Top 10 Least Competitive Doctor Specialties (2022)

[@PHILLYMEDIC69]

WOO HOO I’m going to go to medical school this fall and gonna become a doctor! I wanna be a family doctor.

[@ST-wc9ws]

Anesthesiology definitely surprised me.

[@brucedwaynezabdieldecastro4065]

Life will be on your hands though. That's a lot of pressure

[@bradenjackson3494]

Scope creep is a problem too, CNP anesthetists are much cheaper to employ

[@brucedwaynezabdieldecastro4065]

@@bradenjackson3494 I thought anesthesiologist earns 400K dollars a year.

[@bradenjackson3494]

@@brucedwaynezabdieldecastro4065 correct, that’s why it’s cheaper to hire CNPs instead and a md anesthesiologist that oversees them

[@brandona1201]

Anesthesia is definitely trending more competitive now tho

[@kansasmypie6466]

Why is it that the least competitive doctor specialties are the most interesting?

[@tehmightymo]

The unfortunate truth is that, to the vast majority of practicing physicians, medicine is just a job. So what may seem interesting in any specialty now will eventually become routine, and all you will be left with in the end is how stressful the job is, the money it pays, and the amount of time off it grants you. The seemingly boring and esoteric fields like dermatology and ophthalmology are very competitive because they allow for ample time off, they have a high earning potential (in-office procedures and quick surgeries allow for high compensation), and are generally low-stress fields. The point about procedures is important as well. The sad state of healthcare in America today is that procedures generate more revenue than office visits, work-ups, diagnosis and treatment (you know, the things that people expect doctors to do). So if a gastroenterologist spends all day scoping people, or if a dermatologist spends all day doing in-office procedures, that makes more money than actually thinking through a problem and trying to help a patient. In the end, it is more profitable to be a mindless technician than an actual physician (surgery is obviously not mindless, but many surgeries actually lose money compared to pumping out quick procedures). With that being said, many people do go into fields that are known to be lower-paying and with less "prestige" (peds, FM, IM), and many people do go into fields that have insane hours and poor lifestyle (general surgery, neurosurgery, etc.), so there is definitely something to be said about actually pursuing a field out of interest and passion rather than just pursuing good lifestyle and pay. But it is no coincidence that the happiest and least burnt-out doctors are those in fields that offer high pay and low stress.

[@vans4lyf2013]

@@tehmightymo Yup hit the nail on the head. It all becomes routine and relatively boring after a number of years. The best thing in life is spending time with your loved ones, so the specialties that allow for that with high compensation are by far the most popular.

[@czarina5413]

They aren’t

[@Peter-lt6rv]

For everyone still looking at 2023, this list is totally outdated. EM is now probably around FM level. Psychiatry and anesthesiology are a lot higher now as well, the match for psychiatry is not based on numbers but rather focused on the individual

[@GraceRocks2001]

Interested in a video that outlines and breaks down the path to different sub-specialties through the internal medicine route, and the timeline of becoming said specialist (i.e., route to internal medicine --> gastroenterology, cardiology, nephrology, etc....). I've never quite understood this and it's hard to find clear and concise explanations on the internet.

[@johnwitt112]

same, more info on the various fellowships would be nice

[@pb3xuahrekluv]

yea that would be very helpful

[@Riko-mx5mb]

I was just wondering that

[@Arantxiwi]

Family medicine, the best of the medical specialties

[@pomm1802]

Insane amount of charting tho🥲

[@fjaramillo887]

One of the most important and underrated ones

[@reddbendd]

Emergency psychiatry is my niche

[@hafizmohammadmaaz8670]

Shocked to see pediatrics given how difficult and important it is.

[@Randomdudefromtheinternet]

Probably that’s why, not many people like being around children nor are willing to risk losing a child.

[@BrocKelley]

Not too shocking. It's subspecialties and fellowships pay literally 50-60% of what the same specialty for adults would pay, you have to deal with sick children, and you have to deal with the parents of sick children. I say this as someone interested in peds, emotions aside, it makes sense why people don't want to do it. What's shocking to me is that PM&R made the list, when it's clearly trending toward more competitive.

