What's the process for a doctor specializing in multiple fields?
August 14, 2013 9:17 AM   Subscribe

If a doctor goes to school for, say, pathology, but later wants to also practice family medicine or cardiology, what's the process for them being able to do those things? Do they have to go back to school or just pass board certifications? I realize this may not be standard, but let's say that someone had the funds and drive to do it; what would be required to make it happen?
posted by ofcourseican to Health & Fitness (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: At least in the US, they have to go back to training through a residency program and then pass the boards for the new specialty that they'd like to practice. It doesn't require any more med school unless the residency program they're interested in requires it. The residency program will normally give a nominal salary for the training period, which is generally much less than a practicing doctor would make.
posted by This Guy at 9:28 AM on August 14, 2013 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: Awesome. That is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you!
posted by ofcourseican at 9:32 AM on August 14, 2013


The residency program will normally give a nominal salary for the training period, which is generally much less than a practicing doctor would make.

Keep in mind that "nominal" in doctor-terms means about $50,000/yr.
posted by deanc at 9:37 AM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh yeah. It's decent money. But considering the training required to get the job and hours worked (interns often work 80-90 hour weeks) it's not amazing pay.
posted by This Guy at 9:46 AM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]


Best answer: While in residency for the second specialty, you will want to find some way to stay current in the first field. This could be a major challenge, given the highly restrictive hours and the moonlighting rules many residencies have, but some are able to do it. The nature of the two specialities will determine how easy or difficult this is, and therefore you should consider this while determining which specialty to pursue first.

Also, practicing in two specialities itself is very difficult. Most physician positions don't lend themselves to this in any way. It probably makes more sense to choose a single specialty that encompasses the two fields in some way, or to specialize in one field and practice in an area that's very similar to the other field (e.g. specialize in cardiology, practice in a pediatric hospital rather than also specializing in pediatrics). And finally, the more diffuse your experience, the less likely you are to be good at either specialty.

I have no idea if you're actually considering this, or just doing research for some other reason (writing a book?) but these are the things that come to mind when I read your question. Hope I'm not overstepping.
posted by Capri at 10:00 AM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]


If the person wanted to practice a subpecialty (like cardiology) they would also need to do the relevant subspecialty fellowship on top of a 2nd residency. So for your putative pathologist turned cardiologist, they would need to do an internal medicine residency (3 years) plus a cardiology fellowship (3 years). Most subspecialists also maintain board certification in their underlying specialty (like your cardiologist would keep up their internal medicine certification as well as cardiology).

It is very unusual for people to be double-boarded and actively practice in both fields unless they are very closely aligned, (like I know a dermatologist/pathologist who does his own derm pathology, because dermatologists do biopsies all the time --he's primarily a researcher so it works out). I do know a few people who have switched specialties and done a second residency, sometimes in very different fields, but they usually don't continue to practice the first, although they may have skills that carry over.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 10:14 AM on August 14, 2013 [2 favorites]


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