The Road to Becoming a Physician: Career & Education

Overview of the Physician Profession

Physicians serve in many capacities, spanning from primary care physicians who see a wide variety of patients to specialists, and from researchers to active practitioners in the field. However, one common thread linking all types of doctors is the care they must exhibit for the welfare of humanity and the arduous requirements for entry into the profession. The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) notes that medical school itself — embarked upon after undergraduate study — is four years in duration (The road to becoming a doctor, 2013, AAMC: 3). Year one is devoted to the normal structure of body tissue; year two to abnormal structure; years three and four are clinical years in which students gain experience in both primary and specialist care, enabling them to select a specialty upon graduation (The road to becoming a doctor, 2013, AAMC: 7).

During this time, students take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which enables them to practice medicine. After completing medical school, new doctors prepare for their residency, usually through the National Resident Matching Program (The road to becoming a doctor, 2013, AAMC: 8). The residency and internship component of a physician's education can last from three to eight years, depending on the field of specialty (Physicians and surgeons, 2013, BLS).

According to the World Medical Association, the responsibilities of physicians include: diagnosing disease; assessing the need for treatment and medication; providing information to patients about these factors and treatment goals; monitoring the results of treatment; and maintaining records to ensure high-quality, consistent care (Responsibilities of physicians and pharmacists, 2013, WMA).

Financial and Lifestyle Realities of Medical Training

Becoming a physician also incurs a very significant financial burden for students — it is a rare physician who is able to graduate from medical school without going into substantial debt. Even at an elite need-blind institution such as Yale Medical School, tuition stands at $42,350 per year. "Students were advised to budget an additional $25,000 per year for books, equipment, travel to rotations, medical expenses, licensing exams, and living expenses... [during the] 2009–2010 academic year, tuition at Tufts ($50,320), for example, exceeded Yale's $43,850. Nor is Yale's tuition far above the national average for private medical schools — $39,233 in 2009," regardless of the school's quality (Collins, 2011: 1). This financial pressure is one reason many physicians choose to specialize rather than enter general practice.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "physicians practicing primary care received total median annual compensation of $202,392, and physicians practicing in medical specialties received total median annual compensation of $356,885 in 2010" (Physicians and surgeons, 2013, BLS). The hours of residency training are grueling. "Doctors-in-training often forgo sleep entirely, racking up as many as 30 work hours in a single stretch" (Sharples, 2009). Even after the trial by fire of residency, long hours make work-life balance challenging: "four in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 are working part-time" (Martin, 2011).

Nevertheless, because of the high barriers to entry in the profession, the occupational outlook for physicians is strong: an estimated 24 percent increase in positions from 2010 to 2020 is projected, with even greater demand for primary care physicians and those willing to work in rural, underserved areas — although it remains to be seen whether compensation will improve for these groups (Physicians and surgeons, 2013, BLS).