[@mustang8206]

Its extremely important but sadly it is not well paid which is why people avoid it

[@amplemedicallectures]

Subscribe this channel; for Latest Medical Lectures.

[@katie-kb6qd]

that’s bc 1) the pay is less 2) the stress of working with kids and 3) not liking children, there are so few specialized pediatric doctors in the US

[@humanbean3218]

Definitely gonna do one of these 😂 1-Anesthesiology 2-Pathology 3-Psychiatry (least competitive) 1-Dermatology 2-Surgery (most competitive)

[@IMChessMD]

He said FM, Peds, and psychiatry are the least competitive.

[@mckennadevore8692]

@@IMChessMD learn to read

[@reddbendd]

Pathology and psychiatry are two totally different things. Any updates?

[@mustang8206]

Poor family medicine, The most important and arguably most difficult specialty and also one of the worst paid

[@marcodz17]

Not the hardest but yes, indeed, one of the most important

[@mustang8206]

@@marcodz17 everyone is entitled to their own opinion

[@katie-kb6qd]

i’m a medical scribe in an emergency department, we are so short of doctors it’s crazy! you gotta be ready to dave the scariest cases, switch from a calm day to an adrenaline rushing emergency. it’s so draining but there is a huge appeal for those who enjoy that unpredictability. thankfully charting for ER and internal medicine is getting easier since there are more scribes spreading in the US, the stress of risking a lawsuit just goes to us LMAO

[@Eddyuardov]

Hi Katie! I'm currently a high schooler within my senior year, and I'm really interested in becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician. I'm curious into knowing about what you did to become a medical scribe in an emergency department. I feel stressed in not knowing what I should be doing right now to become better prepared for undergrad, and then going into medical school. I was wondering if you happen to have any tips or anything you think I should know before pursuing a career as an Emergency Medicine Physician? If you could reply back with your experience within the field as well, I would appreciate that so much, thank you!

[@katie-kb6qd]

@@Eddyuardov becoming a scribe isn’t hard actually! you really just apply like any other job, just make sure you of course show an interest in medicine. a lot of new out of residency ED physicians were actually scribes during their undergrad. just a warning that you do work full 9 hour shifts, but it’s very flexible so going to school is not an issue. I think working in an ED is honestly the best way to prepare to be an ED physician, as you are quite literally part of the action. you are glued to the doctor you are working with that day, and it’s paid clinical hours which is always good. I scribe through Scribe America which it probably the biggest company for scribing. They don’t expect any experience unlike other scribing companies which is also nice. they are super flexible and undergrad students are actually recommended to work in an ED as it’s the most flexible work hours for us.

[@morganminelli8520]

Would you guys please do videos on the specialities middle of the pack. We only ever hear about those on either end of the spectrum which doesn’t provide those of us interested in those other specialities with a lot of information. Just a thought

[@randomyoutuber0524]

Family medicine specialists are paid well in Canada. Average is $450k-$500k a year for 40 hour weeks in BC :) Rural family doctors make even more! Saying this from personal experience as I am in this specialty

[@Mercyforthewicked]

Not really, depends on where and how much u work

[@maraisfan4life517]

@@Mercyforthewicked dude just accept the facts

[@_Faisal_]

Uk GPs are crying

[@lonewolf604]

Rural maybe...My buddy in Victoria doesn't make that much.

[@randomyoutuber0524]

@@lonewolf604 I live in the lower mainland of BC, so not far from Victoria, and am in this specialty. $435k a year for 9-5 Monday to Friday was one of the offers I had 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@camiloiribarren1450]

Glad to see Internal Medicine mentioned and different examples provided. Hope to see a focused So You Want To Be video on Infectious Disease specialists

[@AverageGoofay]

Bring on the ID videos!

[@ItsAsparageese]

THIIIIISSSSS! There is nowhere near enough ID content on youtube in general!

