Specialty choice is difficult decision for many medical students, while others seem to know their defined path from day one. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall into, it is interesting to note that some distinctive personality traits seem to correlate with various specialties. While this observation is mostly documented in jokes and online memes, a recent study described in the New York Times found that, at least in terms of political preferences, physicians do differ by specialty. The causes of this have not been investigated, but it is clear that your surgeon colleague is likely a Republican and your psychiatrist colleague is probably a Democrat. See the graph below, or the original article for a list of all specialties by political affiliation. Experts in the field do predict that vastly different healthcare policy will result based on the outcomes of the upcoming presidential election. When going to the polls this November 8th, consider how politics influence healthcare and how your values may or may not align with trends in various specialties.
