Oregon Careers in Healthcare

What medical specialty should I do? Many students who dream of going to med school have this common question. In fact, this may be one of the most important questions that you need an answer to. However, what you seek may not come as soon as you would expect. Why? Because while it’s so easy to decide what branch of medicine you would want to get at first, staying in a difficult medical specialty sometimes takes more than what you expect. This results in you transferring to a different medical specialty, and this is all normal.

What’s great about medical school is the opportunity it gives you to expose yourself and explore many medical specialties in a span of a few years, so it would feel easier for you to know where you excel and what side of medicine you would want to accomplish. So, in the end, only one question remains, ‘what medical specialty should I do?’

 

Medical School: How To Choose And How To Get In

Choosing your medical school is a great decision that you need to make because it is where your introduction path to becoming a physician starts. A medical student like you can definitely rely on choosing a medical school as part of the driving force for you to know where your strengths and weaknesses are in the medical field.

For you to get into a competitive medical school, you have to get a 3.0 to 3.5 GPA just to apply. And we know how frustrating and scary it is to know what happens between application and acceptance to a school, much more if it’s a medical school. Mind you that there even are certain schools that require an average GPA of 3.7, like Michigan Tech University. Here are some tips that we can give you in order to get into the med-school of your dreams.

 

Showcase your  Medical Experience

Of course, the reviewers of your resume would not expect you to treat people and get a job as a doctor at this time because, well, you are not a doctor yet. What we mean is for you to get an idea through personal experience in the clinical setting. Job shadowing or an on-the-job training program with a medical consultant may help. Others may try volunteering as a nursing assistant, an EMT (emergency medical technician), or a data encoder of a tertiary hospital.

Perform Science Projects

Show them that you know science, and you excel in it. One of the most important impressions you would want your professors to see is your genuine interest in science and health care. So taking on research projects that showcase this would mean a lot, especially to your resume.

Volunteer

We say this not for you to think of doing on-the-job training programs for exposure and experience. The volunteer work we mean here is for you to sign up for community work or non-government organization’s outreach programs. Getting involved in community service and humanitarian affairs speaks layers about your values and dedication to help others.

Apply to Multiple Schools

You may have a medical school in mind by now, but would you risk your time and effort by just applying in one? Personally, we would advise you to submit applications to as many schools as you can, just so you have a fallback in case your Plan A doesn’t work this time. If you fail, it does not mean you’re no good. You just have to have a backup plan so your success wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

Study for the MCAT

The Medical College Admission Test is one of the main requirements that you need to have when dreaming of entering med school. Aspiring medical students prepare for this exam by studying for years before taking it, then take practice tests to measure their preparedness. Out of the scores ranging from 472 to 528, the score you need to have has to reach at least 508.

Further your Language

Learn a different language aside from English. Get immersed in the language most people in your area speak. In America, knowing Español can give you a very good advantage. Your diverse patient population may consist of a high percentage of Spanish or Mexican descent, so knowing how to communicate with them lets you have an edge against other competitors.

Express yourself politely

Interviews are nerve-wracking. Not only are the best doctors going to interview you, but some may also even be part of the board of directors, scaling if you indeed are up to the challenge to be under their wings. Challenging scenarios and questions will be thrown out, one query more difficult than the first one. What you need to remember is to stay humble, calm, and composed.

Answer each question with all sincerity. If you can, practice answers that you mean, not just because you think the answer will win them over. Remember that this is just the start of your journey to a long and winding road to becoming a doctor. Showing them your best foot forward will only become a burden to you in the coming years. And it may even backfire, so be careful.

Explain your Dream

Why do you want to become a doctor in the first place? Your aspirations, driving force, and dedication to your craft may just win them over. So, be sure to honestly mention why you think becoming a doctor should be your chosen profession. Humbly self-promote yourself, telling them that you wish to become a true asset to their institution. Moreover, your work and the quality of service you willingly give to your patients may become a treasure and epitome of excellence for the medical school and hospital.

 

What Medical Specialty Should I Do?

Now that you were able to get into the medical school of your dreams, knowing what to take up is the next hurdle.

However big this decision is, we wouldn’t want to pressure you into giving a concrete answer during the first few years of your medical school journey. Why? Because your knowledge and exposure to the different medical specialties by this time do not measure up to how extensive medicine is. The only way you can really decide and push through with your chosen medical specialty is when you already gained experience about the different fields and know where you definitely excel and feel comfortable doing.

There are six medical specialties that all medical students need to take during the career rotating path. This will help you get a better understanding of how each medical specialty takes care of patient care, how they treat diseases, and what characteristics you need to have to provide health care to your patients.

 

Family Medicine

Considered the center of primary care, family medicine is the medical specialty of choice if you want to have comprehensive knowledge about a person’s health care. This field of medicine differs from others since it caters to not just the diagnosis and treatment of specific organ diseases.

What family physicians provide is comprehensive primary care that includes preventive measures, rigorous health care assessments, community service, immunization, and many more. Their patients range from newborns to elderly people, in or out of the hospital, treating the sick as well as doing routine wellness check-ups.

 

Internal Medicine

Another comprehensive or broad medical specialty, internal medicine aims to diagnose, treat, and provide care to adult patients. Internists, as they are called, equip themselves with the knowledge and experience for to handle the extensive and all-inclusive range of diseases that concern adults.

These doctors have expertise in diagnosing patients and treating chronic illnesses. No wonder they are called the doctor’s doctor because their wide expertise to provide patient care helps specialists understand a particular sign or symptom that their patient demonstrates.