[@ItsAsparageese]

@Jocelyn Elder I can't speak for OP but personally I'm a big ID/IM geek without ever having watched that show ... Although your guess is probably a good one because I often find myself suspecting I'm the only one lol 😂

[@ItsAsparageese]

@Jocelyn Elder Lol accurate, but I'm early enough in the process that I'm sure I can fit it in at some point XD I've certainly heard a lot of praise for it!

[@carter5548]

I'm shocked OBGYN isn't on here with the poor work life balance.

[@juniorqueenb2880]

They don't talk about this career 😏😏and I want to be a OBGYN ❤️ it's actually my dream 😍 my calling 👌❤️

[@BurntToast44242]

OBGYN is considered a surgical speciality, hence will always be more competetive. Do I think surgeons are smarter? Probably not, but competitiveness always tends to be that way.

[@Jennj96]

@@BurntToast44242 if youre going off of step scores, not so much! Ob/gyn doesnt even beat child neurology

[@bonzahrn5148]

This was about competitiveness, not work life balance. Everyone wants to deliver babies.

[@Jennj96]

@@bonzahrn5148 that is absolutely false XD L&D was awful outside of c-sections. to each their own. Pretty sure OB is average competitiveness with regards to stats.

[@LifeWithJuan]

0:45 That's an interesting graphic to use for ENT 😂

[@trigonometrisk]

PM&R looks pretty appealing, even with the cons presented…

[@loclam6154]

Plenty of money and relaxation

[@ApudaPichihii]

@@loclam6154 relaxation ? I thought it's high burnout rate because the patient population is stroke, chronic pain ... So, they are quite angry

[@rwinkler4321]

That's weird, pediatrics is one of the more competitive specialties in Germany! And it's so diverse!

[@rwinkler4321]

However more money and therefore better conditions in specialties like internal medicine it seems

[@YoshiAndTheTardis]

@@rwinkler4321 i think internal medicine is paid much better than pediatrics in Germany. In hospitals all doctors get paid the same, but in outpatient care, the internal medicine doctors are paid much better.

[@rwinkler4321]

@@YoshiAndTheTardis In hospitals all doctors are technically paid the same but at my hospital it's way easier in internal medicine to get your overtime paid out..

[@rwinkler4321]

@@YoshiAndTheTardis in the end it's not like this will influence my choice too much... I love pediatrics, don't think I will switch for more money when I'm already comfortable

[@MedEwok]

German anaesthesiologist here, this video is in it's entirety not applicable to us as we don't have this weird matching process and graduates can enter any specialty they see fit, it might only occasionally be a problem to get a residency position in a specific hospital but overall we have many more open positions than residents in all fields. So "competitiveness" is not a thing in Germany and all hospital doctors are paid the same regardless of specialty.

[@cm2973]

Weird that you listed EM based on a single outlier year.

[@BrockMDol]

I'm more surprised that my beloved PM&R is getting more competitive. 😭 On the one hand, I'm glad it's getting more attention as a worthy specialty. But on the other hand, who keeps running their mouth and making it more competitive?!

[@lonewolf604]

Probably the people in PM&R trying to steer people away 🤣

[@mac8124]

amazing how the 2 specialties im interested in as a premed are the least competitive 😭 (psychiatry and EM)

[@Andrew_too_biased]

Nothing wrong with that! I am a 4th year med student applying psych and psych/IM and I think its super easy to minimize ones accomplishments and work when thinking they are applying to a less competitive specialty but no matter the path you choose you will be making a difference in the world, you can always shoot for top programs, and at the end of the day you will be apart of some of the most educated people to have walked the earth with a ridiculous path to get there that most find too challenging to attempt or finish. Best of luck!

[@mac8124]

@@Andrew_too_biased love this!!! thank you so much for the kind words and advice 🤍

[@NO1xANIMExFAN]

its a good thing. you'll go into something that you love with less barriers and competition. lol

[@reddbendd]

You know you could do both, as there is an emergency psychiatry fellowship available in New York & Colorado for EM residents

[@dayaf0]

Internal medicine surprised me with its ranking.

