TY - JOUR T1 - MEdical specialties AU - Torpy JM, Golub RM Y1 - 2011/09/07 N1 - 10.1001/jama.306.9.1044 JO - JAMA SP - 1044 EP - 1044 VL - 306 IS - 9 N2 - Future physicians go to medical school after they complete college. Medical students learn about many different areas of medicine, including those designated as specialties. At the end of medical school, doctors choose the specialty in which they will have more education and eventually practice. Education in each specialty takes 3 to 7 years of a residency after medical school. Some medical specialties have subspecialties that require even more education and training. Since medical knowledge is so complex and advanced, most doctors limit their practices to their area of specialization. The September 7, 2011, issue of JAMA is a theme issue on medical education. This Patient Page is based on one previously published in the September 5, 2007, issue of JAMA. SN - 0098-7484 M3 - doi: 10.1001/jama.306.9.1044 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.306.9.1044 ER -