Physician/ Surgeon
by: Marieanne Lopez
Resources:
Duties / Responsibilities:
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses in patients. Physicians examine patients, take medical histories, prescribe medications, and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests.
Education Required:
Almost all physicians complete at least 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school, and 3 to 8 years of internship and residency, depending on their specialty.
Average Hours / Working Schedule:
Full time physicians and surgeons work about 60 hours or more a week. Only 8 percent of all physicians and surgeons work part-time. Physicians and surgeons must travel frequently between office and hospital to care for their patients. While on call, a physician will deal with many patients’ concerns over the phone and make emergency visits to hospitals or nursing homes.
Working Locations:
Many physicians work in private offices or clinics, often helped by a small staff of nurses and other administrative workers. Surgeons usually work in sterile environments while performing surgery and may stand for long periods.
Salary / Wage:
Wages of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of all occupations. Wages differ, usually they get about $80.00 per hour. Physicians practicing primary care receive about $202,392, and physicians practicing in medical specialties receive about a total of $356,885.
Skills Required / Personality traits
People who wish to become physicians must have a desire to serve patients, be self-motivated, and be able to survive the pressures and long hours of medical education and practice. Physicians also must have a good bedside manner, emotional stability, and the ability to make decisions in emergencies. Prospective physicians must be willing to study throughout their career to keep up with medical advances.
School:
A medical school is usually what physicians and surgeons go to in order to get their profession. An example of a medical school in Illinois, is Loyola University in Downtown Chicago. Its a really competitive school.