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To
be a successful Physician you should:
- Care deeply about other people, their problems, and
their pain.
- Be interested in how the human body functions.
- Be intrigued by the ways medicine can be used to improve
life.
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| What
type of education and/or training do I need?
All medical school applicants must take the MCAT, a national
examination, no less than one year before applying to
start medical school.
To practice as a physician, one must earn a college degree
followed by a 4-year degree for a Doctor of Medicine (MD)
or a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) from an accredited school
and pass an examination for state licensure. At least
one year of post-medical school experience is required,
but most graduates of medical and osteopathy schools complete
a longer period of specialty training called a residency,
which lasts from three to five years. |
| Do
I need a license or certification for this career?
Licensure is required in the State of Connecticut. Prerequisite:
Connecticut requires graduation from an approved medial
school, two years acceptable progressive graduate residency
training; USMLE, NBME, FLEX or a State Board Licensing
Examination; Current ECFMG certification or completed
Fifth Pathway program if foreign trained. |
| Where
can I get more information? American Medical
Association
515 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 464-5000
ama-assn.org
National Medical Association
1012 Tenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 347-1895
nmanet.org
American Osteopathic Association
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(800) 621-1773
aoa-net.org
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| What
is the salary for this career? $115,000-$325,000
(Source: 2003 Connecticut Hospital Association
Compensation Survey) |
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| What
will my job be like? Physicians diagnose
illnesses, prescribe, and administer treatment for people
suffering from injury or disease. Physicians examine patients;
obtain medical histories; and order, perform, and interpret
diagnostic tests. They counsel patients on diet, hygiene,
and preventive health care.
There are two types of physicians: The Doctor of Medicine
- MD and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - DO. MDs
are also known as allopathic physicians. While both MDs
and DOs may use all accepted methods of treatment, including
drugs and surgery, DOs place special emphasis on the body's
musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic
patient care.
Physicians may specialize in any of the following:
- Internal Medicine
- Family Practice
- Pediatric Medical Specialties
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Dermatology
- Gastroenterology
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatric Cardiology, Pulmonary Diseases
- Surgical Specialties - General Surgery
- Neurological
- Ophthalmolic
- Orthopedic
- Otolaryngology
- Plastic Surgery
- Thoracic
- Urological
Other specialties:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Child Psychiatry
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Emergency Medicine
- Forensic Pathology
- Neurology
- Nuclear Medicine
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| Where
could I work? Most physicians travel frequently
between office and hospital to care for their patients.
Increasingly, physicians practice in groups or health
care organizations that provide back-up coverage and allow
for more time off.
Many physicians work long, irregular hours. More than
one-third of all full-time physicians work 60 hours or
more a week.
Physicians on call deal with many patients' concerns on
the phone, and they may make emergency visits to hospitals
or nursing homes.
Other workplace settings:
- Armed Forces Community Health Centers
- Clinics Medical Schools
- Prisons Public Health Departments
- Research Facilities Urgent Care Centers
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| What
is the future of this career? Employment of
physicians will grow faster than the average through the
year 2008, due to continued expansion of the health care
industries. |
Where
can I get the education and/or training?
- All colleges in Connecticut offer pre-med training
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven
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