What's the easiest doctor to be?

Asked by: Sim Cruickshank  |  Last update: January 29, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (50 votes)

There's no truly "easy" doctor path, but specialties like Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Anesthesiology are often cited as less competitive for residency entry, offering shorter training or better work-life balance. Factors like residency competitiveness (fewer applicants per spot), shorter training time, and lifestyle (fewer emergencies, more predictable hours) define what makes a path seem "easier".

What is the easiest doctor to become?

Least Competitive Medical Specialties

  1. Family Medicine. Average Step 1 Score: 216.1. ...
  2. Psychiatry. Average Step 1 Score: 223.1. ...
  3. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Average Step 1 Score: 224.2. ...
  4. Pediatrics. Average Step 1 Score: 226.4. ...
  5. Emergency Medicine. Average Step 1 Score: 231.1. ...
  6. Internal Medicine (Categorical) ...
  7. Anesthesiology.

What is the least stressful type of doctor?

10 Physician Specialities With Low-Stress & More Flexibility

  • Dermatology.
  • Anesthesiology.
  • Ophthalmology.
  • Pediatrics.
  • Psychiatry.
  • Clinical Immunology/Allergy.
  • General/Clinical Pathology.
  • Nephrology.

Who is the lowest paid doctor?

The lowest-paid doctors are generally in Pediatrics, with subspecialties like Pediatric Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases often topping the list of lowest earners, followed closely by Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and Medical Genetics, reflecting a trend where primary care and child-focused fields earn less than surgical or specialized adult fields. 

What is the easiest branch of a doctor?

  1. Family Medicine. Family medicine is one of the easiest medical specialties. ...
  2. Pediatrics. Pediatrics is the branch of medicine dedicated to the care of infants, children, and teenagers. ...
  3. Psychiatry. ...
  4. Emergency Medicine. ...
  5. Internal Medicine. ...
  6. Anesthesiology. ...
  7. Obstetrics-Gynecology. ...
  8. Pathology.

6 EASIEST Doctor Specialties | Least Competitive Residency Programs

30 related questions found

How old is the youngest doctor?

The youngest person to become a doctor is Dr. Balamurali Ambati, who earned his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York at the age of 17 years, 294 days, in May 1995, and holds the Guinness World Record for this achievement. He completed elementary, middle, and high school by age 11 and graduated from New York University at 13, then went straight to medical school, finishing early to become a licensed physician and later an ophthalmologist.
 

Which field of doctor is hardest?

What is the Most Difficult Doctor Specialty?

  • Plastic Surgery. Instead of working with bones as orthopedic surgeons do, plastic surgeons concentrate on soft tissue, such as skin, muscle, and fat. ...
  • Neurosurgery. ...
  • Radiation oncology. ...
  • ENT. ...
  • Orthopedic Surgery.

What doctor makes 700K a year?

Cardiac Anesthesiologist – $700K Annual Compensation.

Who are the most overpaid doctors?

The highest-paid doctors in the U.S. are neurosurgeons, thoracic surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons. These surgical specialists earn average annual salaries between $650,000 and $760,000, making them the top earners among physicians.

Which doctor works the least?

Public Health & Preventive Medicine

Because they are more likely to work in academic, governmental, nonprofit, or corporate settings, these jobs offer a similar work/life balance to many professions outside of medicine, working the fewest hours of many doctors.

What is the happiest doctor job?

Top 10 Happiest Medical Specialties

  • Allergy and Immunology. Allergy & Immunology ranks #1 in physician-reported happiness, with 94% saying they feel happy and well-balanced. ...
  • Pathology. ...
  • Dermatology. ...
  • Public Health & Preventive Medicine. ...
  • Psychiatry. ...
  • Ophthalmology. ...
  • Otolaryngology (ENT) ...
  • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery.

What jobs make $3,000 a month without a degree?

