5 HARDEST Doctor Specialties | Most Competitive Residency Programs 

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U know you’ve been watching too many medical videos when ads start popping up for ultrasound machines

I want to see a list for the least competitive specialties

"Surgery is freakin awesome" -Thats all I needed to hear

When your desired specialty is ranked #1...I’m honestly not discouraged, but encouraged to work harder😊

Who is here after watching the least competitive🤗

Video starts at 5:00

I've always wanted to become a neurosurgeon since I was in 4th grade. I read Ben Carson's book and my interest has only grown over the past years. I'm 14 years now and I'm studying hard to get into a great school if God has it an ivy league as an international student. I really have keen interest on been a neurosurgeon even as a girl. Not because of the money but because I genuinely love it. I'd have to read hard, take care of my family balance my life and hold a strong relationship with God. I believe I can do it and will continue to have big dreams.

Y'all he said he's gonna make a whole video on why he quit residency, it's his own business and it's possible he quit for very personal reasons so let's give the guy some space, shall we?

I love how after every point you made you had to reassure us that you're not degrading any speciality or putting anyone down - goes to show there are too many snowflakes out there that get offended by everything instead of taking the positive out of what people say.

Best of luck on your endeavour Dr., I think you're doing something great by pursuing the major problem that is the current Medical School education structure, the mental stresses, burnout and depression that thousands of med students experience.

Fascinating how much this varies by country. Here in Germany Dermatology is - to my knowledge - one of the easiest to get into/least competitive.

I agree with your analysis. You are a very well spoken doctor. Thanks for the info.

As someone with chronic ENT problems, I wanted to be an ENT. After informational interviews I decided I wasn’t as into the specialty as I thought. Not because it’s competitive but as a career changer post-bacc, I couldn’t see myself spending 5+ yrs for a surgical residency when I realized I’d prefer a specialty with more people interaction and long term relationships (primary care). But I could change my mind if I’m lucky enough to get to med school!

I want to be a radiologist and seeing this alleviates a little more of my anxiety. Thanks! Love your videos!

I know it may not be the most pertinent to you, but a second video on the most competitive specialties to match into as an IMG (and US IMG) would be greatly appreciated. Also, was not surprised by the list, very good methodology, all made sense.

I’m interested in internal medicine or emergency medicine at the moment. People really shouldn’t care how their specialty compares to others, like you said being a doctor is impressive enough. Awesome video as always man!

Anesthesiology Is what I am going for...I love it: The US is Big I don't mind a small town hospital, but what I do mind is NOT being an Anesthesiologist.

Thank you for taking your time to make the video. Really thought me a lot. I’m not aiming for the competitive specialist. But the speciality I’m aiming for has many more years of studying = pediatric surgery 🤞🏾🤞🏾😍

Honestly, I think what matters most is to do what you love! Yes there will be some specialties that will result in higher pay and better job opportunities but you are devoting your entire life to a particular field. Why not choose something you genuinely love? I mean you can still achieve success provided you are willing to put in the work... Going for those “prestigious” or “safe” options doesn’t guarantee personal fulfilment or lifelong happiness. If you put your mind to whatever you are passionate about, you can still go far! Just my thoughts...

It's doesn't matter whether this specialty is competitive on not, every student preferably choose the specialty he/she love

I already made my mind to become a dermatologist so thanks for this video this is going to motivate me to work harder

I love being in high school wanting to be a dermatologist so I'm going to have to work a lot harder than I thought and I already knew I had to work hard

I was surprised! All this time, I thought the ROAD specialties would be the hardest specialties to get into since they have the best lifestyles. I'm also surprised the EM is not the top specialty, it seems like all the med students I talk to want to specialize in EM because of the stable hours and the good lifestyle. I love how you always thoroughly research information before you present it to us! Thank you for always working hard to give us good, quality content!

Expected these results, but still good to know for sure.

“this is simply the data... periodT”

Tysm sir for the video I really needed it

im only a senior in highschool but....wow some of your videos have so much information about what my future could possibly hold and its a little overstimulating, but exciting!

Yes, I watched another video and they compared match rates. You’ve looked at the data just like I would. I agree with your conclusion.

Any future anesthesiologists? ✌🏽

What a brilliant research!

