Specialty Specific Information

Individual specialty societies are an excellent resource for specialty-specific information. You should directly contact specialty societies of interest to you to make sure you are aware of the resources they offer.

Many specialty societies have specific publications or portions of their Web pages targeted to medical students. In addition, many specialties have patient information that gives general information about the particular specialty, and when specialist care should be sought. This information may also be useful for students beginning to explore specialty options.

The AMA's Web site has links to numerous medical specialty society Web sites. Most specialty Web sites have information about workforce issues and trends relevant to the particular specialty. Contact information for medical specialty societies that are part of the AMA House of Delegates is also available on the AMA Web site (Members Only).

Note: Some of the links below will take you off the AMA Web site. The AMA is not responsible for the content of other Web sites.

Resources offered by medical specialty societies

Aerospace Medical Association

• Overview of Aerospace Medicine, including information on residency training and employment options.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

• Sponsors the Chrysalis Project, designed to increase interest in allergy and immunology with US medical schools by providing mentoring opportunities for students interested in this discipline. Students enter the program by applying for travel and housing grants to the AAAAI Annual Meeting. After being paired with a fellow-in-training mentor, participants attend sessions designed specifically for medical students, as well as scientific workshops and symposia of their choice. Additional opportunities are available following the meeting, including additional mentoring meetings and receipt of a Chrysalis Project newsletter.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• Information for medical students and residents that includes training and practice information.
• Fellowship opportunities for medical students interested in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry.

American Academy of Dermatology

• Information about Dermatology residency programs.
• Sponsors mentoring program for minority medical students interested in learning more about the field of dermatology.

American Academy of Family Physicians

• Virtual Family Medicine Interest Group - An online resource designed to provide information and resources that empower a student to explore the discipline of family medicine through such topics as career choice, role models, leadership development, the Match, residency, clinical resources, technology, and much more.

American Academy of Neurology

• Information for medical students, including a guide to selecting and applying to a Neurology residency program. 

American Academy of Ophthalmology

• A Practical Guide to Ophthalmology as a Career Choice - Includes information about specialty, selecting and applying for a residency program, and information about subspecialties.

American Academy of Pediatrics

• Pediatrics 101 - Information on educational requirements, residency training, practice options, income ranges, and professional satisfaction in the field of pediatrics.

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

• Portion of AAPMR Web site dedicated specifically to medical students
• The Medical Student's Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Sponsors a Medical Student Mentorship Program which includes a list of physicians willing to answer questions and work with students interested in physical medicine.

American College of Emergency Physicians

• Medical students can join ACEP through their affiliated resident association, the Emergency Medical Resident Association (EMRA). Acomprehensive list of student-related information can be found on the EMRA Web site.

American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

• Comprehensive Women’s Health Care: A Career in Obstetrics and Gynecology

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

• Careers in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine

• Section of Web site dedicated to students includes information about mentoring opportunities and residency selection information.
• Internal Medicine Career Paths - A directory of the fourteen disciplines related to Internal Medicine.

American College of Preventive Medicine

• Careers in Preventive Medicine - Provides information about a broad range of preventive medicine career opportunities including public health.

American College of Rheumatology

• Medical student preceptorship programs. ACR offers clinical and research preceptorships in the broad area of the rheumatic diseases, designed to introduce first and second year students to the specialty of rheumatology (stipend provided).

American College of Surgeons

• Online Guide to Choosing a Surgical Residency includes a comprehensive list of resources to use when considering a surgical residency.
• So You Want to be a Surgeon Online version of "the Little Red Book"

American Geriatrics Society

• Section of the Web site dedicated to medical students

American Psychiatric Association

• Section of the Web site dedicated to medical students

American Society of Anesthesiologists

• Student-/Resident-specific page of the ASA Web site serves as a starting point for access to information on ASA’s Resident Component and Medical Student Delegation Web sites as well as information about careers in anesthesiology.

American Society of Clinical Pathologists

• Co-sponsor of Intersociety Committee on Pathology Information, Inc. which provides information about pathology as a career.

American Urological Association

• What is Urology? - Information for medical students and prospective Urology residents

College of American Pathologists

• Co-sponsor of Intersociety Committee on Pathology Information, Inc. which provides information about pathology as a career.

Society of Nuclear Medicine

• Web page that addresses nuclear medicine as a career

Specialty Journals

Most medical specialty societies publish their own professional journals. Students are encouraged to read appropriate medical journals in their specialty of interest to keep abreast of current issues, developments, and trends. In addition, the AMA publishes a series of peer reviewed primary source articles in 10 specialty journals, including Archives of Surgery, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, and Archives of Neurology. Portions of the Archives Journals are available online.

Student Membership in Medical Specialty Societies

The following medical specialty societies offer medical student memberships:

• Aerospace Medical Association 
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 
• American Academy of Family Physicians 
• American Academy of Neurology 
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• American Association of Public Health Physicians 
• American College of Emergency Physicians (through Emergency Medical Resident Association)
• American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology 
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine
• American College of Preventive Medicine 
• American Geriatrics Society 
• American Psychiatric Association 
• American Society of Addiction Medicine 
• American Society of Anesthesiologists 
• American Society of Bariatric Physicians 
• American Society of Clinical Pathologists 
• American Thoracic Society 
• The Endocrine Society 
• Radiological Society of North America 
• Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology
• Society of Critical Care Medicine 
• Society of Nuclear Medicine