Medical Specialties Competitiveness 2017

[damusiel]

What are the most competitive specialties out there?
What are the least?

Im considering psychiatry, or general surgery. Are these competitive for a average student.

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[Albanian Mafia]

Not sure about most other specialties, but I can tell you I probably couldn't match into derm nowadays.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

If you're not in med school yet and your interests are as diverse as surgery and psychiatry, it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to worry about what may or may not be competitive in 2022 when it might actually affect you.

Surgeries tend to be more competitive, but that should in no way affect your goals or interests right now. Competitiveness of specialties will change, your interests will change, your drive/success as a student will change... but I'll still be here giving unsatisfying answers to pre-meds.

 

[Frogger27]

General surgery is moderately competitive, while psychiatry is not very competetive.

The most competitive specialties are derm, ortho, otolaryngology, urology, neurosurgery, plastics, rad onc

Least would probably be family Med, psychiatry, PM&R, neurology and some community internal medicine programs

 

[stickgirl390]

General surgery is moderately competitive, while psychiatry is not very competetive.

The most competitive specialties are derm, ortho, otolaryngology, urology, neurosurgery, plastics, rad onc

Least would probably be family Med, psychiatry, PM&R, neurology and some community internal medicine programs

What does PM&R stand for?

 

[whistleberries]

What does PM&R stand for?

Pain medicine and rehabilitation

 

[penpenclown]

What does PM&R stand for?

I was told it stands for Plenty of Money & Relaxation.

 

[Kgizzle]

Pain medicine and rehabilitation

That's not right, it stands for Plenty of Money and Relaxation

Edit: Literally one comment down.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Psych is actually getting more competitive. Words getting out that it's a pretty great specialty.

Indeed, this most recent match only had 4 psych spots go unmatched. While the average scores are still lower, those are trending upwards, as well.

 

[flapjack3d]

http://work.chron.com/salary-physiatrists-5278.htm

average salary seems more on par with family medicine so plenty of money seems rather incorrect.

224k is plenty for me! Especially considering this includes the considerable number of physicians with absolutely zero business sense

 

[Frogger27]

Psych is actually getting more competitive. Words getting out that it's a pretty great specialty.

Sure psych is getting more competitive, but in comparison to other specialties it is still not very competitive.

 

[whistleberries]

thats incorrect
its Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
physiatrists are the practioners
physiatry is the speciality

they are the counterpart to orthopedic surgeons similar to how neurologists are counterparts to neurosurgeons

I stand corrected! Thanks, now I'll know.

 

[efle]

If you want to look at avg step 1 score as a measure of competitiveness (note: couldn't find avg step 1 for Urology, which is also competitive):

 

[libertyyne]

If you want to look at avg step 1 score as a measure of competitiveness (note: couldn't find avg step 1 for Urology, which is also competitive):

Confidence bands make a difference on this data. There is a lot of overlap and you quickly realize that a lot more goes into the match then the raw step score. I also wish they published data by program in an MSAR of residencies considering geographical and quality of the program may influence the median step scores. Matching into mass general in internal med might look more like 245 compared to the mean of 233

 

[efle]

if the Charting Outcomes document gave IQR values I'd add them for sure...just wasn't about to try and accurately eyeball them all from the graph they give

and yeah I think it will vary a ton by specific residency, especially in things like IM and general surgery. Matching to a smaller community center type place in the deep south vs major west coast academic center will look very different , I'd guess

 

[_ Aquarius _]

If you want to look at avg step 1 score as a measure of competitiveness (note: couldn't find avg step 1 for Urology, which is also competitive):

What's the difference between Internal Medicine-Pediatrics and Regular Pediatrics?

 

[libertyyne]

What's the difference between Internal Medicine-Pediatrics and Regular Pediatrics?

The difference between Family practice and Internal medicine?

 

[da8s0859q]

The difference between Family practice and Internal medicine?

No, difference between med/peds -- as in, board-prepared for both specialties -- and pediatrics alone.

This thread being in hSDN is just... yeah.

 

[_ Aquarius _]

No, difference between med/peds -- as in, board-prepared for both specialties -- and pediatrics alone.

This thread being in hSDN is just... yeah.

So... IM-Peds means that you are dual board certified in IM and Peds while regular Pediatrics is just a single Pediatric board certification?

 

[Levo]

Indeed, this most recent match only had 4 psych spots go unmatched. While the average scores are still lower, those are trending upwards, as well.

I think one needs to be cautious about using average board scores of successfully matched applicants as the single measure of how competitive a specialty is. A residency application is made up of a lot more than board scores, and one specialty having lower average board scores than another could just mean that the PDs in that specialty care more about a different measure, like clinical grades, research, or community involvement than they do about board scores.

 

[Hkhan]

Indeed, this most recent match only had 4 psych spots go unmatched. While the average scores are still lower, those are trending upwards, as well.

Isn't that because of IMGs (who wouldn't be considered for much anything else) applying into psych [I guess some do fm and pm&r too]?

 

[SpartanWolverine]

So... IM-Peds means that you are dual board certified in IM and Peds while regular Pediatrics is just a single Pediatric board certification?

Correct. med/peds (IM-Peds) is a four year program that makes you eligible to sit for both internal medicine and pediatric boards. This is opposed to either program which is three years in length. You are also eligible to apply for both peds and IM fellowships after med/peds training.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Isn't that because of IMGs (who wouldn't be considered for much anything else) applying into psych [I guess some do fm and pm&r too]?

Match data shows that 62% of psych matches this year were US grads, whereas only 52% were 4 years ago.