Those who chose one of the 15 easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America will get to avoid hectic schedules and have more time to enjoy themselves.
Before we jump ahead and list the easiest and most relaxed medical specialties, we must emphasize that no medical specialty is actually easy, so don’t be delusional. They all have their challenges albeit quite different. If you are the type of person who is not fond of hard work, then don’t choose medicine. Actually, now that we’re speaking of it, no college is easy if you expect that all you need to do is just appear there and get good grades without any hard work. But medicine is special. Its purpose is to save lives and that’s why you shouldn’t and can’t slack off.
But as with any other programs, there are rumors of this one being easier or harder than that one. Why? There are plenty of factors to consider. First of all, by easy medical specialty do you mean easy to get into or easy to complete? Easy because there are no long hours and you get to be free on weekends? What are your criteria for easy? You should ask yourself that if you really want to find an answer. You can take this quiz to find out what the ideal medical specialty is for you so why don’t you try it, at least just for fun? Also, bear in mind that a relaxed lifestyle and flexible hours greatly depend on you, meaning that if you are not ambitious and eager to be the leader in your field, you can manage to have relaxed lifestyle even with the hardest residencies.
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So what is the hardest medical specialty to get into? Some would say neurosurgery but then again, what’s difficult for you may not be for someone else. You may take a look at 11 Most Intellectually Challenging Cerebral Medical Specialty in the US. On the other hand, when it comes to the easiest residency programs to get into, people usually vote for general practitioners or family medicine physicians. We wrote about least competitive medical specialties in America so check it out if you are interested in those.
Due to all these different approaches and points of view, you can see why defining the easiest medical specialties is not a simple task. However, our title also includes most relaxed and flexible medical specialties or the ones that don’t require you to work almost 24/7. We checked out what med students and specialists have to say about different fields and for that purpose, we visited Quora and SDN, and if you need further help choosing the right medical specialty for you, we found this great ultimate guide to choosing a medical specialty.
Radiation oncology is often mentioned as one of the best medical specialties for mothers who want more free time to spend with their families. When it comes to specialties with best lifestyle dermatology will probably be one of the first suggestions you’ll hear but that is not the only medical specialty.
Before we introduce our list, let us once again mention that there is no such thing as an easy medical specialty and when it comes to working hours, it depends on where you go. While some work less, other specialists in the same field may work twice as hard somewhere else.
Now let’s take a look at 15 easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America.
15. Pediatric Emergency Medicine
If we are talking about specialties that require the least amount of work, then perhaps a good suggestion would be pediatric emergency medicine, a subspecialty that is perfect for those who love children. They don’t have half the emergencies as regular emergency medicine according to the experiences of pediatric emergency medicine specialists.
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14. Radiation Oncology
Definitely one of the easiest and most relaxed medical specialties is radiation oncology, at least that’s what those who chose this specialty have to say. Of course, it doesn’t mean that it is easy to get into the program or even to work later, but compared to other specialties, it offers a more relaxed lifestyle. There is also more money in this field compared to others.
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13. Ophthalmology
According to many experiences we read about, one of the easiest, most relaxed medical specialties in America is certainly ophthalmology. Although you will probably not become rich or anything, it offers pretty great and flexible schedule leaving you plenty of time for your hobbies or your family.
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12. Pediatrics
If you love children and you are are not keen on working long hours, pediatrics is the answer for you. Most pediatrics work the usual time Monday to Friday but as with other specialties, it depends on where do you work and how much do you want to work too.
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11. Family Medicine
Family medicine is one of the best options for you if you what you are looking for are regular working hours and free weekends. Well, at least most family medicine specialists do minimal work on weekends so you get to have a relaxed lifestyle to some extent.
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10. Psychiatry
If you require a specialty that will allow you to have a family life and possibly flexible schedule, then psychiatry may be a great choice. You usually work from 9 to 5 so you won’t be disturbed in the evenings or on weekends, but you can also work part-time if you want.
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9. Pathology
According to experiences of med students and pathology specialists, pathology seems to be another slightly more laid back specialty. Supposedly hospital pathologists especially enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and low-stress jobs.
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8. Radiology
Although radiology program is quite difficult to complete, most radiologists get to enjoy a more relaxed schedule afterward alongside an excellent pay which is why we listed radiology as one of the easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America. This is one of the most profitable specialties out there you can consider and definitely one of the best residency specialties.
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7. Rheumatology
Another medical specialty frequently mentioned as being relaxed is rheumatology. If what you desire is a slow-paced lifestyle and plenty of time to spend with your family or on your hobbies, this is worth considering.
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6. Immunology
We are continuing our list of easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America with immunology, which is also frequently listed as a medical specialty that offers a great lifestyle. Well, at least compared to many other hectic medical specialties where you work 80 hours a week. Immunologists usually have more flexible hours, depending on where you work.
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5. Endocrinology
Most endocrinologists get to work the regular hours and don’t usually have many calls which is what you’re looking for. However, we must not jump to a conclusion that all endocrinologists have the same working hours, so it greatly depends on where you work.
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4. Preventive Medicine
Preventive medicine is also mentioned frequently as a laid-back specialty that doesn’t require you to work long hours and take calls in the middle of the night.
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3. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
When it comes to relaxed medical specialties, physical medicine and rehabilitation, which rank third on our list of easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America, are quite often among the top choices. Why? Because you can get to enjoy a flexible schedule, according to experiences, we referred to when making this list.
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2. Occupational Medicine
Occupational medicine is preferred by those who are seeking for a laid-back lifestyle with no calls during the evenings and on weekends. At least that is what students who chose this specialty have to say, and we believe them. As someone responsible for maintenance of health in the workplace you are not very likely to work long hours and get disturbed at night a lot.
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1. Dermatology
Most people when asked about the easiest, most relaxed and flexible medical specialties in America, would say dermatology is the answer, and we agree. Based on the experiences of students and experienced dermatologists, this seems to be a great choice for those who want to avoid hectic lifestyle and have a more flexible schedule. Dermatologists don’t have to work on weekends, and they usually work from 9 to 5 on weekdays.
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