The Pros and Cons of Increasingly Specialized Medical Studies

Is there merit in increasingly specialized medical studies? 

If you were the parent of a child born with a serious, medical problem, you would be excited to learn about new or advanced research, in that field. If your spouse was suffering a serious, medical problem, you would want to know what new or different discoveries were emerging, on that medical horizon, too.

In other words, when a medical condition affects you personally, or someone you love, then you are likely to become interested in specialized medical studies, in that particular area. There are many medical professionals who become involved in specialized medical studies for different reasons. 

Is there hope?

Can this medical problem be cured?

At the same time, others wonder who is going to pay for the increasingly specialized, medical studies. Some of these people base their conclusions about the value of advanced studies, on whether they are cost effective in terms of time, effort and results. Obviously, there are a number of pros and cons.

Throughout the course of history, there have been many, highly specialized, medical studies carried out. 

There are numerous, dedicated medical professionals spending their lives searching for answers to current medical problems. As a result, the health status of people all over the world, is steadily improving. There will continue to be others who do the same thing, in the future. 

But, each one of the medical specialists encounters opposition from others, at one time or another. At the same time, new medical discoveries presents more stepping stones, on the horizon of improved medical care for people, all around the world.

In a time of economic recession, there are those who question whether the money that is being spent on medical research should be relegated elsewhere.

The time involved in specialized studies becomes a major concern, because  few discoveries occur instantly. Medical progress is often slow. At times, it takes a lot of medical professionals and a great deal of money, to make even minor breakthroughs.

Another factor involves the cost of research facilities. 

There may be equipment that has to be designed, created and purchased, as well as additional professional and non-professional personnel needed. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as there is still the cost of running the operation. 

Where does the cost end?

Or better still, where does it all begin?

Someone has to pay that first dollar and then, the next one and so on. Some contributions may come in, though many people may not be willing or able to contribute any time, effort or money to support a cause, pursuit or area of endeavor, even when it seems like a good idea.

What is specialization?

Specialization in a medical area, means that a person pursues a specific field of study, which gradually progresses over time and becomes the focus of his or her activity and possibly, his or her occupation for life

In order to specialize in something, a person has to particularize it, rather than generalize it. The more one particularizes something, the more it is magnified and grows in terms of relative importance. But, particularization of anything or advanced research, takes time and concerted effort on the part of the specialist.

Currently, there is an emergence and effusion of specialized medical terminology, specialized medical education, specialized medical devices, specialized medical supplies, specialized medical centers, specialized medical systems and specialized medical search engines.

Highly educated, medical specialists constitute only a small portion of the world's population, though there are many well educated, professional medical people. The vast majority of the global population is not well educated or involved in the medical field.

What does this mean in terms of increasing specialized medical studies or ongoing medical specialization, in any area?

People all around the world, need to become more aware of new, medical knowledge, as well as the medical assistance that comes from increasingly specialized medical studies.

Relatively few people comprehend medical specialization or support it, financially. They may fight against it, though these breakthroughs are needed, everywhere around the globe.

Peers often work together in pursuit of highly specialized, medical knowledge, but this is not always the case. Many times, a medical specialist works entirely alone, particularly if no one else has his or her vision regarding what he or she is attempting to achieve.

Like anything else, an idea has to be marketable, before anyone will buy into it. This is true of medical specialization, as well as any other field of endeavor. The medical specialist has to be able to market his or her specialty to others. That is not always an easy thing to do, as medical specialists are trained in the medical field, not in marketing.

Recruitment of agencies or organizations to market different medical discoveries, is the route that medical specialists are forced to go, in order for these to be initiated or introduced. Someone else has to believe in what the specialist is doing and then, promote it.

There is a high level of competition in medical specialty areas. Each medical professional, who wants to become a specialist, has to compete with other potential specialists in that field.

Medical specialization is not an easy path for medical professionals to follow, but it can be a rewarding one. At times, becoming a medical specialist is like trying to carve a pathway through total wilderness.

For example, with respect to genetics, recent advances reveal that there is vast, undiscovered territory in that realm of inquiry. This is just one of many medical fields that potential medical professionals may pursue in the future.

Do we need more medical specialists? Yes.

Are more specialized medical studies necessary? Yes.

The number of recent medical discoveries, in genetics alone, has proven that the medical studies and other efforts of modern medical specialists are not being carried out in vain. People are helped.

Is that not what medical specialization is all about?

If you are a person who is weighing the pros and cons of becoming a medical specialist, you might begin pursuing serious research, in your specific area of interest. Find out who your predecessors are in that field, what level of achievement they have attained and look for a possible doorway of discovery, that just might be waiting for your ingenuity and inquiry. You may have to work for many years at low pay, in order to introduce one concept, thought or idea. It will not be easy.

Is it going to be worth it? Yes.

Years of medical study are necessary for anyone who wishes to become a medical specialist, in any specific field of inquiry. Ideally, a potential, medical specialist would follow studies in his or her area of specific interest, gradually fine tuning it from a generalization to a particularization.

Is more medical specialization needed? Yes.

Are there still open doors of discovery in the medical field? Yes.

There is merit in increasingly specialized medical studies, even if you are the only one who can see it, at this time. Find your particular passion and pursue it to the nth degree, regardless of the cost. Remember that not everyone has eyes that see what you see.

Determine your personal dream and work towards making it come true. Don't let anyone dissuade you, as this is your passion, not theirs. Who knows? In time, perhaps they too, might be among those helped, by something you discover.

So weigh the pros and cons carefully and make a learned decision about increasingly specialized medical studies.