Alternative Careers for Doctors
Getting into medical school is intensely competitive. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, only about half of applicants to U.S. schools are accepted. Some would like to do the work of doctors, but are averse to spending more than eight years in school: pre-med, medical school and residency. There are alternative careers available within the medical field.
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Physician Assistant
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Licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a medical doctor, the physician assistant, or PA, is a provider of medical care. PAs may diagnose illness, assist in surgery, order and interpret lab tests, prescribe medicine and obtain medical histories. They also apply casts and splints to fractured bones and suture wounds. While most PAs work in general medicine, some work in specialized areas such as surgery and emergency medicine. PAs typically obtain training through colleges of medicine and must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination given by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. PA training programs last about two years.
Nurse Practitioner
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Nurse practitioners, or NPs, are health care providers, generally in primary care offices, and typically work in place of a medical doctor. Duties include diagnosing illness, taking patient health histories, prescribing treatment and ordering laboratory testing. They are registered nurses with a graduate education and advanced clinical training. NPs must obtain a license in the state where they plan to practice, and national certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners or American Nurses Credentialing Center. Specialty certifications may be acquired in such areas as neonatology, psychiatry, adult and pediatric health.
Accelerated programs are available for those who have a bachelor's degree in another field. Nurse practitioner programs can generally be completed in two to three years, post-baccalaureate.
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Dentist
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Dentists specialize in preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases of the teeth and gums. Duties include filling cavities, applying sealants, repairing fractures and performing corrective surgery. They also prescribe medications such as antibiotics. According to the American Dental Association, dentists choose from nine specialty areas of practice including: orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry and endodontics.
Training to become a dentist typically requires a four-year undergraduate degree, four years of dental school, two to four years of postgraduate specialty training and possibly a postgraduate residency of about a year. Dentists are licensed by passing the National Board of Dental Examination. There are also additional state examination requirements.
Veterinarian
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Veterinarians provide medical treatment and general health care services to animals. They care for animals in zoos, on farms, at racetracks and in private practices. Their duties and responsibilities include performing surgery, giving vaccinations to protect against disease, diagnosing illness, setting fractures and wound care. Some specialize in providing medical care to an exclusive kind of animal, such as exotic pets and horses.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinarians are in demand and there are only 28 veterinarian schools in the U.S. turning out a small number of graduates. Job prospects are expected to be "excellent" particularly in rural communities. Employment should increase 33 percent through 2018. Veterinarians are required to obtain a Doctor in Veterinarian Medicine (D.V.M.) from a college accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. All practicing veterinarians must be licensed by the state in which they practice.
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References
- Photo Credit physician image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
