Whoever says money is NOT an issue is a liar. Who puts themselves through hell doing medical school and then residency to earn just a little bit above jobs where less training is required. You should be compensated for the risks and services you provide. With that said, Money should not be the top priority in terms of what you want to do until your 6 feet deep or spread across the ocean. Plus as mentioned before, as the time changes the compensation will vary with it. Passion is what should determine what specialty we decide to enter.
Who are we to judge those as money hungry people just because they like two vastly different fields? Is there a rule book to picking a specialty that I am unaware of? Please send me the link.
I do not know the OP or anyone else's reasons, but I AM interested in Orthopedic Surgery and Dermatology. Dermatology is not going anywhere. I am fascinated by the diverse conditions that affect people's skin. Skin cancer will continue to rise because people lack the mental faculty to protect themselves. I want a specialty where I can feel useful. Yes there is a cosmetic aspect of Derm but there are many other aspects. Go do your research. It would not be a medical field if it could so easily be marginalized as a field full of overcompensated dull and shallow people. We live in a society where people care about their appearance, maybe too much. However, correcting skin problems can deeply impact someone's life. Neglected skin can lead to great suffering. The day that I found out I had a smidgeon of an interest in Dermatology was when I went to my Dermatologist for treatment for a skin condition. The way I felt when I came out of her office is beyond words.
I originally planned on becoming a surgeon. I still want to become one, specifically an Orthopedic surgeon. I do not like Neuro because I find it very depressing.This summer I have been shadowing the Chief of Trauma Surgery at a hospital in my city and it has been the single greatest experience in my life so far. I met some Ortho residents and these were the first happy surgeons I encountered. Their personalities matched mine to a point of disgust, I felt at home. Orthopedics is not only diverse, but the experiences are so rewarding. Ortho is like a big box of fun. I feel I could be useful because I have great manual dexterity (credit to a lifetime of video games) and I love the OR. I got a rush just from watching these guys perform different procedures day in and day out then talk about them afterwards as if they just saw a movie. I feel that surgery will challenge me more, if I do not do surgery I feel like I'll be making a difference but maybe "settling" if that makes any sense given the competitive scope of Dermatology.
OP I too am confused, but I'm leaning towards Orthopedics. To each his own, you'll be able to decide once you go into those rotations.
