Which specialties offer the most stability?

[Ballints]

M2 here. I want to have a job where I am in demand and can choose to settle in diverse geographical areas. For example I'd like to live in Reno,NV (very nice geography) or in Miami Beach (and I do not speak spanish) or in Manhattan (for obvious reasons). I am sure there are a lot of doctors who want to live in certain areas, so it is competitive. I also have a thick foreign accent and do not like it when people do not appreciate me. So I think any specialty where there is competition for a job (i.e. pathology), I might end up unemployed. So what are some of the specialties that are safe for me?
It seems to me that primary care and neurology are the most "in demand". Based on what I've read on sdn, are radiology and anesthesia oversaturated with job applicants so that if you dont speak english, you end up unemployed or in a very undesirable location? What about IM subspecialties?

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[Valadi]

M2 here. I want to have a job where I am in demand and can choose to settle in diverse geographical areas. For example I'd like to live in Reno,NV (very nice geography) or in Miami Beach (and I do not speak spanish) or in Manhattan (for obvious reasons). I am sure there are a lot of doctors who want to live in certain areas, so it is competitive. I also have a thick foreign accent and do not like it when people do not appreciate me. So I think any specialty where there is competition for a job (i.e. pathology), I might end up unemployed. So what are some of the specialties that are safe for me?
It seems to me that primary care and neurology are the most "in demand". Based on what I've read on sdn, are radiology and anesthesia oversaturated with job applicants so that if you dont speak english, you end up unemployed or in a very undesirable location? What about IM subspecialties?

Primary care is in demand.. but probably not on miami beach! When they say in demand, they mean nationally. The rural US is currently greatly under supplied with docs.

The question really depends on what you want your practice to look like. If you want to stay in academia you go wherever you can get a job. If it's to join a group practice you need to bring something to the table (specialty training, years of experience, lots of money). If you want solo private practice, theoretically you can just set up shop wherever you want - although you will have to deal with competition from others.

Rads and anesthesia are pretty hot specialties right now. I don't see them as oversaturated at all. Rads would be especially good for you as 1) everyone needs them, 2) you don't interact with patients and largely just write out reports for docs.

PS
I assume by "want to feel appreciated" you mean you want a job that is not easily replaceable with someone who has an easier time communication. Yes?

 

[cowme]

Rads and anesthesia are pretty hot specialties right now. I don't see them as oversaturated at all. Rads would be especially good for you as 1) everyone needs them, 2) you don't interact with patients and largely just write out reports for docs.

PS
I assume by "want to feel appreciated" you mean you want a job that is not easily replaceable with someone who has an easier time communication. Yes?

Rads and anesthesia are certainly not "hot" in terms of job flexibility. Both fields are pretty oversaturated, and in rads a fair number of residents have to do two fellowships to land a job they want

 

[KinasePro]

It seems to me that primary care and neurology are the most "in demand". Based on what I've read on sdn, are radiology and anesthesia oversaturated with job applicants so that if you dont speak english, you end up unemployed or in a very undesirable location? What about IM subspecialties?

I actually heard recently that the neurology job market is pretty rough right now (yeah it surprised me, too). EM is another one that people are worried about, there's a lot of chatter about the future job market on their forums.

A lot of surgical sub-specialties have projected shortages by the time you'll be practicing (urology, CT, Trauma, OB/GYN, neurosurg, ortho), and hospitalists seem to have pretty good geographic flexibility (both IM and pediatric).

 

[flatearth22]

Psychiatry has tons of stability (high demand) and it's very friendly to private practice - low overhead, low malpractice insurance, can charge cash only. Also check out PM&R.

 

[LisaFrank]

Dermatologists are in demand everywhere: due to the small number of residency spots and the increasing demand/need for dermatologists, the job market is excellent. If you don't have the grades, research, Oprah-like personality, and Step scored for derm, psychiatry has excellent hours, a good salary, and a high demand everywhere in the country

 

[myhandsarecold]

Pedi psych, neuro, ophtho. Highest demand based on my personal observation.

 

[Ballints]

Thank you for your replies. So fields like dermatology are out because they are too competitive. And as explained above, both radiology and anesthesia are oversaturated right now.. So someone mentioned psychiatry. Is it a good idea to even consider it? It seems to me to be the least scientific of all the medical specialties. And reading/understanding articles and textbooks is one of the only things I am good at. I do not think I have a "pleasant personality". I wish I could pull it off. Just seating in an office and drinking tea while listening to people and making $$. But I don't think I could pull this off, I don't think anybody would feel better from talking to me.

 

[Valadi]

Thank you for your replies. So fields like dermatology are out because they are too competitive. And as explained above, both radiology and anesthesia are oversaturated right now.. So someone mentioned psychiatry. Is it a good idea to even consider it? It seems to me to be the least scientific of all the medical specialties. And reading/understanding articles and textbooks is one of the only things I am good at. I do not think I have a "pleasant personality". I wish I could pull it off. Just seating in an office and drinking tea while listening to people and making $$. But I don't think I could pull this off, I don't think anybody would feel better from talking to me.

There's differents paths for psych. You could do consult-liason psychiatry which is hospital based and doesn't involve "drinking tea while listening to people."

 

[Ballints]

There's differents paths for psych. You could do consult-liason psychiatry which is hospital based and doesn't involve "drinking tea while listening to people."

But isn't that the least desirable part of psychiatry? Wouldn't I make more and have more respect if I were a hospitalist? I am not interested in work that normal people do not want

 

[Valadi]

But isn't that the least desirable part of psychiatry? Wouldn't I make more and have more respect if I were a hospitalist? I am not interested in work that normal people do not want

Personally, I find C/L psychiatry very cool. I have no idea about desirable v nondesirable. I do know that it's intellectually interesting, you see a good variety of cases that use medical judgment (they treat neuroleptic malignant syndrome, catatonia, ODs, etc) and can have great hours. The C/L psychiatrists I know are making betwen 180-220k/year salaried. Working 9-5.

In terms of respect and doing something "normal people do not want": This is medicine. We're not talking about surgery v. waste management here, regardless of what you pick.

 

[cowme]

Thank you for your replies. So fields like dermatology are out because they are too competitive. And as explained above, both radiology and anesthesia are oversaturated right now.. So someone mentioned psychiatry. Is it a good idea to even consider it? It seems to me to be the least scientific of all the medical specialties. And reading/understanding articles and textbooks is one of the only things I am good at. I do not think I have a "pleasant personality". I wish I could pull it off. Just seating in an office and drinking tea while listening to people and making $$. But I don't think I could pull this off, I don't think anybody would feel better from talking to me.

I wouldn't get too hung up on current trends. Radiology is rough NOW, but you are 7-8 years away from looking for a job. In Most fields, things are very cyclical. Rads had a similar oversaturation in the late 90s, then became the hottest field in medicine in 2005 before hitting the current lull

 

[Hour30]

ENT is pretty stable if you do a general practice where you control the hours, etc. The residency is no walk in the part though.

The few things that get you are tonsil bleeds, nosebleeds, airways. I don't think it is that bad in smaller hospitals (I'm going to small community hospital next year).