Exploring a Medical Career
What is a doctor's career like?
Doctors diagnose illnesses and treat people who suffer from injury
or disease. Their professional lives are filled with caring for
people, keeping up with advances in medicine, and working as a part
of a health care team. Every day in communities around the country,
doctors work in neighborhood clinics, hospitals, offices, even homeless
shelters and schools. Few fields offer a wider variety of opportunities.
About one-third of the nation's physicians are "primary care"
doctors who provide lifelong medical services for the entire family.
General internists, family physicians, and general pediatricians
are all considered primary care doctors. They are the first doctors
people consult for medical care. And they are trained to provide
the wide range of services children and adults need. When patients'
specific health needs require further treatment, primary care physicians
send them to see a specialist physician.
Specialist physicians differ from primary care physicians in that
they focus on treating a particular system or part of the body.
Surgeons who treat injuries, disease and deformities by performing
operative procedures, neurologists who treat disorders of the brain
and spinal cord, cardiologists who treat the heart and blood vessels,
and ophthalmologists who treat the eye are just a few examples of
the many specialties in medicine. These physicians work together
with primary care physicians to ensure that patients receive treatment
for specific medical problems as well as complete and comprehensive
care throughout life. For information about these and other medical
specialties visit the Careers in
Medicine site.
Physicians also do many other things. Physician researchers are
at work today developing exciting new treatments for cancer, genetic
disorders, and infectious diseases like AIDS. Academic physicians
share their skills and wisdom by teaching medical students and residents.
Others work with health maintenance organizations, pharmaceutical
companies, medical device manufacturers, health insurance companies,
or in corporations directing health and safety programs. People
with medical skills are in demand everywhere.
How do I know if a medical career
might be right for me?
First ask yourself what kind of future appeals to you. Do you want
challenges, opportunities, a chance to make a difference? Do you
have an inquisitive mind? Are you interested in science and how
the body works? Many bright and motivated college students describe
a "dream career" with the following characteristics:
- Service: Allows you to help people and advance knowledge.
- Action: Doesn't tie you to a desk all the time.
- Respect: Your work and contributions are an important part of
your community.
- Security: Enables you to earn a good living with a secure future.
- Mobility: Your skills and knowledge are in demand, wherever
you choose to live.
- Flexibility: Offers you lots of career options.
Few occupations meet all of these standards. None meets them better
than a career in medicine.
What does it take to become a doctor?
Becoming a doctor requires a serious educational commitment. It
takes from 11 to 16 years to complete your education, including
four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school,
and from three to eight years of residency training in a desired
specialty. Doctors also are required to maintain licensure and certification
and to undergo continuing education in order to keep up with advancements
in the field. See Making the Decision
to Study Medicine for more information about the education
of a doctor.
How much do doctors make and how
many hours do they work?
Medicine has many rewards—personally, intellectually, and
financially. On average, doctors make about $160,000 a year, but
this amount can vary depending on where physicians live and what
type of medical specialty they practice.1As
the American health care system changes, fewer doctors are working
for themselves and more are joining health care systems, often as
salaried employees. In these organizations, physicians often can
command salaries comparable to executives in other occupations.
While salaries for physicians are among the highest for all occupations,
the work hours can be long and unpredictable. Many doctors work
more than 60 hours a week. They may also have to respond to emergencies
and be on call for their patients.
The employment outlook for doctors in nearly all specialties is
growing and bright. With the aging of the population, advances in
genetics research and technology, the need for physicians in rural
and inner city environments, and other important factors, the demand
for more doctors will continue to grow far into the future.
1 Medical Group Management Association,
(2008) Physician Compensation and Production Survey: 2008 Report
Based on 2007 Data. Englewood, CO: MGMA.
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