What Medical Specialties Are Doctors Really Choosing Today?

The Most Loved and Most Avoided Specialties in Medicine: What Doctors Are Flocking To (and Fleeing From)

Choosing a specialty is like dating. Some fall in love at first sight (hello, surgery lovers). Others ghost their rotations the minute they walk into clinic. And then there are those complicated “situationships” where you're not quite sure if it's passion or convenience (looking at you, Internal Medicine).

Let’s face it—specialty choice is a big deal. It affects your income, lifestyle, stress level, sleep schedule, even whether your patients bring you cupcakes or lawsuits. And yet, despite this massive impact, many doctors still say, “I just fell into it.”

So, what specialties are doctors rushing into like it's a hot new Netflix series? And which ones do they avoid like expired milk in the hospital fridge? Grab your stethoscope and a caffeine source—this is going to be fun, honest, and painfully relatable.

The Usual Suspects: Specialties Doctors Love to Join
Let’s break down the specialties that are practically overflowing with eager residents and new doctors. These are the “popular kids” of the medical world, and here’s why.

1. Internal Medicine – The Jack of All Trades (and Gateway Drug to Fellowships)

• Think of IM as the reliable, nerdy partner who doesn't make your heart race but has long-term potential.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: It’s broad, intellectually stimulating, and the first step toward cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology—you name it.
  
  
• Reality check: Often underappreciated, works long hours, and juggles multiple complex patients simultaneously. Basically, the adult version of spinning plates.
  

Doctors love it because it feels like real “doctoring,” but don’t let the white coat romance fool you—it’s not for the faint of heart or sleep-deprived.

2. Emergency Medicine – For the Adrenaline Addicts with a Plan

• EM doctors are the skydivers of medicine. High stakes, short-term relationships, and quick problem-solving.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: Defined shifts, no clinic follow-ups, and tons of procedures.
  
  
• But also: Burnout is real. There’s only so much adrenaline and trauma you can handle before wondering if accounting would’ve been a better life choice.
  

Still, EM remains a hot specialty for those who love chaos—and leaving work at work.

3. Anesthesiology – The Invisible Hero in the OR

• They keep patients alive and pain-free, often with little credit or thank-you notes.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: Procedural, high-paying, and often allows for a relatively controlled lifestyle (compared to other surgical fields).
  
  
• The flip side: Can be high-stress when things go wrong and emotionally distant if you're someone who thrives on long patient relationships.
  

Bonus: You get to say cool stuff like “cricoid pressure” and “MAC.”

4. Family Medicine – The Swiss Army Knife of Doctors

• It’s the specialty for those who truly want to treat people from cradle to grave—and occasionally the entire extended family in one visit.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: Holistic care, long-term relationships, community-based practice.
  
  
• Why others avoid it: Often underpaid, overworked, and burdened with mountains of paperwork. You might treat hypertension and help a teenager quit vaping in the same consult… while refilling grandma’s 13 meds.
  

The emotional reward is high. The financial and administrative payoff? Not always.

5. Pediatrics – All the Awwws (and a Few Uh-Ohs)

• For those who love tiny humans, teddy bears, and glittery bandages.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: Kids are resilient, fun, and rarely have 17 comorbidities.
  
  
• Why it’s not for everyone: Parents can be intense. Compensation is often lower. And treating a sick child can hit harder than you'd expect.
  

Still, the smile of a 4-year-old who just got over pneumonia is better than any Starbucks.

6. Dermatology – The Unicorn of Specialties

• Highly competitive and often dubbed the “golden ticket” for med students.
  
  
• Why it’s loved: High income, low emergencies, lifestyle-friendly.
  
  
• Downside? Extremely hard to match into, and yes, you’ll have to listen to the same “can you look at this mole?” at every party you attend.
  

No on-calls, minimal bodily fluids—what’s not to love?

The Avoid List: Specialties Doctors Tend to Flee
These specialties are often misunderstood, undervalued, or just not appealing to many trainees. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve love.

