Doctors work to prevent and treat illness.
Doctors are important members of the health care community. They are involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and other health related conditions. Doctors may elect to provide primary or specialty care for their patients. The educational requirements for practicing as a doctor in the United States are rigorous, and the financial rewards for practicing successfully can be great. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), doctors are among the most highly compensated workers in the country.
Function
The primary function of all doctors is to provide medical care to their patients. They may diagnose and treat illnesses, disorders, medical conditions and injuries. They may work in preventative medicine as a means of helping their patients stay healthy. They frequently operate in a supervisory role, overseeing the work of nurses, physicians' assistants, medical technicians and other. A small percentage work in administrative or executive positions that are not directly involved in patient care.
Types
There are two primary types of doctors, according to the BLS. Allopathic physicians, commonly referred to as medical doctors (M.D.), typically focus on the treatment of specific injuries, illnesses and conditions. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) may also treat specific medical conditions but tend to treat the whole patient, focusing on the musculoskeletal system. D.O.'s tend to work as primary care physicians while M.D.s are more likely to be specialists.
Specialties
Doctors may practice as either primary care physicians or as specialists. Primary care physicians are first-line health care providers. They typically work in family medicine, caring for all members of the family. They are generalists. Specialists may focus on a particular subset of the population, medical conditions or procedures. Population-based specialists may include pediatricians (children), gynecologists (females), urologists (males) and gerontologists (the elderly). Condition-based specialties may include cardiologists (heart conditions), allergists (respiratory conditions), ophthalmologists (eye conditions) and oncologists (cancer). Procedure-based specialists may include anesthesiologists and reconstructive surgeons.
Considerations
Every state, including the District of Columbia, requires doctors to be licensed before practicing medicine. The educational requirements are strenuous, typically involving at least eight years of post-secondary education in additional to three to eight years of internship and residency, depending upon specialty, according to the BLS. Employment opportunities for all doctors are expected to increase by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, but the job opportunities are expected to be particularly good for those specializing in areas that affect the aged such as cardiology, gerontology, oncology and radiology.
Benefits
The BLS notes that doctors are among the most highly compensated workers in the United States. Those practicing in specialty medicine averaged earning approximately $339,738 per year in 2008, while those in primary care earned approximately $186,044. Factors that may impact a doctor's income include years of experience, geographic location, professional reputation and field of specialization.
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