Passion, Affluence, Respect: The Real Incentives behind Choosing a Medical Specialty

Choosing a medical specialty is a hard decision for every doctor for there is no undoing it. Some doctors know which specialty they are going to opt for even as a student based on their preference or interest in a particular field but when the time comes for making the actual decision, other factors like money, lifestyle and prestige have a significant impact on the decision. 

Some fields like neurosurgery demand perfection. Neurosurgery comes with a lot of money and social respect but it is quite competitive. Besides, it takes a heavy toll on your family life, leaving practically no time for socializing and relaxing which might make a neurosurgeon question the worth of all that money and respect. 

Still other fields like psychiatry come with a label and shaking off the stigmas associated with them is quite hard. Even though psychiatry is less competitive as compared to other medical specialties, it takes a lifetime to earn respect as a competent psychiatrist. Other fields like dermatology ensure a healthy family life along with affluence and respect. Yet others like oncology come at the cost of emotional exertion. 

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A study was recently carried out to assess the exact factors that influence the choice of a specialty amongst doctors, determining that personal interest and intelligence carried the highest weightage while electing a medical field. The research also pointed out a dearth of guidance for medical students and junior doctors for making the most important decision of their lives. 

Another research showed that most of the doctors like to opt for a challenging and rewarding field. In general, surgery and medicine were equally selected by the medical students. Pediatrics, general surgery, and cardiology were amongst the top fields selected by the medical students. More students made this crucial decision during the clinical phase of their medical school, especially the internship period, than during the basic sciences years.  

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How to Make a Decision?

The foremost thing to be considered while making the choice of a medical specialty is-will I be as happy to work in this particular field forty years from now on as I am today? If the answer is yes, go for it.

Money is the next factor to be considered. Just like every other person, a doctor has to make money for his and family’s welfare. Shaming a doctor for wanting to make money exists no longer.

Do in-depth research about the field you are heading for. Compare its good attributes versus the bad ones. But most importantly, never settle for a money-making and respectable specialty if you have no personal interest in that particular field. Your choice of a field must be able to give you the urge to get out of bed to face yet another day at work even after years of practice. 

Can Professional Attitude Be Taught And Gauged During Medical Education?

During the recent years, medical ethics has evolved as a major concern for the doctors since doctors’ behaviors have come under close scrutiny, highlighting the importance of teaching the right professional attitude to the doctors. 

Despite the formulation of standardized set of medical ethics, it is unclear how professional attitudes can be instilled and evaluated during medical education. Researchers have repeatedly tried to study the possibility of assessing the professional attitude in medical students.  
During a recent study, researchers closely studied professionalism among doctors and the role of medical schools in the development of right kind of attitude. “Attitude’ was defined as the tendency to act in favor of or against a particular notion during specified circumstances. For example, a female asking for abortion might trigger a pro-life attitude in the doctor, causing the doctor to refuse the termination of pregnancy despite patient’s explicit wish. 

Role of Medical Education in Attitude Development

Research has consistently shown medical schools to play a key role in training medical students.

At times, students are taught to modify their behavior in accordance with the policies of the medical schools, leading them to think that adopting contradictory attitude can be harmful for them. 

It’s time that the medical school and hospital authorities realize the fact that they provide the moral grounds upon which the behaviors of medical students and junior doctors are formed.

Professional Training of Medical Students and Junior Doctors 

Training the medical students and junior doctors about empathy, compassion, decision-making and executive skills starts at the very basic level. Communication skills training and teaching of medical ethics and a pro-humanitarian approach have now become an essential part of the medical curriculum in UK and USA since the crucial role of medical education in the development of professional attitude amongst doctors has been realized. 

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Desirable professional medical attitude, as standardized by the governing bodies like GMC, entails prioritizing the patients’ well-being, respecting the patients’ dignity and their opinions, including the patients in the decision-making process, protecting the patients’ confidentiality and being polite to the patients as well as colleagues during the performance of professional duties, amongst others.

However, the extent to which medical students’ behaviors can be influenced through medical education is subject to debate. This is why there is a dire need for formulation of a feasible and reliable scale for the assessment of the level of professionalism amongst students and junior doctors based on psychological traits. 

 The tutors’ behavior towards the students should mirror the attitude that is expected of a doctor towards his patients. Only then, medical students can be ethically trained for clinical practice.