Top 10 Medical Specialties

Which Medical Specialty is the Right Choice?

Helping patients, saving lives, high wages, and respect among your peers and society are some of the great reasons to pursue a career in medicine.

However, when it comes to choosing a medical specialty, you must keep your personality and your life’s long-term goals in mind. To be efficient at your job, you need to feel fulfilled and happy.

You know you’ve chosen the right medical specialty when the study of it excites you and you’re just as happy going to work as you are after you’re done for the day. That’s where the ‘work-life balance’ really comes into the picture.

Being satisfied in your career is a crucial aspect to consider when exploring your medical specialty options. The way you feel at work will often  spill over into your personal life and can affect your health and relationships.

Irrespective of the medical specialties you choose, you’ll always have to put your patients first. This is why it’s important to choose an area that makes you and your future life happiness a top priority.

Here is our list of the top 10 medical specialties with best life style according to work-life balance and personality:

1. Family Medicine

Family medicine is the primary care medical specialty in most of the countries that focuses on caring for the community as a whole. It is one of the most fulfilling medical specialties especially if you like interacting with people.

It also offers normal work hours and a good social life. Not only can you join other doctors at an already established office but you can also buy or set up your own medical practice for even more flexibility.

2. Diagnostic Radiology

Radiology is considered to be one of the less stressful medical specialties. Your primary role here would be to use imaging techniques to diagnose a disease and act as a consultant to other physicians.

If you prefer working alone and don’t like a lot of interaction, then this could be a good field for you.

3. Dermatology

A dermatologist focuses on the problems of the skin, mouth, external genitalia, hair, and nails.

This medical specialty, like family medicine, offers a fixed number of office hours and an opportunity to interact and form long-term relationships with your patients.

4. Anesthesiology

As an Anesthesiologist, your job is to provide pain management, critical care, and perioperative care. You may have to work long hours, but you’ll have better control.

This is considered to be one of the less stressful medical specialties. Moreover, if you’re an introvert then this doctor specialty can be great for you since there’s very little to no patient interaction.

5. Ophthalmology

As an Ophthalmologist, you’ll be involved with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and issues that are associated with the eye.

This field of medical specialty gives you good control over your working hours and is not deemed as too stressful. The specialty offers the opportunity to build patient-loyalty over a period of time.

6. Pediatrics

If you love kids, then this will be one of the most satisfying and fulfilling medical specialties for you. As a Pediatrician, your primary focus would be on the physical, emotional, and social health of infants and kids. The only caveat is you may not have a lot of control over your work hours.

7. Psychiatry

Not only does psychiatry as a medical specialty pay well, but it also offers a shorter work week than other specialties and  it’s perfect for those who have an extrovert personality and like helping people.

8. Clinical Immunology / Rheumatology

As a clinical immunologist / allergist, you’ll be dealing with some of the atypical responses of the body’s immune system. This medical field helps generally healthy patients with small medical problems. This field is not deemed very stressful and offers regular working hours most of the time.

9. General/Clinical Pathology

A Pathologist (general or clinical) is primarily involved in learning about the causes, forms, and diagnosis of a disease.

Similar to radiologists, they work as a consultant to other physicians and advise them of a possible course of treatment. It’s a great specialty for doctors who are introverts and don’t prefer a lot of patient interaction.

10. Nephrology

A nephrologist treats diseases and infections of the kidneys and urinary system. It’s one of the less grueling medical specialties that offer decent working hours with relatively less work stress. As a nephrologist, you have the option to work at a hospital or open your own medical practice.