3 NOTES WHEN CHOOSING A RESIDENCY SPECIALTY IN THE US
Choosing a medical specialty to pursue can be said to be one of the most important decisions in a doctor’s life.
This not only affects the career your whole life but also determines your level of job satisfaction after work. A right choice will save you many years of effort.
Every day has 24 hours, most of your time is work and if it is not work that brings joy and satisfaction to you, then you certainly will not be able to do that job for a long time.
So how do you choose a specialty that’s right for you?
1. Consider personal passions and interests
In this regard, AMGs like me will have many advantages over IMGs because they are trained, go to rotations and understand the specifics of specialties in the US. Although the same specialty has the same things in common, it is certain that the characteristics of that specialty in Vietnam and the US will have certain differences.
So, if possible, find as many USCE opportunities in the specialties you like to be more certain about your choice. Besides, you will also have a lot of advantage when interviewing for programs you like.
I often joke that choosing the right specialty is as important as choosing the right life partner. Finding a specialty that helps me satisfy my passion and having a job that I’m excited about doing is truly a great happiness.
There is a book that has helped me a lot in making choices in life, which is “Start with why”. Since reading that book, every time I have to make choices, I always turn inward and ask myself the question why: Why am I doing this? Why did I choose this department? What do I really like?
For example, I don’t want to devote all my time and attention to work. In addition to work, my family and my desire to contribute to society are extremely important.
Therefore, a family doctor could not be a more suitable choice for me. Although sometimes I still struggle to have a balance between work and personal life, overall this is still a job that gives me a lot of freedom in arranging my time.
2. Consider relationships with patients and colleagues
Any person you interact with, talk to, or even think about affects your energy and vice versa.
When I was in school or just starting a job, when I encountered an unpleasant patient, I could think and feel my energy drained for days. Now that is no longer the case, but it is certain that choosing a working environment that brings you positive interactions is extremely important.
Each specialty will have its own characteristics with certain diseases, ages, environments,… I will consider whether I enjoy interacting with many patients; That specialty will need to see how many patients a day and sketch a brief portrait of those patients in your mind.
For example, if you work as a pediatrician you will need to meet babies and their families, it is inevitable that the babies are crying or the family is too worried. If you don’t like children or meet too many people in one day, it’s quite difficult.
Or when you work as a paraclinical doctor (pathologist, radiologist, etc.), you will have little contact with patients. If you are an introvert and don’t like to communicate, these are great majors for you.
3. Consider training time and other related factors
Residency training time as well as intership/fellowship time vary greatly between specialists. Department.
There are specialties that only require completing medical school and 3 years of residency to be able to work, but there are specialties such as Neurological Surgery that require about 8-9 more years after graduating from medical school to be able to practice. If you calculate the total training time, it will be 4 years of university + 4 years of medical school + 7 years of residency + 1-2 years of minor specialist training = 16-17 years spent studying.
However, the level compensation when working is extremely attractive, but not everyone has the conditions and desire to train for a long time. Especially for female doctors, when you have a family and a baby, your health, time and mind for training are significantly limited.
Therefore, carefully evaluate the specialties you like, consider the pros and cons as well as the level of investment you are willing to make to make the right choice.
Above are some main factors that I have applied in the past to choose the specialty I want. In addition, there are many other factors to consider such as salary, benefits, on-call time, social trends associated with career opportunities and challenges during the working process…
Choosing a specialty is a highly personal decision, there is no right or wrong decision, only one choice is more suitable than the others. Take more time to reflect on yourself, your interests, life values and long-term goals to understand exactly what you want.
In addition, if you have quality relationships with doctors working in the specialties you like, don’t hesitate to seek help. Because if you don’t ask, the answer will be “No” and if you do ask, and they refuse, there’s no loss.
Hope that my small experiences can help you in your journey to conquer the big dream of American medical residency.
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