Choosing a Medical Specialty/Choosing Medical School

It's never too early to think about choosing a specialty when you're in med school.  Here are some tips:

1. Check out the FREIDA website on the AMA if you're applying for a residency in the US
2. Read blogs about people's medical training and their residency experiences.  It's really eye opening
3. Read forums about different specialties.  You'll learn about how much they earn, how much they work, as well as the good and bad things of those fields
4.  Ask residents.  If they're friendly, they'll talk to you and speak candidly about their experience as a resident.  A few residents will have switched fields and be able to really give you great advice on the positives and negatives of their former field.
5. Attendings are helpful to ask, but their view is definitely different from a resident.  They're already on top, and life is much better for them.  They'll probably be able to provide more advice on the future of a specialty and in what direction it's moving
6. Try out what medicine is like in private practice during an elective if you can, and not just in an academic setting.  You'll get a better feel for both that way.  Many people miss the team aspect of an academic hospital where there are medical students and residents instead of just the attending and a PA or NP.
7. Always try before you apply.  You'll be surprised by how many people change their minds after doing an elective.  I definitely felt that way after my hematology/oncology month.  I know a lot of people who were hardcore-set on surgery but ended up applying for radiology.
8. Shadow doctors when you get the chance.  I managed to a few times during basic sciences and it was a great experience.

Experience will only help you when it comes to choosing a field.  Some other questions you can ask yourself are:
1. Can I see myself teaching topics in this specialty and enjoy it?
2. Do I like reading the scientific literature about this field?
3. Am I excited to go to rounds/OR/clinic every day in this field?
4. Can I see myself doing this when I'm 40, 50, 60 years old?

You always hear about the lawyer who quit to go become a chef or the guy who didn't choose to go onto a residency because they wanted to go into business instead.  I'm not sure if those people had their heart in their former career, but you know they found something they're more passionate and excited about.

Soon I'll write an entry on the decision to apply to medical school.  Cheers