Medical Careers

Packet #6Chapter #24

Introduction

There are manyoptions available under under medical careers and this packet will attempt to investigate some of those choices.

Physicians

Physicians I

There are two types of medical doctors

MD

Doctor of Medicine

DO

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine {DO}

DOs undergo a similar curriculum as M.D.s, with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine techniques.

Road to Becoming a Physician

Medical School

Undergraduate medical education

Not the same as undergraduate education that one receives after graduating high school.

Four years of education at one of the U.S. medical accredited schools.

Upon completion, students earn their doctor of medicine degree (MDs)

Some physicians receive a doctor of osteopathic medicine [DO] degree from a college of osteopathic medicine

Internship

This is an additional year of training that doctors complete after completing their four years of medical school.

Residency

A residency program is graduate medical education

Newly graduated MDs go through a national matching program for entry into a residency program.

The residency program runs three to seven years, or more, of professional training under the supervision of a senior physician educator.

The length of residency depends on the medical specialty chosen

3 years

Family medicine

Internal medicine

Pediatrics

5 years

General surgery

In the past, the first year of residency was referred to as an internship…no longer the case today.

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.

Gastroenterology

A subspecialty of internal medicine and of pediatrics

Child and adolescent psychiatry

A subspecialty of psychiatry.

Medical Specialties

Introduction

All physicians must have residency training in a particular medical specialty, and many practicing physicians go on to specialize in a particular area of medicine.

Emergency Physician

Emergency Physician

An emergency physician focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the prehospital setting by directing emergency medical technicians and in the emergency department.

The emergency physician provides

Immediate recognition

Evaluation

Care

Stabilization

Disposition

Physicians provide these services in response to acute illness and injury.

Family Practice

Family Practice

A family physician is concerned with the total health care of the individual and the family and is trained to diagnose and treat a wide variety of ailments in patients of all ages.

The family physician receives a broad range of training that includes

Internal medicine

Pediatrics

Obstetrics and gynecology Psychiatry

Geriatrics.

Special emphasis is placed on prevention and the primary care of entire families, utilizing consultations and community resources when appropriate.

Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine

An internist provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital.

Internists manages both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults, and the elderly.

They are trained in the diagnosis and treatment

Cancer

Infections

Diseases affecting

The heart

Blood

Kidneys

Joints

Digestive system

Respiratory system

Vascular systems.

Internal Medicine II

Internists are also trained in the essentials of primary care internal medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system, and reproductive organs.

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Obstetrician-gynecologists are the physicians of women’s health.

Obstetrics and Gynecology is a diverse and vibrant specialty that utilizes both medical and surgical skills to address specialized aspects of women’s health during the female life cycle, including the pre-pubertal, reproductive, and post-menopausal years.

Practitioners take care of women of all ages and all conditions in office and ambulatory care settings, as well as in prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum environments.

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Ob-Gynsperform surgical procedures requested in well-woman care, as well as those necessitated by obstetric emergencies and gynecologic pathology.

Obstetrics & GynecologySub-specialties

There are various sub-specialties of obstetrics and gynecology

Gynecologic oncologists manage cancers of the reproductive tract –surgery, adjuvant therapy and palliative care.

Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeons focus on disorders of the genitourinary system and defects of pelvic support.

Obstetrics & GynecologySub-specialties

Reproductive Endocrinologists alleviate hormonal and infertility problems through the use of advanced reproductive technologies.

Maternal-Fetal Medicinespecialists concentrate on high-risk obstetric care and medical complications of pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis and ultrasonography, as well as fetal procedures.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Orthopedic Surgeon

An orthopedic surgeon is trained in the preservation, investigation, and restoration of the form and function of the extremities, spine, and associated structures by medical, surgical, and physical means.

Orthopedic Surgeon

An orthopedic surgeon is involved with the care of patients whose musculoskeletal problems include congenital deformities, trauma, infections, tumors, metabolic disturbances of the musculoskeletal system, deformities, injuries, and degenerative diseases of the spine, hands, feet, knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow in children and adults.

An orthopedic surgeon is also concerned with primary and secondary muscular problems and the effects of central or peripheral nervous system lesions of the musculoskeletal system.

Pediatrics

Pediatrics I

Pediatricians provide preventive health maintenance for healthy children and medical care for those who are seriously or chronically ill.

Physicians trained in pediatrics are experts in emotional and behavioral assessment and can be powerful advocates for troubled children and adolescents.

Pediatrics II

Pediatricians are often the first and best advocates for children who suffer the results of increasingly prevalent psychosocial morbidities, such as homelessness, family violence, and substance abuse.

In caring for children's physical health, pediatricians diagnose and treat infections, injuries, genetic defects, malignancies, and many types of organic disease and dysfunction.

Pediatrics III

They work to reduce infant and child mortality, control infectious disease, foster healthy lifestyles, and ease the day-to-day difficulties of children and adolescents with chronic conditions.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry

A psychiatrist specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, addictive, and emotional disorders such as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders, and adjustment disorders.

The psychiatrist is able to understand the biologic, psychologic, and social components of illness and, therefore, is uniquely prepared to treat the whole person.

Psychiatry

A psychiatrist is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, evaluate and treat psychologic and interpersonal problems, and intervene with families who are coping with stress, crises, and other problems in living.

Surgery

Surgery

A surgeon manages a broad spectrum of surgical conditions affecting almost any area of the body.

The surgeon establishes the diagnosis and provides the preoperative, operative, and postoperative care to surgical patients and is usually responsible for the comprehensive management of the trauma victim and the critically ill surgical patient.

The surgeon uses a variety of diagnostic techniques, including endoscopy, for observing internal structures, and may use specialized instruments during operative procedures.

Surgery II

A general surgeon is expected to be familiar with the main features of other surgical specialties in order to recognize problems in those areas and to know when to refer a patient to another specialist.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmologists

The branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, functions, pathology, and treatment of the eye.

Ophthalmologists test visual function and examine the eye for faulty development, disease, injury, degeneration, aging, or refractive errors.

They prescribe treatment for eye disease and lenses for refraction and perform surgery when needed.

Other Medical Care Providers

Other Medical Fields

Podiatrists

Opticians

Surgical Technologists

Medical Assistants

Review

Review I