Can any one post average step scores for acceptances? Like a an anonymous excel sheet
Much of this has to do with Step 1 scores. PD are looking for 250+ and applicants self select themselves by this.
I know in my class, generally, people flocked to lower hour per dollar specialties. Do you think it's a cultural thing? Are smart capable students avoiding specialties like neurosurgery for a more reasonable lifestyle?
I've seen the same trend. Not sure if it's just a natural progression of getting older (i.e., as you get older, you and the people around you start to value lifestyle, personal relationships, etc.) or an actual cultural shift. I personally think it's more of a cultural shift. Many of the competitive specialties are competitive because as an attending, there is a nice balance between great compensation and lifestyle. Yes, it certain specialties like neurosurgery you can make more than ophtho/derm/ENT but chances are that neurosurgeons don't get much time to spend that money while ophtho/derm/ENT physicians do.
There's also a point of diminishing returns. I'd say roughly 95% of physicians I know live pretty much the same upper-middle class lifestyle, regardless of if they are ortho or EM or psych. Decent luxury car (Mercedes, Lexus, BMW), comfortable house in a nice neighborhood, kids go to a good school, enough money to eat at nice restaurants, and 1-2 vacations a year. The major difference among this 95% of physicians lies in how much personal time they have (psychiatrists/ENT/derm will have to attend weddings, kid's sporting events, date nights with spouse while neurosurgeons miss these events more times than not). Of course there are people on both extremes (pediatrician who is knee-high in debt, private practice doc making millions with side businesses), but this is the life most people will have.