rank the specialties

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arkroyal

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in terms of reputation, what are the best specialties and hardest to get into?

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in terms of reputation or getting into, can't tell.

but in terms of best money, lifestyle,etc:
1) radiology.

i think in terms of reputation(aka prestige), things like pediatric surgeon might be really high up there for some people and plastic surgeon for others.
 
Hardest? If you talk about Step 1 and match rates, Derm and neurosugery. After that RadOnc/ENT/ophtho/ortho/rads
 
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exmike said:
Hardest? If you talk about Step 1 and match rates, Derm and neurosugery. After that RadOnc/ENT/ophtho/ortho/rads
Good List. The addition of Plastics to the top two would make it complete.
 
exmike said:
Hardest? If you talk about Step 1 and match rates, Derm and neurosugery. After that RadOnc/ENT/ophtho/ortho/rads

I agree, but in addition, getting residency in plastics is also really hard now, since you can have a little more control over your lifestyle.
 
BrettBatchelor said:
Good List. The addition of Plastics to the top three would make it complete.
oh yes, plastics. :thumbup:
 
exmike said:
Hardest? If you talk about Step 1 and match rates, Derm and neurosugery. After that RadOnc/ENT/ophtho/ortho/rads

Only straight out of med school. IM subspecialties like GI and cardiology are equally as difficult to get into.

This is silly. OP, go spend a bunch of time reading the residency forums, including the FAQs. They have much better info than we, as pre-meds, could possibly have. Also, these things change over time; 5 years from now the competitive specialties could be different than what they are now. So really it only matters when you get to the point where you're about to apply and you need to evaluate whether you'll be able to get into the speciality you've chosen because you like it best (for whatever reasons).
 
arkroyal said:
in terms of reputation, what are the best specialties and hardest to get into?

Dermathology <--- probably the highest/Opthamalogy <---- probably highest too/Neurosurgery <---- duh/Cardiology<--- very high/Cardiovascular surgery<--- very high/Orthopedic surgery (spine surgery especially)/Urology/Aerospace Medicine/Immunology/Colon surgery/otalaryngology/plastic surgery/thoracic surgeyr

dermatology/opthamology/urology are probably the most competitive because you work 40 hour weeks and make a #*$(#$#*( load of money with a relaxed lifestyle and relatively low malpractice. Good luck getting into these.

all of these require an immense amount of work after med. school (i.e. you begin to work as an indepedent doctor when you are like 35 years old).

By that point, reputation doesn't matter, so I don't know why this is so important all doctors are equally valued (unless you are a doctor and you compare yourself to other people based on specialties, in that case you are a toolbag)

radiology is high paying but they have very high malpractice (some figure said that 1 in 5 radiologists is sued a year)
 
Tominator said:
What about emergency medicine?

mmm....good hours, not great pay (generally paid by hospital....no such thing as private practice in EM)
 
so which specialties pay the most?
is my list correct?
1. cardio surgeon
2. neuro surgeon
3. plastic surgeon
4. orthopedic surgeon
5. don't know, anyone care to fill out the rest?

am I correct?
 
jammin06 said:
mmm....good hours, not great pay (generally paid by hospital....no such thing as private practice in EM)

I have to disagree, as my girlfriend is now interviewing for emergency medicine in the midwest as well as the east coast. Hours are great, and so are salaries. There is such thing as private practice in EM. EM practices work through contract with different hospitals, and they do VERY well, while working 3-4 days a week with NO call. They are actually very common, even in academic centers.

Here's my list of how difficult specialties are, based upon multiple variables from desirablity to number of spots available. Its also based on the specialty in general, not including fellowships (cardio, peds surg, plastics, etc)

Top tier (most competative)
Plastics (37 spots for 5-7 year residencies, 89 programs (the rest are fellowships open to residents in gen surg, ortho, and ENT residents)
ENT (273 spots, 103 programs)
Neurosurg (146 spots, 94 programs)
Derm (301 spots, 106 programs)
Orthopedics (472 spots, 152 programs)
Urology (253 spots, 121 programs)
Rad Onc (121 spots, 77 programs)
Opthomalogy (452 spots, 122 programs)

High tier (very competative)
Diagnostic Radiology (883 spots, 193 programs)
Med-Peds (445 spots, 109 programs)
Anesthesiology (1030 spots, 132 programs)
Emergency Med (1033 spots, 124 programs)

Competative
Surgery (1039 categorical spots, 254 programs)
Ob (1218 spots, 254 programs)

Not so competative
IM (4752 categorical spots, 390 programs)
Peds (2601 spots, 208 programs)

Not competative
Physical Med and Rehab (298 spots, 80 programs)
Psychiatry (1179 spots, 180 programs)
Family Practice (3572 spots, 497 programs)
Neurology (468 spots, 117 programs)
Pathology (538 spots, 155 programs)
Medical Genetics (74 spots, 48 programs)

sscooterguy
 
dz88 said:
so which specialties pay the most?
is my list correct?
1. cardio surgeon
2. neuro surgeon
3. plastic surgeon
4. orthopedic surgeon
5. don't know, anyone care to fill out the rest?

am I correct?

This is not unbiased mind you, but: http://www.allied-physicians.com/salary_surveys/physician-salaries.htm
From talking to my attendings, salaries vary, but they all say in private practice, that this particular survey is somewhat optimistic and maybe a little outdated as we are on the midst of huge healthcare change, but it describes accurate potential.

Top salaries include Ortho spine, Neuro Surg, Cardio Surg, Plastics, Optho Retina, Cardiology (interventional and non) followed by tons others.

sscooterguy
 
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sscooterguy said:
Not competative
Pathology (538 spots, 155 programs)
Medical Genetics (74 spots, 48 programs)
interesting...my top two choices as of now if i end up doing a residency (md/mba).
 
basically to get into any of these top residencies it's like going through the high school admissions process (high grades, lors, e.c.s, b.s.) all over again (which happens in undergrad as well).

