As a physician, you’ll interact with patients and help solve their medical problems. A career in medicine can be rewarding and fulfilling, but it’s also time-consuming and stressful.
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What does a physician do?
A physician is a licensed medical professional who diagnoses and treats patients. A doctor will usually undergo many years of education and training, including earning a bachelor’s degree, before they can be licensed to practice medicine.
Doctors are also known as physicians or doctors of medicine (M.D.), though some may choose to use the term “physician” instead.
Medical school can take four years or more depending on the program you choose; however, after you graduate from medical school, you will still need additional training in order to be licensed as a physician in your state or country.
What are the education requirements to be a physician?
To become a physician, you will need to complete medical school and then a residency in order to practice medicine. To do this, you will need to pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before applying for medical school.
After completing your four years of medical school at an accredited institution, you will enter into a residency program where you’ll spend two more years training under a physician mentor.
During this time, you can apply for board certification through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
This certification is required for licensure in most states; however there are some exceptions so it’s best that you check with your state’s licensing boards before applying for licensure as a physician if they have any requirements regarding specific certifications or credentials.
How much does a physician earn?
Physicians earn a pretty hefty salary, both in general and compared to other professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage for physicians is $208,000.
That’s more than double what dentists get paid (about $93k) and more than quadruple what mental health counselors make ($45k).
But that’s not all! It turns out that there are certain types of doctors who have it even better than others when it comes to earning potential: gastroenterologists and plastic surgeons earned an average salary of $330K in 2016—much higher than their peers.
What is the projected job outlook for physicians?
The BLS projects that the physician workforce will grow by 20 percent from 2016 to 2026. This represents an additional 46,700 physicians.
The greatest job growth is expected to occur in emergency medicine and pediatrics (20 percent), internal medicine (19 percent), and family practice (18 percent).
The demand for primary care practitioners is high, but there are not enough students entering medical schools to meet the growing need for these positions.
As a result, healthcare organizations have turned to hiring foreign-trained doctors who completed their residencies abroad or who are currently completing residencies in the US.
A career in medicine can be rewarding.
Physicians are highly trained professionals who are respected in society and in the workplace. They are also in high demand, so if you’re considering a career as a medical doctor, you can be assured that there will always be plenty of opportunities available to you.
In fact, there is such strong demand that many health care facilities have waiting lists of thousands of people who want to see their physicians.
This means that if you become a physician and land your dream job at one of these top hospitals or clinics, it’s likely that your patients won’t wait long before they get an appointment with you.
Physicians also enjoy high pay compared to some other professions; indeed, being a doctor may even earn more money than being an engineer or lawyer!
So if earning lots of money is important factor for making choices about your future career path (and it should be), becoming a doctor might just be right up your alley!
FAQs
What Are Physicians Salary?
What Are the Lowest Paid Doctors?
How Hard Is It to Become a Physician?
Is a Physician the Same as a Doctor?
What Is the Degree of a Physician?
Can Physician Assistants Practice Independently
How Physicians Are Licensed and Regulated?
Conclusion
Are you interested in becoming a physician? A career as a physician can be incredibly rewarding, and the demand for physicians is growing.
To become a physician, you’ll need to complete medical school, which typically takes four years. You should also consider completing residency training after medical school, as it will give you more opportunities for employment and help you obtain licensure.
Once you are licensed to practice medicine in your state or province and have completed any necessary residencies, you can begin working as a physician.
Sources:
- https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physician/salary
- https://www.beckersasc.com/benchmarking/10-lowest-paid-physician-specialties-in-2021.html
- https://c8y.doxcdn.com/image/upload/v1/Press%20Blog/Research%20Reports/Doximity-Compensation-Report-2021.pdf
- https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/doctor-vs-physician-what-is-the-difference
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2020375
- https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/professional-self-regulation-medicine/2014-04