Ranking the Specialties

[Sooperman]

How would you guys rank medical specialties based on "prestige"? How would it look from most competitive to least competitive?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Sooperman]

bump

 

[qwerty2012]

HSS's orthopedic surgery. Hopkins's neurosurgery. boom, two most selective big names . I think anything with surgery is competitive. LoL. might because of premed mentality.

 

[DAPI]

ROADs > everything else > peds > FM

More or less

/thread

Note: this 'ranking' has no bearing on where I see myself someday

 

[tn4596]

Nobody is gonna answer your questions regarding "prestige" because it is dumb. Regarding competitiveness, use google.

Edit: nvm I guess people do care about prestige

 

[D0CTORX]

ROADs > everything else > peds > FM

More or less

/thread

Note: this 'ranking' has no bearing on where I see myself someday

FM>peds

 

[Arbor Vitae]

.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

ROADs > everything else > peds > FM

More or less

/thread

Note: this 'ranking' has no bearing on where I see myself someday

cool story bro ( wish adcoms kept it real like that)

 

[mimelim]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

 

[DAPI]

cool story bro ( wish adcoms kept it real like that)

😕

 

[mimelim]

😕

Radiology - 1000+ spots
Anesthesia - 1500+ spots, not particularly high step 1s

There is obviously a bit more to it, but they aren't hugely competitive compared to some of the smaller specialties.

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2012.pdf

 

[ShenanigansMD]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

Where would you say Vascular Surgery is on this chart (I don't see it)? Do you think it's around ortho?

 

[Sooperman]

Don't get me wrong guys. I actually WANT to go into primary care. I'm just curious in case it comes up in an interview. A couple days ago I found out that ENT is actually very competitive and I originally thought it was barely out of primary care. I just want to be better informed.

 

[KinasePro]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

You could probably put Urology around ENT & neurosurgery, too (they have a separate match).

I'd say the prestige of the medical specialties is extremely flimsy. Many of the hyper competitive fields (e.g. ortho & derm) are lampooned constantly in the hospital by other docs, so the prestige you garnered by matching into said specialties is pretty much null. Peer prestige in medicine is a funny thing that hardly reflects lay prestige (save maybe neurosurgery).

Also, keep in mind that your training is only beginning once you graduate medical school, and the alleged "smartest" specialists in the hospital (arguably nephrology or Pulm/CC) are in no way prestigious. So what is prestige, anyway and why should you care about it? Do what you enjoy (or can stand), and forget the rest.

 

[gasblaster]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

I think this is old data.

 

[Osteoth]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

Anes is surprisingly low considering all the hullabaloo about "ROAD" specialties bandied about on here...

 

[nychila]

Prestige is a silly thing to try to rank and even sillier to aspire to, so I'm going to ignore that bit...

Competitiveness can be a little more objective...

At the same time, there are a lot of IM and Gen Surg programs that are as competitive or more competitive than plastics or derm. But if you simply want to go by the chance of simply matching a particular specialty, that is the best gauge.

Could you cite the source for this figure please?

 

[Caesar]

Also, keep in mind that your training is only beginning once you graduate medical school, and the alleged "smartest" specialists in the hospital (arguably nephrology or Pulm/CC) are in no way prestigious. So what is prestige, anyway and why should you care about it? Do what you enjoy (or can stand), and forget the rest.

Quoting to +1 the nephro/pulm docs being the smartest in the building.

Looking for prestige based on specialty is among the more obtuse things I've seen.

Prestige is an individual trait anymore. Patients don't care where you went to school or trained if you are a complete tool (most never know unless you tell them, and if you tell them you are instantly a tool). Some of the most respected docs I know are community guys who trained in BFE but take damn good care of their patients.

Pro-tip: spend whatever time you have to ponder about prestige doing something good for yourself or others. It will carry you much further.

Competitiveness is also equally revolting, but I save those rants for the Allo and step 1 threads. PA should be debating which Medical school gives you the best shot at XXXX specialty so that the rest of us can laugh about you thinking school X improves an individuals shot at anything other than school X affiliates.

Carry on though. 🙂

 

[Caesar]

Could you cite the source for this figure please?

post 11.

 

[Caesar]

actually that figure is probably in the charting outcomes or whatever the NRMP calls the bi-annual publication.