US specialties by competitiveness

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Dr_Kat_Lady

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What are the most competitive/popular specialties in the US at the moment? I heard Pediatrics is gaining quite a bit of attention, as is family medicine (where as before it was often a second or last choice for many people). Dermatology, Cardiology, and most surgical specialties also have a competitive reputation.

How about least competitive? I've heard from some ppl currently in residency that Radiology and Pathology are probably the most often unmatched.

Does this vary between USMG and IMGs in terms of matching?
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What's the difference between Dermatology and "Medicine-Dermatology"?
 
CharlieBillings said:
What's the difference between Dermatology and "Medicine-Dermatology"?
Click to expand...

Some programs offer a dual Internal medicine-X residency like med-peds, I'm assuming its the same.
 
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I'll take a crack at making a list (based on the above references). I'll base it on Step 1/Step 2CK score, and match rates of US seniors.

1.) Plastic Surgery (Integrated)
------(Step 1: 250, Step 2CK: 256 Match Rate: 77%)
2.) Neurological Surgery
------(Step 1: 249, Step 2CK: 251, Match Rate: 76%)
3.) Dermatology
------(Step 1: 249, Step 2 CK: 257, Match rate: 77%)
4.) Orthopaedic Surgery
------(Step 1: 247, Step 2CK: 253, Match Rate: 75%)
5.) Vascular Surgery (Integrated)
------(Step 1: 239, Step 2CK: 250, Match Rate: 71%)

****EDIT: Urology & Ophthalmology have their own separate match, but probably fall around this area

6.) Otolaryngology
------(Step 1: 248, Step 2CK: 253, Match Rate: 89%)
7.) Radiation Oncology
------(Step 1: 247, Step 2CK: 251, Match Rate: 89%)
8.) General Surgery
------(Step 1: 235, Step 2CK: 247, Match Rate: 83%)
9.) Diagnostic Radiology
------(Step 1: 240, Step 2CK: 247, Match Rate: 98%)
10.) Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
------(Step 1: 236, Step 2CK: 249, Match Rate: 88%)
 
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ChordaEpiphany said:
Both likely fall between Rad Onc and gen surg. Without a doubt they are more competitive than gen surg.
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The match rate for urology has been ~70% the last couple years with a Step 1 average in the upper 240s.
 
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Why does Ent and rad once have such a higher match rate then the other competitive specialties (within same step score range)? Self selection?
 
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Frogger27 said:
Why does Ent and rad once have such a higher match rate then the other competitive specialties (within same step score range)? Self selection?
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It's pretty well known at this point that the job market for rad onc isn't the greatest, especially if you want to live in one specific area only. I imagine there's less people applying because of that and only the most dedicated people who can't see themselves doing anything else are applying.
 
Frogger27 said:
Why does Ent and rad once have such a higher match rate then the other competitive specialties (within same step score range)? Self selection?
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My thought is completely anecdotal, but I believe students interested in ENT, and especially Rad Onc, have a niche interest in that field earlier in medical school and therefore tailor their entire application to matching that specialty. Therefore if you have the numbers/research to apply for these specialties it is more likely to be a slam dunk.
 
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ENT had a unique cycle this year. Quite a few unmatched spots after the regular match, fewer US applicants than usual. Probably self selection.
 
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Does anyone understand why plastics is so competitive? I know the surgeries are cool and the pay is good, but seems like a fairly brutal and lengthy residency for the same money you could make in something with a better lifestyle.
 
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ENT had a ton of unmatched programs this year. Perhaps because of their arrogance, requiring an independent secondary application to each program.
 
Those who expect to match at a desirable diagnostic radiology residency or location simply due to the near 100% match rate are going to have a bad time. It's deceiving but if you're subpar, prepare to smell cow feces for 5 long years in rural America. You still need above average step 1 and good grades to match the desirable places that still have their cutoff values regardless of how easy it's getting to match into a radiology residency somewhere in America.
 
jd989898 said:
Does anyone understand why plastics is so competitive? I know the surgeries are cool and the pay is good, but seems like a fairly brutal and lengthy residency for the same money you could make in something with a better lifestyle.
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Depends, if you strike it rich in a good location you can make more than any other medical specialty doing cosmetics besides maybe neuro surg and spine ortho. Pretty wide gap in what a plastic surgeon focusing on reconstructive cases vs a established miami cosmetic doc makes.
 
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chuelas1 said:
Where does neuro and internal fall?


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I think that the competitiveness of internal medicine is a little difficult to compare to other specialties because of how many programs there are out there. While just about every program in something like neurology, anesthesia etc. is affiliated with a major academic medical center, there are a million stand-alone community IM residencies in the middle of nowhere. I would imagine that most of these community programs are pretty accessible to just about any US MD school grad. Academic IM programs and well-regarded community programs with strong fellowship placement are very competitive.
 
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bannie22 said:
ENT had a ton of unmatched programs this year. Perhaps because of their arrogance, requiring an independent secondary application to each program.
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I don't think requiring a program-specific paragraph in the personal statement for each program had the desired effect of decreasing the number of applications per program. It is certainly more work for the applicants and I'm glad I didn't have to do it. But, do you really think that someone who has put in the time necessary to build a strong ENT application would be unwilling to put in the ~40 extra hours required to bang out these extra paragraphs (assuming 30 min for paragraph customization and 80 programs applied to).
 
educ8r said:
I don't think requiring a program-specific paragraph in the personal statement for each program had the desired effect of decreasing the number of applications per program. It is certainly more work for the applicants and I'm glad I didn't have to do it. But, do you really think that someone who has put in the time necessary to build a strong ENT application would be unwilling to put in the ~40 extra hours required to bang out these extra paragraphs (assuming 30 min for paragraph customization and 80 programs applied to).
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I think it would have decreased the number of programs I would have applied to.
 
jd989898 said:
Does anyone understand why plastics is so competitive? I know the surgeries are cool and the pay is good, but seems like a fairly brutal and lengthy residency for the same money you could make in something with a better lifestyle.
Click to expand...

Low number of programs/spots.
 
jd989898 said:
Does anyone understand why plastics is so competitive? I know the surgeries are cool and the pay is good, but seems like a fairly brutal and lengthy residency for the same money you could make in something with a better lifestyle.
Click to expand...

Numbers wise, it does not have many spots compared to other specialties.

I believe plastics is also competitive because it is one path into the world of cosmetic surgery, which often has young & healthy patients, and bypasses insurance companies by having patient pay you out-of-pocket.

Both pay & lifestyle are variable. If you are a general plastic surgeon working in a smaller city with blue collar jobs you can expect to deal with mostly hand trauma and skin cancer (which do not pay the most). Very little complex cosmetic procedures to be had and you will make less money but work 8-5 M-F and only have hand call. On the other hand if you are a microsurgeon and do a lot of free flaps then you can expect to make money but your lifestyle will definitely take a hit.

At the end of the day just do what you love.
 
Money, lifestyle, coolness. If you have 2 of the 3, then you have a competitive specialty.
 
ENT will drop to 70% next year as more and more people apply given this past cycle. I will therefore be finding myself serving you all french fries and soft drinks for a living.
 
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failedatlife said:
ENT will drop to 70% next year as more and more people apply given this past cycle. I will therefore be finding myself serving you all french fries and soft drinks for a living.
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Depends on ur step scores. I hear service jobs are getting competitive
 
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