This tool should by no means be the only one you use to make tough decisions, but it does provide additional insight into where your limited time and resources should be spent. What is the effort involved in pursuing such a competitive and difficult specialty versus the impact it will have on your enjoyment, lifestyle, and other factors? Do you care about pursuing a high-paying specialty, or would you prefer a lifestyle that allows for more work/life balance and time for family? But if you’ve always dreamed of going to Baylor’s College of Medicine, the impact of getting an acceptance from that school would be quite high and incredibly fulfilling.Īnother example to consider is whether or not you want to pursue a difficult specialty, such as neurosurgery. If you are also applying to schools outside of Texas, adding another application service ( TMDSAS) is certainly a notable increase in effort. In comparison to all of your other options, how much effort will going down this path entail? In the end, what is the impact of the decision? How much do you actually want that outcome to become a reality?įor example, let’s say you are choosing which medical schools to apply to and are trying to decide whether or not to apply to Texas medical schools. Plot all of your options on your matrix in the locations that make the most sense to you. The impact effort matrix has four quadrants. What options will leave the largest impact, and how much effort is needed to reach that result? What is the impact versus effort for the options you are choosing between? An impact effort matrix is a simple decision making tool that helps you align your priorities. Every strategy you enact from here on out will be aided by in-depth research. Thorough research is the backbone of good decision making. Our “ So You Want to Be…” series takes a deep dive into how to pursue each specialty, pros and cons, and how to determine if the specialty will be a good fit for you. If you’re trying to decide what specialty you want to pursue, we have a whole series dedicated to dissecting different specialties and subspecialties. But don’t stop there-speak to students who are also pursuing that specialty, reach out to professionals in the field, and get as much real-life experience as you can to determine whether or not it’s right for you. If you’re trying to choose a specialty, do your research about what the specialty is like, including lifestyle, education requirements, pay rate, working hours, and the type of people you’ll be working with. If you are trying to decide which schools to apply to, speak to staff at the school, ask current students specific questions, and, if you can, go to the campus yourself to get a feel for the location and community. Reach out to mentors, professional acquaintances, and other students to get inside information. Taking time in the research phase will set you up for success and give you the tools you need to make the decision that’s right for you.ĭo the research you can online, but go far beyond simple Google searches and using the MSAR. Major life choices, like deciding which medical schools to apply to or which acceptance to choose, require plenty of research in order to make an informed decision. This is especially true the more important a decision is. Whether you’re narrowing down your final list of schools, deciding whether or not to take a gap year, choosing from your acceptances, or picking a specialty, the following decision making strategies will help you make informed decisions you can feel good about for years to come.ĭoing your research is the first step to good decision making. Struggling with small, everyday decisions is one thing, but what about those major life decisions that will have a rippling effect for years to come? If you struggle with decision making, you understand how debilitating not being able to decide can be. What research experience is best for your resume? What specialty should you pursue? What residency programs do you apply to? Where do you want to live for the duration of your residency and beyond? And you’ll continue to have important decisions to make throughout your time in medical school. From deciding to become a doctor to choosing your undergraduate degree to deciding which medical schools to apply to, the list goes on.
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