Subspecialties attract IM residents

Quick View. Sept. 18, 2006.

The number of internal medicine residents who plan to subspecialize continued to grow in 2005.

Subspecialty choices (2005)
General internal medicine	2,724	15.8%
Cardiology	2,232	12.9%
Gastroenterology	1,473	8.5%
Hematology/oncology	1,297	7.5%
Hospital medicine	1,122	6.5%
Pulmonary/critical care	1,013	5.9%
Nephrology	945	5.5%
Endocrinology	689	4.0%
Infectious diseases	596	3.5%
Pediatrics	591	3.4%
Rheumatology	424	2.5%
Geriatrics	156	0.9%
Undecided career	2,116	12.3%
Undecided IM specialty	906	5.3%
Other IM specialty	563	3.3%
Other career (not IM)	411	2.4%

Declining reimbursement, long hours and the desire for a greater work-life balance are among reasons experts cite for this trend, according to data from the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination, a one-day exam to assess residents' progress.

Source: Insight, Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine

The doctors are in the house
The AMA's House of Delegates is holding its Interim Meeting Nov. 7-10 in Houston, addressing issues such as health system reform and physician payment.
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