What your peers are researching about medical specialty choice

Looking for details that set specialties apart is a year-round endeavor for a medical student and no matter which year you are in, zeroing in on a preferred specialty can be a daunting task.

These helpful resources stood out as the most popular in 2019.

1. FREIDA leads the way on getting program details

   1. We’ve started providing a unique peek behind the scenes on how your peers are using FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®, to search for a residency or fellowship from more than 11,000 programs.
   2. Learn which specialties’ programs are getting the most views based on both specialty and state. We also bring a unique view that highlights the 10 specialties with the most overall first-year positions.

2. Weighing the impact of burnout

   1. Burnout remains a formidable concern in medicine and this year, and increased research and solutions have helped shine a brighter light on physician well-being. One online survey of physicians found an overall burnout rate of 44%. When broken down by the 29 specialties included in the survey, the burnout rates varied from 54% for urology to 28% for public health and preventive medicine. Learn how the specialties compare.

3. Specialties with biggest gender imbalance

   1. Gender has proven to be a factor related to which medical specialties residents pursue following their graduation from medical school. On the whole, women account for 45.6% of active residents in the U.S., but the balance of gender by specialty varies widely. Learn which specialties are most popular among male and female physicians entering residency.

   2. Related Coverage

      Applying to more than 1 medical specialty? What you should know

4. Looking for a personal perspective

   1. Our “Shadow Me” Specialty Series brings specialties to life through the practicing physician’s voice. Built to answer the questions students have about specialties, the series includes nearly 100 entries. Physicians explain what it’s like to practice in their specialty and whether the lifestyle matches what they envisioned.

5. Older insights remain relevant through search

   1. Despite a headline touting highlights from 2018, external search activity brought a steady flow of users to this article from late last year. The story offers valuable perspective on specialty pay, work-life balance as well as the most popular subspecialties. The sustained interest easily made this our most popular story of 2019.