You can earn $3,000 a month without a degree in roles like skilled trades (electrician, HVAC tech), healthcare support (dental/medical assistant), specialized driving (UPS, Amazon), sales, or through remote work in areas like tech support or content creation, often requiring short training programs, apprenticeships, certifications, or strong soft skills for success, with opportunities in both in-person and remote settings. 

What doctor is the least schooling?

Family Medicine is the medical specialty with the shortest training time, typically requiring a three-year residency after medical school.

What is the shortest doctor?

Ganesh Baraiya is the world's shortest doctor. he measures only three feet tall and weighs under 20 kilograms.

What's the quickest you can become a doctor?

The shortest time to become a doctor after high school is about 9-10 years, using accelerated BS/MD programs (6-7 years for undergrad/med school combined) plus a 3-year residency (like Family Medicine or Pediatrics) with no gap years. The standard path takes about 11 years (4 years undergrad + 4 years med school + 3 years residency). Some 3-year medical school programs exist, further shortening the timeline. 

What is the lowest paid doctor?

The lowest-paid doctors are generally in Pediatrics, with subspecialties like Pediatric Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases often topping the list of lowest earners, followed closely by Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and Medical Genetics, reflecting a trend where primary care and child-focused fields earn less than surgical or specialized adult fields. 

What is the no. 1 highest paying job?

The #1 highest-paying job consistently ranks as Surgeons, particularly Pediatric Surgeons, followed closely by Cardiologists, Anesthesiologists, and Orthodontists, all within the medical field, requiring extensive education and specialized skills for high-stakes procedures and patient care. Other top earners include Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Psychiatrists, and specialized IT roles like Enterprise Architects, but healthcare physicians generally dominate the very top of salary lists. 

Do doctors struggle financially?

Yes, doctors often struggle with money management due to massive student debt, high expenses, lack of financial education, and lifestyle creep, despite their high incomes, leading to a stereotype that they are bad with finances, but proactive education and planning can help them overcome these challenges. They often start late in saving and investing, facing a steep learning curve with significant debt and a high tax burden, which makes disciplined financial habits essential. 

What job pays $400,000 a year without a degree?

Yes, jobs paying over $400,000 without a college degree exist, with Walmart Store Managers being a prominent example due to increased bonuses and stock, while other high earners include roles in enterprise tech sales, commercial real estate, high-level trades (like nuclear operators, air traffic controllers), and self-made entrepreneurs/influencers, all relying on high skill, performance, and market demand, not just degrees, according to sources from Tallo and The Wall Street Journal. 

Are ER doctors the highest paid?

No, ER (Emergency Medicine) doctors are not the highest paid; they rank well above the average physician but below top surgical and procedural specialties like Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, and Cardiology, with incomes typically ranging from $300k-$450k+ depending on location, experience, and practice setting, but they often command very high hourly rates. 

What jobs in the US pay $300,000 a year?

Jobs paying $300,000 or more in the U.S. are typically high-level roles in Tech, Finance, Law, Healthcare, and Executive Management, often involving significant responsibility or performance-based pay, such as CEOs, surgeons, investment bankers, senior software engineers, and top-tier consultants, though high-earning potential also exists in specialized sales and successful entrepreneurship. 

What is the rarest type of doctor?

For example, oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery are both considered among the rarest specialties in medicine. In the case of oral and maxillofacial surgery, professionals are trained in both dentistry and surgery, which makes it an even rarer specialty.

What is the most difficult thing for a doctor?

Uncooperative and ungrateful sentiments from patients and their relatives alike are on the top of many doctors' frustrations list. It's important to remember that doctors are humans too, with emotions and limited patience. All of the hard work they pour into the service they provide are to help patients heal.

Which doctor has the highest demand?

11 Most In-Demand Physician Specialties

  • Family Medicine. Family medicine specialists, often called general practitioners (GPs), are often the first point of contact for patients. ...
  • Internal Medicine. ...
  • Emergency Medicine. ...
  • Psychiatry. ...
  • Obstetrician and Gynecologist (OB/GYN) ...
  • Neurologist. ...
  • Radiologist. ...
  • Geriatrics.