[@amerghali5090]

I was surprised by child neurology posting a lower compensation than standard neurology, I thought it was typically more competitive

[@vchew11]

maybe you were thinking neurosurgery (one of the most competitive specialties)

[@yunim6563]

Peds always pays less than the non-peds version of that specialty. That's why people say peds fellowships are the few that actually make you less money.

[@kelminak2992]

Child neurology doesn’t even fill most of its positions each year and has to SOAP a lot of the spots.

[@brentw6533]

Anything with children and animals attract people who want to make differences with those groups. So since wages aren't as necessary to attract they have been typically underpaid.

[@johnbetts8146]

It's almost all to do with medicaid (peds patients) vs medicare (more FM patients). The reimbursement is way better from Medicare. You can be a child neurologist, but will not see as much money as a neurologist because of insurance. It really doesn't matter how much training you've done. If "peds" is in the name, you are gonna be making less.

[@Kanishkar.u]

Please do a video on so you want to be a surgical oncologist?? Please

[@christopherbondoc9402]

:42 I wonder why the picture representing ENT is of a thorax and abdomen?

[@baylorwiggins9781]

Outstanding video, really good to get an objective view of the specialties

[@amplemedicallectures]

Subscribe this channel; for Latest Medical Lectures.

[@dzikijohnny]

Shocked that Anesthesology was on the list.

[@sergiootero5904]

LOL at the graphic used for ENT

[@mashedpotatoe6275]

I can’t believe my 4 ideal paths are the 4 easiest 😂

[@ItsAsparageese]

"Least competitive" and "easiest" are far from the same thing. By all means, I'm stoked for you, and you should keep feeling encouraged! I just think that distinction is very important.

[@Marco19071994]

Such great quality of infos!

[@wandada8259]

Can you make "so you want to be dietitian" video? Btw I've learn a lot from your vid🤗

[@_jianthuilungkamei_3643]

Family medicine surprised me! wish i became a family medicine doctor in US!

[@vans4lyf2013]

But Kevin what about Radonc? Isn't it really uncompetitive now?

[@ApudaPichihii]

Im a Non-us IMG, is PM&R a competitive specialty for us? Thank you

[@nikhilsamayam6196]

im curious if you're saying that FM docs can work desirable 9-5 schedules.... but still work 53 hrs/wk?? why wouldnt the avg be much closer to 40 then?

[@roythousand13]

FM docs are probably working half-days on Saturday or Sunday, and/or they stay late at work to see all of their patients.

[@Wingnut202]

Maybe a series of these videos but only on surgical specialties? Though that might be too much of a rehash

[@richardouellette4041]

They are all competitive, series over lol

[@mjfreespirit]

Can you do a video on dual residency programs? (Ie, Internal Medicine/Psychiatry)

[@sillyNAHcheeto]

Do the hours worked include administrative work/documentation (eg, following up on patient messages, lab/ imaging results)? Thinking about FM docs whose jobs don't end when they go home.

[@whazzas5023]

Yes, the hours listed likely includes the admin time. For example the predominately office based specialties (Neurology, Allergy, Psychiatry, IM/FM primary care, ect) are almost always 40 hours directly seeing patients. Some docs may do an odd 12 hour day in clinic or moonlight in a hospital on night/weekend, but it isn't common. The extra hours listed then are typically admin/documenting time.

[@raedradwan350]

Now we want to know how the specialties in the middle between the most competitive and the least competitive rank please.