1. Geriatrics – Where Compassion Meets Complexity

• You treat patients who are walking textbooks: multiple pathologies, multiple medications, and sometimes, multiple caregivers.
  
  
• Why it’s avoided: Lower pay, emotionally demanding, lots of coordination.
  
  
• But it’s vital: With aging populations, geriatricians are the unsung heroes.
  

The irony? Many who skip geriatrics today will need one in a few decades.

2. Psychiatry – The Brain’s Hidden Maze

• It’s one of the most needed and fastest-growing fields, but still sits in the shadows of surgical glamour.
  
  
• Why it’s avoided: Stigma, emotionally taxing, sometimes unpredictable patient behavior.
  
  
• But here’s the plot twist: More doctors are choosing it today for the lifestyle balance and deep intellectual reward.
  

Also: There’s something powerful about helping people rebuild their mental health from the inside out.

3. Pathology – The Detective with a Microscope

• The backbone of diagnosis. No tumor gets named without pathology.
  
  
• Why it’s avoided: No patient contact, not considered “clinical” by some.
  
  
• Reality check: It’s intellectually intense, super important, and one of the few specialties where your diagnosis literally defines a patient’s treatment path.
  

Plus, you can drink coffee while working. In scrubs.

4. Preventive Medicine / Public Health – The Big Picture People

• The COVID-19 pandemic finally gave these specialties a moment in the spotlight.
  
  
• Why it’s avoided: Seen as too theoretical or administrative.
  
  
• Truth bomb: It’s strategic, powerful, and can change entire populations’ health outcomes.
  

Still, not as “sexy” as removing an appendix in 20 minutes.

5. Occupational Medicine – Corporate but Clinical

• Think evaluating workers, preventing workplace hazards, and improving population health.
  
  
• Why it’s avoided: Perceived as boring or too regulatory.
  
  
• Surprise bonus: Incredible work-life balance, great hours, and zero 3 a.m. phone calls.
  

This is the hidden gem for doctors who want a solid career without sacrificing every weekend.

What Drives These Choices?
Let’s decode the real reasons behind what draws doctors to—or pushes them away from—certain fields:

✔️ Common Pull Factors

• Lifestyle (defined shifts, low emergencies)
  
  
• High salary potential
  
  
• Broad or interesting scope
  
  
• Procedural or hands-on appeal
  
  
• Fellowship or academic opportunities
  

❌ Common Push Factors

• Emotional heaviness (palliative, geriatrics, psychiatry)
  
  
• Administrative burden
  
  
• Low compensation relative to workload
  
  
• Social stigma or lack of perceived prestige
  
  
• Long training pathways with uncertain payoffs
  

The Specialty Personality Types
Let’s be honest—we’ve all seen these characters during residency interviews or in the doctors’ lounge:

• The Ortho Bro – Loves gym, gains, and giant instruments.
  
  
• The Medicine Philosopher – Wears a stethoscope like a monk’s robe and thrives on case discussions.
  
  
• The Derm Diva – Flawless skin, flawless schedule.
  
  
• The Psych Whisperer – Calm in chaos, reads Freud for fun.
  
  
• The Surgeon Gladiator – Coffee-fueled, perfectionist, thrives in high-pressure zones.
  

If you haven’t met them… maybe you are them.

⚖️ What About the Unsaid Pressures?

• Cultural expectations (especially in some regions) often push doctors toward “prestige” fields like surgery or cardiology.
  
  
• Gender biases play a role too—OB-GYN and pediatrics tend to attract more women, while ortho and urology skew male-heavy.
  
  
• Economic factors are also real: student loans and cost of living push many toward higher-paying fields, even if their passion lies elsewhere.
  

And let’s not forget the burnout boomerang—more doctors today are reconsidering specialty shifts mid-career due to lifestyle concerns.

Final Thought: Pick Your Struggle
Every specialty has its stress. It’s not about finding the “easiest” path but the one that makes your kind of hard worth it.

Whether you're stitching skin in surgery or stitching together care plans in geriatrics, there’s room—and need—for all of us.

And remember: Your specialty doesn't define your value. Your empathy, curiosity, and commitment do.