So I'm not even in medical school, but I've been doing a bunch of research on specialties because I plan on attending medical school in the near future. From all the reading I've done, this is exactly the 5 specialties I thought would be the most competitive.

Worth noting, the ranking changed over time. There was a time when those who couldn't cut it in gen-surg residency were relegated to orthopedics.

The thing with surgery is that while you make more money, you have very little time and energy left to actually go out and enjoy your money. Meanwhile dermatology still makes lots of money (and there are also cosmetic and private dermatology clinics) but actually has some time left to go out and spend it. In my country (Netherlands) a dermatologist earns 5800-11000 euros a month. Since we have nearly no study debt (max 50.000 euros and most people less, our tuition is 2300 euros a year, so you can pay three years of tuition from your minimum monthly wage) and get paid relatively decent during residency (3600 euros as a first year to 4600 in your year before completing the programm). You have so much money. In comparison, the average income in the Netherlands is (3100 euros).

What you mentioned in the beginning- if sb goes into less competitive specialty doesn't mean they are worse doctors is so true. In Poland one of the least competitive specialty is pediatric surgey mostly due to hard work and low income.

I am not surprised and definately agree

I am soon gonna enter third year of my residency in medical Oncology. Currently on rotation in internal medicine . I wanted to go to neurology but didnot match in my country in neurology and matched in oncology (my second priority) but i am loving it now . Here in my country dermatology and cardiology are most competetive among medicine and alied . While in surgery and alied its gynaecology n orthopedics.

I wanted to become a dermatologist but I saw how hard it was going to be, and also the fact that I wouldn't interact with patients as much as I thought. I became a medical esthectian instead and work with people more closely everyday 😊

Could you let us know why you quit? Please. I really don’t understand why you did it and I feel like we need to know. Hope everything is okay!! Have a good day Dr. Jubbal!

My specialty of choice is Internal Medicine... I wouldn’t change it in the world for any amount of pay or more competitive speciality... for sure...

thank you for motivating me and telling me what are expected. I dream of being a neurosurgeon

Neurosurgery has always been my dream despite it one of the hardest specialists in surgery i would never give it up .. ITS MY DREAM AND IM GONNA MAKE IT REAL 🧠❤

I predicted 4/5 specialties so I'm not surprised at all, the results make sense and the methodology seems appropriate.

At first i just want to be a physician. But i experienced and currently experiencing skin conditions that made me want to go dermatology. Not just to be able to study myself but i think my experience with skin condition makes me want to help other people who have problems with their skin. I've experienced anxiety because of it and i want to be a way to help other people in the future. Goodluck to everyone with their desired course!

Thanks for this video. This is very helpful. What about Cardiology and Cardiosurgery? As far as I know, according to the Medscape surveys of the last few years, both of them are mostly in the top 5 in personal happiness, fulfillment and income.

man we need one for IMGs competitive specialties as well, maybe the spreadsheet only

In France the 5 most competitive are : 1) Infectious disease 2) Ophtalmology 3) Nephrology 4) Plastic Surgery 5) Cardiovascular medicine

here in my country top specialties depend solely on the lifestyle because all of them almost payed the same (except the cosmetic they usually paid better in private) so doctors usually go choose dermatology, p.s, opthalmology, radiology, ent, orthology, the least desired ones are obstetric, general surgery, medicine, pediatric

Too much emphasis on not offending anyone. That took up 2/3rds of the video!

I really loveeeee Dermatology. It will be a dream come true if I can do it because I know I will put in my best effort. Seeing that it is very competitive, I have to work even harder good thing I'm still a freshman in college 😃

Now I am even more determined to become a neurosurgeon 😘😘

It makes more sense for me now since lots of my friends or students I met. They told me they wanted to be dermatologist or anaesthesiologist. Thank you for the awesome video.

can you let us know which specialties are in demand? where there are few doctors choosing to go into the field but the number of patients needing the service is increasing. such as an arthritis specialist.

5:03 The moment that ruined my life. I’ve been knowing I wanted to be a derm since I was like 13, even before I found out they were paid a lot. I knew it’d be a competitive field, and I’m not the smartest person out there, but I was willing to do so many years of schooling for it becoz I knew it’s what I loved. But now finding out it’s THE most competitive field rly changes the game a lot. Now I’m back at square one. Second guessing myself and trying to find any other thing that might interest me. I’m a hs senior now tryna find out what I rly wanna do

Thanks for sharing! Great overview of competitive specialties. Did you have any videos regarding top tips to match into competitive specialties?