[@MedSchoolInsiders]

Check out our full list linked in the description! Has all specialties listed

[@Aaron-cc7yq]

Just here trying to narrow down my specialty for dual applying LOL

[@Joeythegoats]

Anaesthesiology seems good but so scary job

[@Happypappytappy]

I’m not buying that FM is less lucrative than pediatrics

[@mgmtgirlyeah7493]

Yeah, that part threw me off. FM doesn't make drastically more than peds, but it traditionally has a higher average salary than peds

[@Me-yq1wv]

Wow im early really helpful

[@juniorqueenb2880]

Can you make a video about OBGYN❤️❤️🙏 please

[@blackheartgaming6121]

I’m wanting to go into burn surgery and or psychiatry

[@saramohamed.8403]

Quite helpful ❤️

[@euridavida7781]

how competitive is child psychiatry compared to adult psychiatry?

[@aaronbennett1523]

I thought CRNAs have been working with MD anesthesiologists for decades? Why is it a problem now?

[@bluethunder9102]

It’s crazy cause CRNA’s have been practice anesthesia before physicians have

[@Aquamayne100]

@@bluethunder9102 crna's were created by physicians tho

[@vans4lyf2013]

the numbers of crnas have started exploding and less and less of them are undertaking ICU experience beforehand, so their training pathway is faster than ever before.

[@bluethunder9102]

@@vans4lyf2013 There is not a single crna without icu experience

[@bonzahrn5148]

@@bluethunder9102 Not to mention that CRNA school is actually rather competitive and requires training that many MD's wouldn't do (living away from home for extended periods etc)

[@Nicole-wx2fn]

Hey can you fix the Google document in the blog post? Currently no one is able to access it

[@_s.h.a.w_.n_]

please do the speciality of respirology pulmonologist

[@drelezar7745]

As a future psychiatrist, I am so grateful that I will probably have a less stressful time in medical school than most others These replies really think I’m naive enough that I’m saying med school will be easy. I said *less stressful* not easy 😂

[@mustang8206]

Will probably have? Meaning you aren't even in med school and you already are calling yourself a future psychiatrist?

[@Aquamayne100]

@@mustang8206 chill

[@Jennj96]

People are wisening up to how awesome it is! It's definitely getting increasingly competitive, and top programs are still very competitive regardless. Not on the level of plastic surgery, but you still gotta put some work in to stand out. Test scores and pub numbers are still not crazy hard to beat, though, since those aren't the priority. source: Applying this cycle with ~15 people in my class from a top 10 med school.

[@ThrockmortonSign]

@@frosty_teacup then it wouldn't be called med school

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@mustang8206 Why are you so reactive to someone having confidence in themselves/in their ability to live out the future they want? What was your goal with that comment? To me you just sound insecure since you're so provoked by someone displaying security, but you could have lots of other possible motivations of course.

[@sparktaylor8489]

LET'S GO ANESTHESIA!!!!!!!!

[@sindysanchez6868]

Is it the same for IMGs??

[@stevencameron1562]

Do you get paid during residency?

[@fnesaif]

Family and pediatric are very competitive to get into in Bahrain

[@CriispyChip]

where's the data spreadsheet at?

[@timmy9878]

Internal Medicine seems a bit high don’t you think? It appears to be a specialty thats available to just about everyone as long as your not talking top 20.

[@connorjohnson2194]

Lots of people going into IM with high step scores. They are gunning for top three (GI, cards, and pulm crit)

[@harelelia242]

Are the salaries after tax or before?

[@muhammadzainulabideen1273]

Before tax 😂

[@kosijessica9636]

I asked google how many years to be an anesthesiologist,it said 12 to 14 years is that true?

[@Scar-jg4bn]

3-4 years for Bachelors, 4 years med school, 4 years anesthesia residency, so yes.

[@blaby4ever]

With all the competition to get into medical school and even matching into your specialty, we can thank the largest trade union and cartel, the AMA, and US government for artificially controlling who can become a med-student and doctor. You should make a video on the corruption of the AMA in controlling med-school admissions, requirements, and licensure, which weeds out those who can be a doctor. The AMA lobbied in the late 80s to early 90s on restricting med-school enrollment and residency to restrict the number of doctors and keep their own salaries high. Now they're suffering from a shortage of doctors. On a different note, I don't see the practicality of just throwing in an average salary when private practice among many different forms of income for docs can vary on an enormously broad scale across many insurances and contracts.