Do really well on your USMLE Part I. I think you have to get a 190 to pass the USMLE Part I. Average score is like a 210, this will place you in an "average" residency. 230 will make you somewhat competitive. 230-250 is the sweet spot for applying, and 250+ I heard makes you very competitive but I've also heard that many residency directors frown upon it (i.e. you study too much and have no life?)

Here is a very nice list of specialties that you guys might like it will give you a good idea how hard it is to get into the residency, and what type of stuff you might do.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/guide/medstudent/specialties/index.html
 
sorry, i have to post it (it's a pet peeve) it's oPHthalmology, not opthalmology!!! sorry about the rant!! :p
 
Shredder said:
interesting...my top two choices as of now if i end up doing a residency (md/mba).

interesting. if you pursue the path/med genetics route you bypass patient care almost entirely. are you confining yourself to the research sector?
 
sscooterguy said:
I have to disagree, as my girlfriend is now interviewing for emergency medicine in the midwest as well as the east coast. Hours are great, and so are salaries. There is such thing as private practice in EM. EM practices work through contract with different hospitals, and they do VERY well, while working 3-4 days a week with NO call. They are actually very common, even in academic centers.

Here's my list of how difficult specialties are, based upon multiple variables from desirablity to number of spots available. Its also based on the specialty in general, not including fellowships (cardio, peds surg, plastics, etc)

Top tier (most competative)
Plastics (37 spots for 5-7 year residencies, 89 programs (the rest are fellowships open to residents in gen surg, ortho, and ENT residents)
ENT (273 spots, 103 programs)
Neurosurg (146 spots, 94 programs)
Derm (301 spots, 106 programs)
Orthopedics (472 spots, 152 programs)
Urology (253 spots, 121 programs)
Rad Onc (121 spots, 77 programs)

High tier (very competative)
Diagnostic Radiology (883 spots, 193 programs)
Med-Peds (445 spots, 109 programs)
Opthomalogy (452 spots, 122 programs)
Anesthesiology (1030 spots, 132 programs)
Emergency Med (1033 spots, 124 programs)

Competative
Surgery (1039 categorical spots, 254 programs)
Ob (1218 spots, 254 programs)

Not so competative
IM (4752 categorical spots, 390 programs)
Peds (2601 spots, 208 programs)

Not competative
Physical Med and Rehab (298 spots, 80 programs)
Psychiatry (1179 spots, 180 programs)
Family Practice (3572 spots, 497 programs)
Neurology (468 spots, 117 programs)
Pathology (538 spots, 155 programs)
Medical Genetics (74 spots, 48 programs)

sscooterguy

So did you just create your own list? I've always heard ophthalmology is one of the very most competitive specialties, and that EM and Anesthesiology weren't all that competitive.
 
tacrum43 said:
So did you just create your own list? I've always heard ophthalmology is one of the very most competitive specialties, and that EM and Anesthesiology weren't all that competitive.

Well, yeah, I created this list, but with a few (good?) resources. I ranked EM and Anesthesiology as competative from what fourth years, attendings, and residency directors are saying at my school. (I talk to the EM, IM, and Surg residency directors probably every 3-4 weeks because I have worked with them previously). Also, I have based this list on another resource, titled Iserson's "Iserson's Getting Into A Residency", which I think is an excellent source if anyone is intersted. The book has statistics on each specialty as well as a general direction, projections about the future, and competativeness of the programs in one of its chapters. Iserson uses statistics on number of applicatants, percentage of FMG's, personal contact with residency directors, number of programs going unmatched, etc to come to conclusions. I have also combined those two sources with Freida (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive database: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.html) and my own opinions based on what docs are saying at my school. This is just my list though. Take it for what it is.

sscooterguy
 
sscooterguy said:
Well, yeah, I created this list, but with a few (good?) resources. I ranked EM and Anesthesiology as competative from what fourth years, attendings, and residency directors are saying at my school. (I talk to the EM, IM, and Surg residency directors probably every 3-4 weeks because I have worked with them previously). Also, I have based this list on another resource, titled Iserson's "How to get a medical residency", which I think is an excellent source if anyone is intersted. The book has statistics on each specialty as well as a general direction, projections about the future, and competativeness of the programs in one of its chapters. Iserson uses statistics on number of applicatants, percentage of FMG's, personal contact with residency directors, number of programs going unmatched, etc to come to conclusions. I have also combined those two sources with Freida (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive database: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.html) and my own opinions based on what docs are saying at my school. This is just my list though. Take it for what it is.

sscooterguy

Well okay then, sounds like you have much more of an "insider's" perspective...just a little disappointing because EM and Anesthesiology are the specialties I'm more interested in. At least for now...
 
TheMightyAngus said:
interesting. if you pursue the path/med genetics route you bypass patient care almost entirely. are you confining yourself to the research sector?
something like that. im interested in biotech but i know phd school isnt for me (papers, grants, benchwork). i see this route as a valid alternative. some fellowships offered look fascinating
http://www.mayo.edu/msgme/molec-gen-rch.html
http://www.brighamandwomens.org/pathology/Medical/MolecGeneticPathology.asp

im just trying to think of how to make money here. i think patients stand to gain a lot from progress in this area and it takes business to deliver research to the public.

interested in anything in particular yourself?
 
Don't be too disappointed on my account. Its only my opinion and somewhat limited experience in the Midwest. Also, I would say EM and Anesthesiology are still easier than Ophtho, although harder than Gen Surg.
 
I just want to get in period. :scared:
 
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