For most of us during our Medical college( for some of us even before we start our journey), we have a specialisation which we are inclines to. 90% of the time it is mostly about how much the subject fascinates us. However, is that enough?
What we often forget is that choosing a specialty is a life-altering decision to an extent, so there are many other factors that come into play.
Of course being interested in the field is one of the biggest reasons to choose it but there are other factors to consider as well.
- Lifestyle preferences- If you are someone who is interested in working in a clinical setting, with emergencies (for the adrenaline rush), doesn’t mind rotational shifts- Emergency Medicine might be interesting to you. If you are someone who wants a more sinlge shift, 9-5 type day job- something like radiology or Dermatology might work for you.
- Research- If you want to go the clinical research route- paraclinicals or psychiatry might be the way to go
- Patient interaction- If you like the OPD feel and interacting with patients General Medicine, General Surgery might be a good option
- Super-specialisation- the decision whether you want an end branch or want to do SS can play a pivotal role in the initial selection of the specialty
- Job security and Financial considerations- Is your favourite branch helping you pay the bills and giving you financial security? Is it a sustainable specialty which Can help you get a job easily?
- Burnout- A few specialties have a higher burnout rate compared to others, e.g. Clinicians from OBG and General Medicine can burnout faster when compared to other branches.
- Ease of availability- In competitives, the average rank at which the specialization is available is also something to remember.
It’s best to choose the specialisation which satisfies all these criteria for you. That way you will make a well informed decision.
Anything else anyone thinks needs to be considered before making a decision?