[@workingrich8464]

The AMA has nothing to do with it. Nothing.

[@Number-w8v]

how competitive is diagnostic radiology?

[@beneastman7108]

Wondering where clinical genetics ranks on this list…? From my understanding it is not very competitive.

[@bonzahrn5148]

That's going to be a subspecialty, likely from family, internal or peds, depending on the focus you want.

[@vans4lyf2013]

@@bonzahrn5148 It's not a subspecialty, it's an advanced residency that needs at least one year of specialty training in another specialty like IM or peds before you can apply.

[@sitabarbarella]

Soy patóloga. Huye me dijo una prof y no le hice caso 😢

[@JorgeRojasMx]

Arrepentimiento?

[@Joeythegoats]

I’m studying neurology rn and i hate it

[@zijianli2223]

Gastroenterology and Electrophysiology are the most competitive fellowships among all fellowships and income are one of the highest in all specialty . But they are in Internal Medicine. So you can not say internal medicine in general as least competitive

[@troydennis96]

General internal medicine is less competitive, you just said why.

[@RedrumCvmlcs]

I'm suprised I didn't see infectious disease

[@kft99]

Infectious disease is a subspecialty of Internal Medicine

[@RedrumCvmlcs]

@@kft99 right, I just thought they'd also include subspecialties in the list too

[@bonzahrn5148]

@@RedrumCvmlcs That gets SOOOOO long, it's not worth it. He did talk about how from family, internal and peds, you get the entry point to subspecialties.

[@njegosbozic4923]

I would like inthernal medicine given how wide it is.

[@lilSaltee]

Residencies best for IMGs

[@khleahalamanin2099]

sad how psychiatry is one of the competitive but ain't priority in my country... they rather believe in holy holy and self destruction why people having irrational behavior :'>

[@B-lazer3]

Psychiatry for me!

[@Aquamayne100]

Neurology??

[@ILoveMyPomeranian-p6l]

Anesthesiology? No way. I don't believe it should be on this list. It's like derm. Great money and work life balance.

[@dipropraubha9434]

Pediatrics surprised me

[@michaelmillion1718]

What about public health & preventive medicine. Also so you want to be P&PM

[@stobri2500]

So you want to be an oncologist please 😭

[@bryuanmathis4930]

Can you do “So you want to be a CRNA?” I’m very interested and would love to know more about the career

[@Scar-jg4bn]

Look up Bolt CRNA on KZbin, it'll have far more info on it than this channel ever will because it's a nursing specialty, not a physician.

[@joseloor4762]

Podiatry?

[@roythousand13]

Podiatrists aren't medical doctors.

[@djangoworldwide7925]

Neurology is not competetive? Omg

[@ItsAsparageese]

WHERE THE ENTIRE HECK IS RURAL? 😠 There's no way it's not in this range. Or is it considered to be folded in with family, as outpatient primary care? I'd argue that it carries sufficiently different implications, given the usually comparatively smaller amount of resources, the broader inter-specialty range of care provided, and the greater proportion of social/public health work. It could have at least been given a nod in the family med section, or an honorable mention as a not-officially-a-specialty specialty. Way to contribute (albeit surely unintentionally) to the lack of awareness of and interest in this critical need area. 😑 I love your work in general, and oversights happen, I ain't mad per se ... but it is certainly an oversight, and I'm disappointed. (You can make it up to me by making a video focused on it. 😜)

[@bonzahrn5148]

That's a subspecialty.

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@bonzahrn5148 Fair, still definitely deserves mention though (especially in this context) & there's tragically little info out there about it, particularly on this channel.

[@jeremyagramonte1865]

Dermatologist horror

[@Fleezyflowz]

Hi

[@khleahalamanin2099]

i might be become neuro patient first before becoming neurologist...i guesss

[@LithningWolf]

Anesthesiology is so much more competitive in my country it's funny

[@tgreetsy1201]

This is all using post soap stats. EM is bottom of the barrel pre soap