Research Assessment #1: Career/Industry Forecast

Source:

"Physicians and Surgeons." Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics, 17 Dec. 2015. Web. 17 May 2016.

<http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm>

"Requirements for Becoming a Physician." American Medical Association. N.p., n.d.

Web. 19 May 2016.

<http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/education-careers/becoming-physician.page

?>

Date:

September 12, 2016

Analysis:

The job title or career field I want to pursue is Internal Medicine. I hope to

continue observing my interest in the biology, anatomy, and physiology of the human

body. If I had to select a specific subspecialty of Internal Medicine, I would likely pick

Gastroenterology, the study of the stomach and intestinal region. Besides being an

important part of the process of absorbing nutrients, the digestive system is a major

component in how medicine is given to a patient, which appeals to my interests in

treatment of illnesses.

A daily task in this field would be to observe patients, document any signs and

symptoms of pain or discomfort in their body, and begin formulating ways to diagnose or
treat possible illnesses. A more long term goal of internal medicine would be to

contribute to research or help with chronic illnesses. Theres a lot of need for internists

to work on cancer research as they have the ability to observe the body by specific

organ systems or as a whole. Internists can develop more treatments for cancer as they

have a deep understanding of the human body. It would be extremely beneficial to have

an internist help research and develop treatments to any disease.

Four years at a college or university are needed to earn a BS or BA degree,

usually with a strong emphasis on basic sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and

physics. Also, four years at one of the LCME-accredited U.S. medical schools,

consisting of preclinical and clinical parts are needed. After completing medical school,

students can earn their doctor of medicine degrees (MDs), although they must complete

additional training before practicing on their own as a physician.Through a national

matching program, newly graduated MDs enter into a residency program that is three to

seven years or more of professional training under the supervision of senior physician

educators. The length of residency training varies depending on the medical specialty

chosen: family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics, for example, require 3 years

of training each. Finally, one to three years of additional training in a subspecialty is an

option for some doctors who want to become highly specialized in a particular field,such

as gastroenterology, a subspecialty of internal medicine and of pediatrics, or child and

adolescent psychiatry, a subspecialty of psychiatry. (Requirement)

You do not have to major in Biology to get into Medical School. However, it is

extremely recommended that you do. Focusing on Biology and covering any science
requirements you may need to know to pass medical exams like the MCAT are

important. In high school, nothing is really mandatory, but classes like AP Biology,

Anatomy and Physiology, Health Science 1 and 2, and Medical Terminology will be

very useful in the future.

Other careers I could use skills in Internal medicine are careers having anything

to do with organ systems and bodily functions. Internal Medicine covers an extremely

broad scope of medical training. Therefore, you could apply the same knowledge and

skill to any subspecialty like Cardiothoracic Surgery or even Oncology.

Salary straight out of college is very low. Residency pays enough for a person to

live in a healthy way, but it can still be confining. However, with all training complete,

wages are equal to or greater than $187,200 per year or $90.00 per hour.

Employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 14 percent from

2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. The growing and aging

population is expected to drive overall growth in the demand for physician services as

consumers continue to seek high levels of care that uses the latest technologies,

diagnostic tests, and therapies. (Physicians and Surgeons)

This career does have a specific terminology you must be familiar with. There are

terms for all sorts of body parts, bones, organs, tissues, and cells a general Internist

must know about. There are also lots of classes over root words, suffixes, and prefixes

that apply to the Latin definition of the different body parts. To understand the

curriculum and be as accurate as possible with diagnosis and treatment, an internist

must be familiar with these terms.

Summary
Physicians examine patients; obtain medical histories; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests.
Quick Facts: Physicians and Surgeons

This wage is equal to or greater than $187,200 per year

2015 Median Pay
or $90.00 per hour.

Typical Entry-Level Education Doctoral or professional degree

Work Experience in a Related None

Occupation

On-the-job Training Internship/residency

Number of Jobs, 2014 708,300

Job Outlook, 2014-24 14% (Much faster than average)

Employment Change, 2014-24 99,300

What Physicians and Surgeons Do

Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical
histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They counsel patients on
diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare. Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken
bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.

Work Environment
Physicians and surgeons held about 708,300 jobs in 2014. Many physicians work in private offices or clinics,
often with administrative and healthcare personnel.

