| Employment of physicians and surgeons is projected | | | | systems, often as salaried employees. In these |
| to grow faster than average for all occupations | | | | organizations, physicians often can command salaries |
| through the year 2014 due to continued expansion of | | | | comparable to executives in other occupations. |
| health care industries. The growing and aging | | | | About one-third of the nation's physicians are |
| population will drive overall growth in the demand for | | | | generalists, "primary care" doctors who provide |
| physician services, as consumers continue to demand | | | | lifelong medical services for the entire family. General |
| high levels of care using the latest technologies, | | | | internists, family physicians, and general pediatricians |
| diagnostic tests, and therapies. In addition to | | | | are all considered generalist doctors. They are the |
| employment growth, job openings will result from the | | | | first doctors people consult for medical care. And |
| need to replace physicians and surgeons who retire | | | | they are trained to provide the wide range of |
| over the 2004-14 period. | | | | services children and adults need. When patients' |
| But what is this career about? Is it such a great | | | | specific health needs require further treatment, |
| opportunity as everyone claims? | | | | generalist physicians send them to see a specialist |
| Well, this career allows you to help people and | | | | physician. |
| advance knowledge and your work and contributions | | | | Specialist physicians differ from generalists in that |
| are an important part of your community. It offers | | | | they focus on treating a particular system or part of |
| you lots of career options from the same education | | | | the body. Neurologists who study the brain, |
| base and it changes daily, so it's hardly ever boring. | | | | cardiologists who study the heart, ophthalmologists |
| It's a social work; it doesn't tie you to a desk all the | | | | who study the eye, and hematologists who study |
| time. And finally, last but not least, it enables you to | | | | the blood are just a few examples of specialists. |
| earn a good living with a secure future and your skills | | | | They work together with generalist physicians to |
| and knowledge are in demand, wherever you choose | | | | ensure that patients receive treatment for specific |
| to live. Physicians and surgeons serve a fundamental | | | | medical problems as well as complete and |
| role in our society and have an effect upon all our | | | | comprehensive care throughout life. |
| lives. | | | | Medical school is challenging. If you want to take |
| Few fields offer a wider variety of opportunities. | | | | responsibility for people's health and well-being, you've |
| Most doctors' professional lives are filled with caring | | | | got to be serious about learning. |
| for people and continuously learning more about the | | | | Formal education and training requirements for |
| human body. Every day in communities around the | | | | physicians are among the most demanding of any |
| country, doctors work in neighborhood clinics, | | | | occupation, 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years |
| hospitals, offices, even homeless shelters and schools | | | | of medical school, and 3 to 8 years of internship and |
| to care for people in need. | | | | residency, depending on the specialty selected. A |
| Physicians work in one or more of several specialties, | | | | few medical schools offer combined undergraduate |
| including, but not limited to, anesthesiology, family and | | | | and medical school programs that last 6 rather than |
| general medicine, general internal medicine, general | | | | the customary 8 years. |
| pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and | | | | Your college or university's premedical advisor can |
| surgery. A number of other medical specialists, | | | | help you through the application process. Medical |
| including allergists, cardiologists, dermatologists, | | | | schools will evaluate you on your college grades, |
| emergency physicians, gastroenterologists, | | | | extracurricular activities, and personal characteristics. |
| ophthalmologists, pathologists, and radiologists, also | | | | Most also require you to take the Medical College |
| work in clinics, hospitals, and private offices. | | | | Admission Test (MCAT), which analyzes your |
| Physicians do many other things. Physician | | | | knowledge of the basic sciences, your reading and |
| researchers are at work today developing exciting | | | | writing abilities, and your problem-solving skills. |
| new treatments for cancer, genetic disorders, and | | | | You also should consult Medical School Admission |
| infectious diseases like AIDS. Academic physicians | | | | Requirements (MSAR), published by the Association |
| share their skills and wisdom by teaching medical | | | | of American Medical Colleges, which provides the |
| students and residents. Others work with health | | | | specific admission requirements of each U.S. and |
| maintenance organizations, pharmaceutical companies, | | | | Canadian medical school. |
| medical device manufacturers, health insurance | | | | Once you've been accepted, the medical school |
| companies, or in corporations directing health and | | | | faculty and staff will do everything they can to help |
| safety programs. People with medical skills are in | | | | you succeed. In fact, more than 97 percent of |
| demand everywhere. | | | | entering medical students obtain their M.D. degrees. |
| Many physicians-primarily general and family | | | | During the first two years you will study the basic |
| practitioners, general internists, pediatricians, ob/gyns, | | | | sciences' anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, |
| and psychiatrists-work in small private offices or | | | | microbiology, pathology, and pharmacology, as well as |
| clinics, often assisted by a small staff of nurses and | | | | behavioral sciences. You'll also begin learning the |
| other administrative personnel. Increasingly, physicians | | | | fundamental techniques of taking a medical history |
| are practicing in groups or health care organizations | | | | and examining patients. |
| that provide backup coverage and allow for more | | | | Next, you'll go into the hospital and various clinics to |
| time off. These physicians often work as part of a | | | | observe and work with experienced doctors and |
| team coordinating care for a population of patients; | | | | begin to learn how to take care of patients. At this |
| they are less independent than solo practitioners of | | | | time you'll begin to explore the wide variety of |
| the past. Organized as clinics or as associations of | | | | career paths within medicine, such as family practice, |
| physicians, medical groups can afford expensive | | | | internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics and |
| medical equipment and realize other business | | | | gynecology, and pediatrics. |
| advantages. | | | | Your final years are spent continuing your contact |
| Medicine has many rewards, personally, intellectually, | | | | with patients and doctors in a clinical setting while |
| and financially. On average, doctors make about | | | | taking elective courses. |
| $160,000 a year, but this amount can vary depending | | | | After medical school you will spend three to seven |
| on where physicians live and what type of medical | | | | years in a residency, where you will gain further |
| specialty they practice. As the American health care | | | | experience and training in the specialty you have |
| system changes, fewer doctors are working for | | | | chosen. |
| themselves and more are joining health care | | | | |