The majority (74 percent) of physicians would choose their specialty again if they had to start their medical careers over, according to a physician survey conducted by Sermo, an online community exclusively for physicians.
Of those who would switch specialties if they had the chance, 16 percent would do so for lifestyle reasons, and 10 percent would switch for clinical reasons.
Physicians in the following three specialties were happiest with their choice. (Percents indicate the portion of respondents who would choose their specialty if given the choice again.)
• Orthopedics: 87 percent
• Oncology: 86 percent
• Psychiatry: 86 percent
Physicians in three specialties were least happy with their choices:
• Obstetrics/gynecology: 59 percent
• Internal medicine: 60 percent
• Family medicine: 62 percent
Sermo conducted the physician survey in March and received 2,926 responses.
More Articles on Physicians:
Shortage of 1,500 Oncologists Slated to Hit by 2025
Many Employed Physicians Not Fully Integrated: Survey
Are We Trading Happy Physicians for Efficient Ones?