Med specialties.

[Greatness]

Does anyone know where i can find out approx. how long it takes to complete a specialty?
And is there a list of them anywhere with some descriptions of what they do?

Thanks

[Russ]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Medical_specialties

That's a very extensive list.

In terms of how long the training is, in Australia from memory: Obstetrics/Gynecology and Neuro are the only two 6 year specialties. All others are 4 or 5 afaik.

Check out the RACS/RACP (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons/Physicians) websites for more details. (eg this is the surgeon one

[Greatness]

Thanks Russ!
Some of those specialties sound pretty bizzare lol.

I think i wanna do sports medicine

[jane1234]

Keraunopathy: the medical science of the effects of lightning strikes on the human body.

Hmm... maybe I should specialise in this?

[slothpomba]

You don't really get to "choose" swarely, as far as im aware anyway.

It really depends on your marks which colleges give you offers and even once you get into their program theres no gaurantee you'll pass their exams (i hear they're insanely hard and expensive for a lot of the colleges). I'm sure a lot of people actually wanted to be GP's but theres a fair few who took what they could get.

[Greatness]

You don't really get to "choose" swarely, as far as im aware anyway.

It really depends on your marks which colleges give you offers and even once you get into their program theres no gaurantee you'll pass their exams (i hear they're insanely hard and expensive for a lot of the colleges). I'm sure a lot of people actually wanted to be GP's but theres a fair few who took what they could get.

Oh really.... Is this why some people have to do extra years as a resident?
I thought you could just apply whereever you want and if you get in then good on ya hahah
So if you get below ave marks throughout your med degree does it mean your less likely to get accepted into specialist training?

[Russ]

Well you do get to choose, in that you can't be forced to become X if you don't want to. That said, competition for places in training programs is quite high and to get in the first time you apply does require you to be a top applicant. There's nothing "bad" about spending years working as a resident, some people enjoy it.

Your marks in your med degree will never be relevant to your specialty application

[LachieEvans]

Your marks in university is only relevant to your application to a hospital for your intern year. Selection into specialties is based on references and interview.

Oh and cardiothoracics is 6 years also

[Russ]

Most states use a pure ballot system, Victoria and...one other that I forget use marks