 

General Surgery

Considered one of the most difficult medical specialties in medicine, general surgery covers patient care before, during, and after any surgery. Aspiring general surgeons, during their stay in this medical specialty, learn how to operate on the digestive tract, breast, integumentary (skin), and the glands or endocrine system.

Typical surgical procedures that they encounter include:

• Appendectomy (removal of the appendix)
• Cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder)
• Hernia repair
• Surgery for burns (skin grafts)
• Mohs surgery (removal of cancer-stricken skin)

General surgeons can perform other surgical procedures aside from those mentioned earlier. Not only that, but these medical practitioners should know fully well about critical care, surgical oncology, and trauma surgery. These areas need their attention so they can perform surgical procedures to treat patients as needed.

 

Psychiatry

As the field of medicine that focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, as well as prevention of all mental or behavioral disorders, aspiring medical students who would want to become psychiatrists should be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to take on this profession.

Because psychiatry covers the whole treatment plan of psychiatric patient care, one should understand the scope and limitations of this medical specialty. Not only are they covering mental disorders, but psychiatrists also treat emotional distress, psychological problems, and behavioral changes of a person. Even substance abuse gets assessed, diagnosed, and treated by psychiatrists.

This field uses psychotherapy, drug intervention, psychosocial involvement, and therapies including electroconvulsive therapy to facilitate treatment for mentally disturbed patients. It takes at least 4 years of exposure to this medical specialty for a medical student to complete his stint in psychiatry.

 

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Do you have the impression that a patient going to the OB-GYN is pregnant or expecting? Well, that is only half true. For those who get confused, OB-GYN stands for obstetrics and gynecology. Obstetrics is the field of medicine that involves pregnancy and child delivery. Gynecology, on the other hand, refers to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of any female reproductive system issue.

As an aspiring OB-GYN, medical students in this field would learn about how to:

• address reproductive issues (hygiene, sanitation, menstrual cycle, etc.)
• assess one’s pregnancy from prenatal stages to childbirth and postpartum care
• treat common complaints (pain, bleeding, infections)
• cover sexually transmitted disorders (herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, Aids, etc.)
• provide preventative services and tests (Pap smear, pelvic exam, ultrasound, blood test, etc.)
• perform different surgical procedures concerning the reproductive system (cesarean section, hysterectomy, surgical removal of ovarian cysts, myomectomy, etc.)
• explain and provide insight on infertility and ways to treat or prevent them

The four years of your stay in medical school as an OB-GYN resident covers theoretical studies, particularly anatomy and physiology. You can expect observation and performance of the different ranges of treatment and procedures under OB-GYN throughout your specialty completion.

 

Pediatrics

After obstetrics, pediatrics is the field of medicine that parents seek for their child. Concerned with the general of newborn to young adult patients, pediatric specialists are like internists of the young. These specialists have extensive knowledge on how to assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent all medical conditions concerning children and teens.

Under this broad medical specialty, you can choose a subspecialty that can focus on different issues of the young, such as trauma, oncology, cardiology, neurology, surgery, burn, neonatology, and more.

 

These medical specialties give way to a clearer path in case you decide to work towards getting your subspecialty. It does not mean that completing these broad specializations is not enough. Actually, you can already establish a career in any of these fields. Just make sure that your willingness to learn and provide quality health care to your patients continues to be your top priority.

 

What Medical Specialty Should I Do: Tips When Choosing

Choose a field that makes you happy and fulfilled. If you think caring for kids is your passion, delve into pediatrics. If you want to harness the knowledge and skill of treating adults, internal medicine may be for you.

Select a medical specialty that technology cannot replace. With modern robotics and innovative technology, scientists continuously find ways to provide primary care and more elaborate patient care using advanced practices like artificial intelligence. If you choose a specialty that can be catered to by virtual reality, your career may suffer, making you expendable.

Find a medical specialty that has high demand and low supply in an area. Whether you decide to stay or settle in a different city or country, research medical fields that are lacking professionals, and delve into that. Your value and contribution to that specific specialty may be more rewarding and influential.

 

Choosing your medical specialty is such an exciting and life-changing decision — you need to pursue your dreams, decide your worth, measure your capabilities, find what you love to do, and go after your passion. However, aside from listening to what your gut and your heart want you to do, understand that this profession will also dictate your future, so you better think twice and weigh everything in your head. You should make this important decision with sound judgment and a logical mind. Make sure you’ve considered the practical and financial aspects of your career in a rapidly changing health care landscape.

 

References:

How to Choose a Medical Specialty

https://www.uhsa.ag/how-to-choose-a-medical-specialty/

Why I Chose My Specialty

https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/md-education/current-students/career-development/why-i-chose-my-specialty.html

When’s the right time to choose a medical specialty?

https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/specialty-profiles/whens-right-time-choose-medical-specialty

Choosing a medical specialty

https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/career-planning-resource/choosing-medical-specialty

Specialty Profiles

https://www.aamc.org/cim/explore-options/specialty-profiles

5 tips on choosing the right medical specialty for you

https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/01/5-tips-on-choosing-the-right-medical-specialty-for-you.html

Critical Components in the Match

https://medstudents.medicine.umich.edu/student-support/match/critical-components-match

Roadmap to Choosing a Medical Specialty

http://www.med.stanford.edu/md/student-affairs/student-wellness/_jcr_content/main/panel_builder_2/panel_1/download_1095234323/file.res/Roadmap%20to%20Choosing%20a%20Medical%20Specialty%20.pdf

The Ultimate List of Medical Specialties and Subspecialties

https://www.sgu.edu/blog/medical/ultimate-list-of-medical-specialties/

How to Choose a Medical Specialty

https://www.studentdoctor.net/schools/selector