Choosing a specialty

Some come into medical school already knowing exactly what specialty they would like to practice in the future. Some have a general idea and still other have no clue at all what specialty appeals to them yet. When third year rolls around, the pressure is on to choose on a specialty as early as possible to begin planning for residency (finding advisors to guide you through the process and getting letter of rec from faculty). I was in the last category for most of medical school and most of third year. There were things I liked about all the rotation and had great experiences on all of them. However, when that time comes to decide here are some things to keep in mind:

• Advice I have been given and continue to give those who ask me is to keep an open mind and learn as much as you can from each rotation. This is true for whether you have already chosen a specialty or not, as you might change your mind somewhere along the way. 

• At the end of the rotation, take a moment to do some reflection and note the things you like and did not like about the rotation. However, make sure you try and keep the work separate from the people because it is easy to get swept up by an amazing attending who makes you love the rotation or conversely, it is just as easy to dismiss an entire specialty simply because you did not have the greatest of time with that particular team. If it's a specialty you are interested in and the rotation left a bitter taste in your mouth, do another rotation in that field in a different hospital or clinic as an elective before you make your final decision. 

• Ask residents and attendings what they like and don't like about the specialty, how they manage work-life balance, and if they would choose that specialty again if they could go back in time. However, take these answers with a grain of salt and ask many different people's opinions so as to not get swayed by any one particular individual that is overly optimistic or pessimistic. 

• Go with your gut and do what makes you happiest! This last one is for those of you who are like me and you over-analyze things and make pros and cons lists for everything before making decisions, especially when they are as important as choosing a specialty that you will practice the rest of your life! I agonized over my decision for many months: was my USMLE step 1 score high enough for the field I wanted? Did I need more research experience? The self doubt crept in and I almost settled on a specialty because I thought it was the one that I had the best "stats" for rather than the one that had my heart. It wasn't until I spent three weeks of long days and nights on the Labor & Delivery floor and still left each day feeling exhausted but with a huge smile on my face, that I realized my calling. Because at the end of the day, if you find something you love and are passionate about, it will make all the struggles and long hours worth it.  

Hope this post was helpful! 

Wishing you all the best,

Martina