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How will I know which medical field to go into?

I want to apply to medical school after I get my bachelr’s degree, but I’m worried I won’t know which medical field suits me the best. Will you know as soon as you do it? Are certain fields better for certain people? #medicalschool #medical-education

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Thank you comment icon Depending on what you want to do should help determine what part of the medical field you want to be in. For example, if you want to be a brain surgeon, you should study the brain with studying things like psychology. Shannon
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Richard’s Answer

During 3rd year of medical school you will rotate through the different specialties. That is a time to find out where your skills and interests lie. During 4th year you can take electives in the various subspecialties.
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Rachel’s Answer

Try shadowing different physicians in different fields. This will give you an idea of what interests you. Then, during your clinical years in medical school (3rd and 4th year), you will have the opportunity to spend time rotating through each specialty to solidify your decision.
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George’s Answer

I believe many students already have a feeling of what area of Medicine they would be most interested in before they enter and begin a Healthcare career. I was always pulled towards a Specialty that involved a good percentage of surgery. My situation took me to Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. My son, once he decided to apply to Medical School, always talked about being a Trauma Surgeon. He is now an Emergency Room Physician. My youngest daughter always liked Internal Medicine and is now a Physician Assistant working as a Hospitalist in a large teaching Hospital.

I think that once you have some idea of what you would like to see day to day as a Doctor/Healthcare worker, take steps early to research those areas and arrange to visit and shadow people (all three of us did exactly that). You can start in High School but certainly try to do it in College and Medical School. I have always made time for students to visit my offices (I am retired now). I actually have kept in touch with at least two students who went on to have very successful careers in Podiatry. Try to find similar "mentors" who may guide you and possibly help you decide what field to choose. My son and daughter are still helping students in that way.
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Misty’s Answer

What are you getting your BA in? Does it have anything to do with medical on any level? Where do you find yourself better suited in terms of science or hands on patient care? These would be things to think about and self assess before looking into a medical field as it is such a broad spectrum. Once you do this, you will be better apt to find a medical field and area of concentration that you will find fulfilling and rewarding. I would also suggest looking through the different fields to see if you find a point of interest that you could further look into and see if you feel it would be good fit for you.

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Pamela’s Answer

Hi Charity,
It’s great to go into medical school as a “blank canvas” so you can learn what you like as you go. Depending on your school curriculum you may begin clinical rotations as early as your second year of medical school. Most students I teach do not know what they want to do until they gain some exposure so it’s OK to keep an open mind. As you go through your training you can ask the residents and attendings what the work is like so you can get a better sense of things.

It’s also helpful to think about things like whether you are more interested in a surgical vs nonsurgical field, whether you want direct or indirect patient contact, etc. Be sure to ask as many career questions as you can along the way!
Hope this was helpful.
Pam
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