How to Become a Physician or Surgeon

Physicians and surgeons have demanding education and training requirements. Almost all physicians
complete at least 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school, and, depending on their
specialty, 3 to 7 years in internship and residency programs.

Pay
Wages for physicians and surgeons are among the highest of all occupations. The Pay tab has
compensation data from the Medical Group Management Associations Physician Compensation and
Production Survey.

Job Outlook
Employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 14 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster
than the average for all occupations. Job growth is projected due to increased demand for healthcare
services by the growing and aging population.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for physicians and surgeons.

Similar Occupations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of physicians and surgeons with similar
occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about physicians and surgeons by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on
key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Requirements for Becoming a Physician

Note: We are not able to respond to individual letters from students seeking information on health care

careers for school projects or similar activities. Please refer instead to the following resources.

Check out the Health Professions Network Facebook page for news and updates on allied health and

related fields.

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions also offers information to assist

students interested in medical and other health care careers.

In addition, you may wish to refer to the following fact sheets from the Association of American

Medical Colleges' Aspiring Docs program:

How Do I... Decide if a Career in Medicine is Right for Me?

How Do I... Partner with my Advisor?

How Do I... Apply to Medical School?

How Do I... Pay for Medical School?

How Do I... Prepare for the MCAT Exam?

What's it Like to... Take the MCAT Exam?

How Do I... Get Lab Experience?

How Do I... Shadow a Doctor?

What's it Like to... Do a M.D./Ph.D. Program?

What's It Like to... Be an Undergrad in a B.S./M.D. Program?

What's it Like to... See a Patient for the First Time?

The education of physicians in the United States is lengthy and involves undergraduate education,

medical school and graduate medical education. (The term "graduate medical education" [GME.page

includes residency and fellowship training; the American Medical Association does not use the term

"postgraduate education.")

Undergraduate education: Four years at a college or university to earn a BS or BA degree,

usually with a strong emphasis on basic sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics

(some students may enter medical school with other areas of emphasis).

Medical school (undergraduate medical education): Four years of education at one of the

U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Four years at one of the L

CME-accredited U.S. medical schools , consisting of preclinical

and clinical parts. After completing medical school, students earn their doctor of medicine

degrees (MDs), although they must complete additional training before practicing on their

own as a physician. (Note: Some physicians receive a d

octor of osteopathic medicine

[DO.page degree from a college of osteopathic medicine.)

Residency program (graduate medical education): Through a n

ational matching program

, newly graduated MDs enter into a residency program that is three to seven years or more

of professional training under the supervision of senior physician educators. The length of

residency training varies depending on the medical specialty chosen: family practice,

internal medicine, and pediatrics, for example, require 3 years of training; general surgery

requires 5 years. (Some refer to the first year of residency as an "internship"; the AMA no

longer uses this term.)

Fellowship: One to three years of additional training in a subspecialty is an option for some

doctors who want to become highly specialized in a particular field, such as

gastroenterology, a subspecialty of internal medicine and of pediatrics, or child and

adolescent psychiatry, a subspecialty of psychiatry.

After completing undergraduate, medical school and graduate medical education (GME), a physician

still must obtain a license to practice medicine from a state or jurisdiction of the United States in

which they are planning to practice. They apply for the permanent license after completing a series of

exams and completing a minimum number of years of graduate medical education.

The majority of physicians also choose to become board certified, which is an optional, voluntary

process. Certification ensures that the doctor has been tested to assess his or her knowledge, skills,

and experience in a specialty and is deemed qualified to provide quality patient care in that specialty.

There are two levels of certification through 24 specialty medical boards doctors can be certified

in 36 general medical specialties and in an additional 88 subspecialty fields. Most certifications must be

renewed after six to 10 years, depending on the specialty.

Learning does not end when physicians complete their residency or fellowship training. Physicians must

complete yearly coursework and receive a certain number of continuing medical education (CME)

credits per year to ensure the doctor's knowledge and skills remain current. CME requirements vary by

state, by professional organizations, and by hospital medical staff organizations. TheAMAs Education

Center offers a wide variety of CME opportunities.

Some of the above information was adapted from " Your Doctor's Education" in J AMA, Sept. 6, 2000.

Note: The AMA does not have information or pamphlets to distribute regarding the various fields of

medicine. For more information on a specific medical field of interest, please contact the relevant

professional association for that field.