only the most competitive applicants really get to apply. When you become one of the people "good enough" to apply then it's not so competitive after that.. but that's just what I have heard.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

There are like 100 threads about this. Search button is your friend.

 

[sommerwing]

Plastics, Rad oncology, Ortho...

I think neurosurgery is competitive too but I heard that their is a lot of "weeding out" so that only the most competitive applicants really get to apply. When you become one of the people "good enough" to apply then it's not so competitive after that.. but that's just what I have heard.

Not true, there's no weeding out process. Anyone could apply to any specialty if they feel that they can be competitive, there's nothing that prohibits you from doing so.

It's just that less and less students are pursing the field because:

1.) Brutal and LONG residency. Most other specialty residencies have 3-4 years, neuro has 7.
2.) The hours are some of the worst you could possibly have. The neurosurgeon I worked with told me that when you're on-call as a neurosurgeon, you're basically on call for that region of the country.
3.) Neuro has one of the worst rates of malpractice. It should also be noted that malpractice is a huge financial problem in many medical professions. For example, General Surgeons pay ~40K a year in malpractice insurance. I have no idea how much neuro pays, but it's considerably higher.

 

[Ashley1989]

Not true, there's no weeding out process. Anyone could apply to any specialty if they feel that they can be competitive, there's nothing that prohibits you from doing so.

It's just that less and less students are pursing the field because:

1.) Brutal and LONG residency. Most other specialty residencies have 3-4 years, neuro has 7.
2.) The hours are some of the worst you could possibly have. The neurosurgeon I worked with told me that when you're on-call as a neurosurgeon, you're basically on call for that region of the country.
3.) Neuro has one of the worst rates of malpractice. It should also be noted that malpractice is a huge financial problem in many medical professions. For example, General Surgeons pay ~40K a year in malpractice insurance. I have no idea how much neuro pays, but it's considerably higher.

If you work at a hospital do you need malpractice insurance or does the hospital provide that?

 

[NickNaylor]

If you work at a hospital do you need malpractice insurance or does the hospital provide that?

If you are employed by the hospital it will likely be covered. However there are physicians not employed by hospitals that have hospital privileges and can work there. Whether they pay for it or not will depend on the arrangement with their practice group.

 

[Owlie]

I hear that CT surg is still very competitive, in spite of the declining compensation rate and high amount of malpractice rates as well

 

[intcards]

The traditional route for CT surgery is to complete a cardiothoracic fellowship after a general surgery residency. This route is not competitive. A good percentage of CT surgery fellowship spots nationwide went unfilled last year. There is a newer route that integrates CT surgery and general surgery into a single 6 year residency that is entered after med school. since it is newer, there are only about 20 programs in the country and so it is more competitive.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Not true, there's no weeding out process. Anyone could apply to any specialty if they feel that they can be competitive, there's nothing that prohibits you from doing so.

It's just that less and less students are pursing the field

Which is what the above poster meant by "weeding out". Perhaps a more accurate term is "self-selection" in that a higher percentage of applicants match but that's because non-competitive applicants don't bother applying.

3.) Neuro has one of the worst rates of malpractice. It should also be noted that malpractice is a huge financial problem in many medical professions. For example, General Surgeons pay ~40K a year in malpractice insurance. I have no idea how much neuro pays, but it's considerably higher.

I have no idea where you got the rate for general surgeons. It varies considerably between states, counties, type of practice and prior malpractice history. I paid nearly $100K in Pennsylvania and pay more than $40K here in Arizona; there are states where malpractice for GS is less than $40K.

At any rate, OB-Gyn and Neuro are amongst some of the highest, especially if you do Neuro spine.

In regards to the other poster's query about hospital employment: if you are employed by a hospital/HMO etc, part of your employment package will be malpractice coverage. In PP you pay your own malpractice but have the ability to earn more to compensate for that.

 

[Owlie]

Which is what the above poster meant by "weeding out". Perhaps a more accurate term is "self-selection" in that a higher percentage of applicants match but that's because non-competitive applicants don't bother applying.



I have no idea where you got the rate for general surgeons. It varies considerably between states, counties, type of practice and prior malpractice history. I paid nearly $100K in Pennsylvania and pay more than $40K here in Arizona; there are states where malpractice for GS is less than $40K.

At any rate, OB-Gyn and Neuro are amongst some of the highest, especially if you do Neuro spine.

In regards to the other poster's query about hospital employment: if you are employed by a hospital/HMO etc, part of your employment package will be malpractice coverage. In PP you pay your own malpractice but have the ability to earn more to compensate for that.

I will never work in Pennsylvania. I had a GS tell me that the malpractice suits there are about as common as trees are in Oregon.