Specializing

[Ztlundgr]

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I was just wondering if you get into med school do you need to know what you are going to be specializing in right away? that is assuming that you know you want to specialize.

 

[unhappytnt]

Well, you kinda have to specialize. General Practitioners need 3 years of residency as well.

As for knowing what you want to specialize in: No, you don't need to know before. That's what clinical rotations are for.

 

[Law2Doc]

I was just wondering if you get into med school do you need to know what you are going to be specializing in right away? that is assuming that you know you want to specialize.

No point knowing before third year rotations -- you will change your mind in most cases anyway. But there is a very short window between third year and when you need to apply to residency, only time for an elective or two, so you will have to choose fast once you get to that stage. If you can do a bit of shadowing of specialties during your "spare" time in the first two years, that can be helpful.

 

[JKinSC]

This is one of those things that every doc I've spoken to has been adamant about--go in with an open mind! I've done x-ray/CT for 17 years now, so of course I assumed I would go for radiology. When asking physicians that I work with if the stereotypical "gunner" is really as bad as all that, and if I'd have to play the game to get into radiology, I was informed by every one of them that going in with a specialty pre-decided is absolutely pointless, as your mind will change several times between now and then.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Well, you kinda have to specialize. General Practitioners need 3 years of residency as well.

You mean Family Medicine Docs...FM is not the same as GP. GP= your internship then attempting to practice with this limited amount of clinical skills. About the only area this is commonplace anymore is the Navy/Airforce.


To the OP: The addage is that even those that "know" what they want to practice, going into medical school change their minds.

 

[brdmadgrl82]

I would love to go into pediatrics (or child psychiatry)...I need to work on getting in first . I do plan to have an open mind once I am in, but I have always enjoyed working with children.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

No point knowing before third year rotations -- you will change your mind in most cases anyway. But there is a very short window between third year and when you need to apply to residency, only time for an elective or two, so you will have to choose fast once you get to that stage. If you can do a bit of shadowing of specialties during your "spare" time in the first two years, that can be helpful.

Good advice.

The second bolding is important for specialties that are not part of the required third-year curriculum at a given med school.