Job Description for Doctors
While attending medical school to become a doctor is time consuming and expensive, even some of the lowest paid doctors earn higher salaries than most careers. The career of a doctor---considered one of the most prestigious---is expected to be in shortage in the next eight years due to a large number of doctors retiring and an aging baby boomer population.
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Function
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Doctors are highly trained health professionals who perform a variety of health services such as disease treatment, surgery and condition diagnosis. Doctors also refer patients to physical therapists, dietitians, psychiatrists, pharmacists and many other types of health practitioners. Patients usually have a general doctor whom the patient visits for checkups and for inquiries into symptoms that the patient experiences. When a condition is beyond the general doctor's ability to treat, the patient is usually referred to a specialized doctor. Individuals usually see doctors their entire lives, as babies are usually delivered by doctors and annual checkups are recommended. Some careers require that patients receive annual physicals and patients are often asked to see their doctors before participating in physical activity.
Conditions
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Doctors work in a variety of settings ranging from clinics to private practices to sports arenas to the private residences of patients. Most doctors work in clinics and private offices, where the environment is clean and well lit. Some doctors work by themselves, while other doctors work as a part of a team, especially in emergency room settings. Doctors are often expected to stand for long periods of time. Some have a great deal of exposure to patients with infectious diseases, though appropriate safety precautions usually prevent the spread of diseases. Almost half of doctors work 50 hours a week or more, especially since there is a shortage of doctors driven by the high training requirements for becoming a doctor.
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Education
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The educational requirements for a doctor are enormous, with doctors having to spend between 11 and 16 years of education, internship and residency in order to become doctors. Some medical schools attempt to cut down the amount of time spent in school by one or two years by combining undergraduate and medical school programs. Medical schools are among the most difficult schools to be accepted into. Once in school, students are expected to memorize a large number of medical terms and procedures. Residency programs are essentially on-the-job training programs.
Outlook
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, doctors held 661,400 jobs in 2008. Between 2008 and 2018, the need for doctors is expected to grow by 22 percent, driven primarily by an aging population. However, technological advances have made doctors more productive, reducing some of the demand. However, a large number of doctors are expected to retire by 2018.
Earnings
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The median earnings for doctors involved in primary care was $186,044 and the median earnings for specialized doctors was $339,738 in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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References
- Photo Credit Doctor image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com
