Medical
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
– World Health Organization
Overview
How’s your health? Do you find yourself asking that question of others? Do you have a reassuring and caring bedside manner, and true desire to do good in the world? If so, a career in medicine might be just what the doctor ordered. Medical professionals typically have at least a bachelor’s degree with a focus in science, biology, chemistry or physics. Doctors – primary care physicians, and surgical and non-surgical specialists – also require a four-year medical degree from an accredited school. Technicians must be certified, while doctors require licenses from the state in which they practice.
Medicine: Career Insights
- Requirements for education, training, licensing – and ongoing recertification – are among the most stringent of any profession.
- Increasingly, doctors work as salaried employees of organizations, group medical practices, or health clinics – the days of the private practice may be numbered.
- Earnings can be high – particularly for specialties such as cosmetic surgery – but the healthcare bureaucracy and rising malpractice premiums are gradually bringing doctors down to a more earthly income level.
Primary Care Physician
The primary care physician – also known as the family doctor – is a medical generalist, capable of handling general internal medicine and general pediatrics. Primary care physicians tend to see the same patients over and over, for routine check-ups as well as illness or injury, and thus come to know a patient and his or her medical history and idiosyncrasies. When a patient’s needs exceed the primary care physician’s ability to provide care, the patient is typically referred to a specialist.
Non-surgical Specialists
Allergy, cardiovascular disease, dermatology, gastroenterology, obstetrics/gynecology, pulmonary disease – these medical specialties are the province of medical specialists such as the allergist, cardiologist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, OB/gyn, and pulmonary physician. Other specialties include pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, and radiology. Specialists tend to see patients who have a particular medical condition or specific need, rather than for general wellness or preventive measures. Specialists must participate in continuing medical education (CME) in order to remain current in their chosen fields.
Surgical Specialties
If you feel you’re a cut above the other medical students, think about specializing in surgery, considered by many to be the most challenging medical career. You could be a general surgeon, or further specialize in an area such as colon and rectal surgery, neurological surgery, ophthalmologic surgery. In addition to commanding high salaries and high respect, there’s the added benefit of being able to go to work in comfy scrubs.
Emergency Medical Technician
They may not be doctors, but they play a vital role in the healthcare system. Emergency medical technicians, or EMT’s, are first on the scene in an emergency – an accident, a heart attack, or any other sudden and serious condition. EMT’s are ranked from level 1 (basic) through 4 (paramedic) and must pass state exams to receive their certification. Not only do EMT’s receive the rewards of performing lifesaving work, but they also get to drive very fast and ignore traffic lights.
Medical Assistant
At the low rung of the medical food chain is the medical assistant, an unlicensed position often held by individuals acquiring the training and/or education necessary to become an EMT or nurse. Medical assistants perform routine clinical tasks for physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and optometrists.
If your diagnosis calls for a career as a medical professional, find out how an accredited online undergraduate pre-medical education, graduate medical education, or doctor of medicine (MD) degree program online can help you find a job as a primary care physician, non-surgical specialist, surgical specialist, emergency medical technician, or medical assistant.
Click here for a complete list of accredited online Medical degree programs