So…Do you want to be a doctor???

Seema Salwan Sharma, M.D.Washington Township Medical Foundation

HOW DO I DECIDE IF A CAREER IN MEDICINE IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Should I become a doctor?

• Do you like challenges? • Are you interested in science

and how the body works?• Do you care deeply about

other people, their problems, and their pain?

• Are you a good listener?• Do you enjoy learning?• Are you intrigued in the ways

medicine can be used to improve life?

What is a doctor’s job like?

• Primary Care Physicians:Pediatricians, family practitioners and general internists. Doctors patients usually visit most frequently. They treat wide range of illnesses and regularly provide preventive care, and they also enjoy long-term relationships with their patients.

• Surgeons perform operations to treat diseases and repair injuries.

• Specialists have expertise related to specific diseases, age groups, and bodily organs.

How much education does it take to become a doctor?

• 11-16 years to complete your education.– 4 years of undergraduate

school– 4 years of medical schools– 3-8 years of residency

training.• Board Certification• Exams periodically for

maintenance of board certification.

• Continuing medical education.

• While salaries for physicians are among the highest for all occupations, the work hours can be long and unpredictable.

• Many doctors work more than 60 hours a week. They may have to respond to emergencies and be on call for their patients.

• Work hours vary depending on the type, size and location of practice.

TRANSITIONAL PAGE

• Your Text Here

Medical Schools Offering Combined Undergraduate/M.D. Programs

• Throughout the United States. Only 1 in California: University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine.

• Programs range from 6-9 years

• See AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) website:

https.//www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/347100/bsmdprogramlists.html

FAMILY MEDICINE

Family medicine 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.

Family medicine physicians receive a broad range of training that includes internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and geriatrics.

Family physicians possess unique attitudes, skills, and knowledge that qualify them to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance, and preventive services.

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

Family physicians employ a diverse range of cognitive and procedural skills and coordinate care with other specialists when necessary.