If i was to think of my personality and choose a specialty, I would lost these: Emergency room medicine. Rural health (in Australia the rural areas are vast and those living in them are underserved and to work in them you have to have a very wide skill set to deal with anything that could come through the door) Cardiology. (Because I find the heart absolutely fascinating to study) Intensive at. (Because intensive care is inherently fascinating, with those being treated often having undergone intensive surgery, suffering from systemic infections, having suffered mass trauma or other life threatening event requiring invasive monitoring and monte to minute care.) I would also consider obstetrics, trauma or infectious diseases. Because I find these fields inherently fascinating too. In infectious diseases I can not only help the person affected but I can their family and peers. In obstetrics I can save mums and bubs, and help keep families together. In trauma I can save lives and mend the body when it’s broken in an accident. I’m of course using very simplified terms I’m aware. But emergency medicine has always been and prob only will always be the top choice with me.

I wanted to become dermatologist but here are my friends they told me its not good career and it's not well paid they want to become cardiology so it discouraged me but now I want it 🥰

Thanks for being honest for the general public or current/future students. As a physician myself, I find it odd that my colleagues do not like to discuss compensation. Monetary compensation is a factor in every field of study and medicine is not an exception. I would somewhat disagree that certain specialties do not have less prestige even among physicians. About a third of my class became a GP and were lower performing academically.

I know this mail has been some time ago, but rings generally true even internationally. Ophthalmology eg caused many UK junior docs to join the army, as the access to speciality training was easier. Having done most specialities and have a Royal British diploma in both Surgery and EM (ER), and eg. having been a Neurosurgical Registrar over two continents etc. I have some legitimacy in commenting. The thing is, what you want to do in your 20s, is not always what you want to do in your 30s, 40s and so on. Most of medics are pluripotential, so always leave a sensible reserve option if option one do not work out. Medicine is a wonderfully diverse direction. You never need to treat a patient, talk to one, or you can see them all the time, see them 3D, work with their most secretive organs, see them only skin deep, or only talk...You can decide to work long hours or less, earnings being variable, but you should never live under the bread line. Etc. etc.

What is left out of your analysis is the number of trained positions there are from accredited residency programs available each year. For Dermatology there aren't as many positions and many many qualified applicants. This situation has been going on for over 40 years and demand in general for Dermatologist is increasing over that time due to most practicing Dermatologist seeking urban areas over rural areas. Over 30 years ago it was common that in order to be competitive for Dermatology residency you needed to be doing research (Have an MD/PhD in a related field, or do research in the program you are applying to), already Board certified in another related field (Internal medicine, Fam Medicine or Pediatrics, and with years of clinical practice experience), or be a graduate of the Medical School (with letters from known faculty) from the same program you are applying for. In this respect Dermatology residency was handled more like a fellowship with many successful residents 10 years past leaving medical school. Residency programs favored these more experienced applicants because they brought to the training program additional insight and perspective from related fields of medicine or allowed derm research strength within the training program. Add to this that Dermatology is very very broad with many facets of which direction to pursue from General Dermatology to Peds Derm, Geriatric Derm, Dermatopathology, Surgical derm for Cancers, Mohs surgery (reconstruction and cancer), and many options in Cosmetic Derm. Once trained there are many possible opportunities to practice- solo, group (multi-specialty vs single specialty), military, research, academic, rural, etc. Add to this a much more friendly appeal for women from training programs (prominent women faculty and role models) to lifestyle (for having full to part time flexibility for raising children) and competitive compensation with gender equality. Dermatology attracts some of the very best and is not an easy option by any means.

I had no idea neurosurgery with one of the most competitive and well-paid specialities, I have always wanted to become a neurosurgeon just because it really interests me I really hope some people don’t go into it just for the money because the only reason you should go into it is because you’re fascinated by it.

Could you make a video on how to switch residencies? Reasons people switch? Stories of successful doctors who have switched residencies and their reasoning and how they went about making it happen?

Dudeeee I thought it would've been Neurosurgery by far. I never think Dermatology as being the most competitive that's so wild.

