specialties

My roommates and I bought this book together looking for a comprehensive overview of each specialty-- typical practice settings, level of competitiveness (for residency spots, fellowship spots, and beyond), income, and future prospects/directions for each field. We wanted numbers with an objective interpretation. We couldn't find such information anywhere else, and, unfortunately, we didn't find it here either.

This book is a hodgepodge of trite quotes and whatever the author found during a 15-minute search on Medline-- I know because I tried it myself, and I got the same handful of articles that she cites. The information she presents is often outdated or taken out of context, and is generally too vague and/or superficial to be of use in any case.

I cannot imagine how anyone other than the author herself would rate this book highly. Save your money.

I wish I could recommend some more useful resource, but I still haven't found it.

I decided to give this book a chance, even though I was skeptical that someone who never went to medical school could give advice on choosing a specialty. Her book didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. I wanted to learn about what really makes each medical specialty unique, but the "question and answer" format made each chapter almost identical. The answers were so vague and non-specific that you could apply them to almost any specialty. I finished each specialty chapter wondering "I forget - what specialty was I reading about again?" Definitely an over-rated book, but perhaps because there are no other books out there on this subject.

Most medical students are hesitant to choose their medical specialty. No book until now has solved this dilemma in a proper way except this one! I was asking myself this question before graduation, and I saw this book at the Toronto Bookstore 2 years ago, but didn't want to buy it cuz one of my friends told me that there were many web sites which will help you choose your future specialty. Unfortunately, I didn't find a comprehensive book or at an article or a website about that. Then after graduation, I had the chance to visit Toronto Bookstore again and decided this time to buy it!

Part I: The Challenge of Specialty Choice including (Planning your specialty choice, Finding a speciality that is right for you, Considering your options, Career planning in an uncertain world).

Part II: The Specialties and Subspecialties including: Allergy and immunology, Anesthesiology, Colon and rectal surgery, Dermatology, Emergency medicine, Family medicine, Internal medicine (Cardiology, Endocrinology and metabolism, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Infectious diseases, Medical oncology, Nephrology, Pulmonary disease, Rheumatology), Medical genetics, Neurological surgery, Neurology, Nuclear medicine, Obstetric and gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic surgery, Otolaryngology - Head and nech surgery, Pathology, Pediatrics, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Plastic surgery, Preventive medicine, Psychiatry, Radiation oncology, Diagnostic radiology, Thoracic surgery, Urology.

A composite picture of each specialty is drawn in terms of (General information, Residency information, American Board of medical specialties certification, Supply and projections, Economic status and types of practice, Further information, Why choose this specialty, What do you like most about this specialty, What do you like least about this specialty, What is your typical daily schedule, What abilities and talents are important in this specialty, what personality traits best characterize this specialty, what advice would you give to medical students interested in this specialty, what are the future challenges to this specialty, Job values of this specialty)

Part III: Emerging Specialty Areas including: (Addiction medicine, Administrative medicine, Adolescent medicine, Critical care medicine, Geriatric medicine, Hospice and palliative medicine, Sports medicine, Women's health).

Part IV: Practice Options inlcuding (Clinical pathways, Non-clinical pathways, Geographic location).

Part V: After You Have Chosen a Specialty including (Planning for residency, Military programs, The couples match, Shared-schedule residencies, What happens if you don't match, Changing specialties during residency and afterwards).

Appendix which contains: Quesionnaire, First-year postgraduate positions offered through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), Residency competitiveness tables, Summary profile scores, Selected web sites.

This book comes in 331 pages. I hope there will be an update for it since its last 3rd edition (1999). However, it is the MOST comprehensive and useful book for medical students. I sincerely advise every med student to buy it.

Great work Dr. Anita Taylor. Keep up the good work!