Primary vs. Specialists

There is definitely nothing wrong with a medical student choosing to specialize in a certain area. Everyone has different interests, skills, and motivations for choosing the careers they do. Money and prestige may not always be the main reasons that drive a med student into a certain specialization. Backgrounds, personal experiences, and family history often motivate people when choosing their careers. If prestige and money come with that career, it is more as an extra reward that comes with it. People should not be judged for choosing the careers they do (especially when they are ultimately helping people). However, I do think that there is an emphasis on specialty care rather than primary care in the way healthcare is run in the U.S. If a system were designed with a greater focus on preventive or primary care then there would also be more incentives for students to become primary care physicians. It would have to be a system where the focus is to keep people healthy and doctors get paid more for actually keeping people from getting sick. Of course, specialists will always be needed, regardless of any healthcare system or incentives offered. People will always have certain conditions that can only receive the best treatment from a specialist, and for this reason alone will acquire a well-deserved respect.