Pathology is the best especially anatomical or forensics, because you don't have to worry about liability insurance, paying for DEA certificates, malpractice lawsuits and importantly no patients will bother you at midnight.

In my country the top list are : 1. Ophthalmology 2. Radiology 3. Dermatology 4. Nuclear medicine 5. Orthopedics 6. Cardiology 7. Neurology 8. ENT 9. Urology 10. Neurosurgery

I want to become a Cardiologist ❤️❤️

Also wasn’t surprised about dermatology and plastic surgery being competitive because a lot of those procedures aren’t covered by insurance

Well This just inspires me to work hard to become an orthopaedic surgeon as I’m really interested in it. :D

make a video on a day in the life of cardiothorasic surgeon from morning till night sleep

Alright I wanted to be a dermatologist....I had no idea this was the hardest to get into. That’s really disappointing because I know if I apply myself I can get good grades, but if I’m held in competition with those who at worst are above average then I have no chance 😞

Would you please, make some review videos on how to study every major source (Anatomy, pathology, embryology etc.) effectively and fast? I can never HONESTLY, thank you enough!

my bf is trying to get matched into derm and he’s going through it all publishing research, trying to get into a fellowship etc before he tries to get matched. I didn’t know derm was number 1 but hopefully he gets matched lol

Derma being a hard specialty.. Is making me more motivated🏃🏼‍♀️

My hopes to being a general surgeon just went up so much knowing that its not that competitive

I want to be a cardiologist and when there was a heart on the thumbnail, I was like Where there goes one dream.

I'm about to start college and my dream specialty is cardiac/cardiothoracic surgery and I'm surprised that it's not in the top 5 most competitive.

Make a video on how to be a competitive applicant when applying for residency.

As non US IMG (I am from Italy) I will go for a vascular surgery residency in California due to family reasons. High risk of failing. I know that I am probably giving false hope to myself. I am thinking to start this specialty in Europe (Ireland or Italy) and then apply there after usmle steps. I could even think to go for an internal medicine post and apply for a vascular medicine fellowship in order to maximize my chances and keep my field of interest. Med School Insiders could be useful in the future.

I am medical student first year I also have decided innvovate by combining enginneering medical and business field

Yay I wanna be an anesthesiologist lol hoping for the best

i thought neuro and ortho was gonna be top, because i found them to be the hardest. Do hardest to do rather than competiveness

I am studying engineering, why RU-vid recommends me this?

My advice as an insider: Go for the lifestyle!

No wonder all the Indian moms have big heads about these top specialities.....now I understand. thanks

Can you do a trauma surgeon video, that would be great. Keep up awesome work.

Good work

What advice do you have for helping to get into/become selected for your desired specialty?

I really don't care if the specialty I'm going for isn't competitive, I'm doing what I'm passionate about and i don't care about money either.

Can you make a video about orthopedic surgery ? it's my favorite spec and i'd like to know more stuff about it!

Yikes! I thought getting into a cardiology residency would be pretty competitive but it didn't make top 5? That's good for me I guess...

The best doctor in my opinion is a optbmaligist especially cataracz surgery is the best to me

Well... I want to be an orthopedic surgeon..... Great news to hear its only number 4 on the top 5!!!!!

Is getting a plastic surgery fellowship after a general surgery residency also very competitive or more feasible for an average student/resident?

well there go my hopes and dreams of being a neurosurgeon

I still want to go into Pediatrics

Is cardiothoracic surgery or heart surgery not a top competitive speciality?? 🤔

Most people in medicine or at least close to this stage in their life could have pretty much guessed the top 5. All the people stunned at the results are high school students who meandered their way here after taking freshman biology. Good video though!

In the UK there is a chronic shortage of Radiologists. According to my uncle, a distinguished Radiologist, the whole-body nature of the discipline and the fast moving technical developments mean that you are committing yourself to a lifetime of gruelling professional development just to stay up-to-date. As it's not the most glamorous College, they have difficulty in attracting good applicants. On the other hand, if you *are* prepared to make the commitment it's a fascinating field and you'll be in high demand from potential employers. Does this apply in the US?

I want to become a family medicine doctor Alo I'm watching these medicine videos and I'm VERY young

I honestly beloved for the longest time that plastic surgery was the hardest to get into and paid the highest