Did Your Specialty Choose You? Save

Why did I end up a rheumatologist? Circumstance, personality types, horoscopes or what?  A current study in BMJ sheds light on why.

A physician cohort questionnaire-based study was distributed online survey tool, asking questions about zodiac sign, specialty preferences and personality features of physicians.

A total of 1923 physicians responded (February and March 2020). Personality types differed amongst the different medical specialties.

• Introverts being highly represented in oncology (71.4%) and rheumatology (65.4%)
• Extroverts were more common in sexual health (55%), gastroenterology (44.4%) and obstetrics and gynaecology (44.2%) (p<0.01).
• Cardiologists were more likely to be Leo and not Aries (14.4% vs 3.9%, p=0.047)
• Medical physicians more likely Capricorn than Aquarius (10.4% vs 6.7%, p=0.02)
• Obstetricians and gynaecologists more likely Pisces than Sagittarius (17.5% vs 0%, p=0.036).
• Intensive care was the most commonly reported second choice career
• Fountain pen use was associated with extroversion (p=0.049) and gastroenterology (p<0.01).

I could've been a gastroenterologist if I had cast aside my mechanical pencil for a fountain pen!