Medicine

The possibilities for careers in medicine are numerous and could fill an entire website all by themselves. I will touch on only a few career paths here. The accompanying resource box has links to more information so you can dig deeper into the range of possibilities.

Medical school is very competitive to get into and, once you're there, an extremely rigorous training process. Medical school entails four years of coursework and experiential training, followed by a one-year internship and, often, a multi-year residency program and even additional sub-specialty training. It can take upwards of seven to eight years of training and passing board certification exams before you are qualified to practice medicine independently. This is not an insignificant amount of time to put into training for your career, so it is wise to carefully consider a medical career before going into it. On the other hand, the career path is well established and it is a secure profession; there will always be a need for doctors. Medical school is expensive; most medical students have to finance medical school through student loans and have significant debt by the time they graduate. However, they make a good salary and usually do not have too much difficulty paying off this debt.

Medical doctors (M.D.'s) enjoy being at the top of the hierarchy of medical professions. They lead teams of staff to deliver the best care to patients, and those who work in an academic setting also do clinical research. Clinical research seeks to improve treatments and increase the cure or survival rate for diseases. It can be an incredibly rewarding profession; countless lives could be saved through your research. I know one clinician-scientist who has fundamentally changed the whole field of bone marrow transplant by inventing a procedure that makes the process less arduous. This has resulted in an increase in the maximum age at which treatment can occur. Because most cancers that require a bone marrow transplant occur in older people, transplants are now available to the majority of people who are fighting this disease. Imagine looking back on your career and knowing that your work has directly resulted in saving the lives of thousands of people. That's pretty amazing to consider.

Physician assistants (P.A.'s) work under the supervision of a doctor to provide medical care to patients. P.A.'s can do about 80% of the work that an M.D. does and can even write prescriptions in many states. P.A.'s can work in both primary care and specialty settings and usually enjoy quite a bit of independence in their work. Training to become a P.A. usually takes about two years and passing a certification exam. I know a P.A. who works in a hospital setting providing care to patients. She performs most of the same tasks as medical residents training in a sub-specialty and has several patients that she cares for quite independently, though still under the supervision of the attending physician. She really enjoys caring for patients and deciding on the best course of treatment for their disease.

Nursing is the largest health care occupation. Registered nurses (R.N.'s) work with doctors to provide care and support to patients, doing tasks such as observing progress in patients and administering medication under a doctor's supervision. Nurses usually have either two-year associate degrees or a four-year bachelor's degree. Often, a nurse provides the most direct care to patients and is the health care professional that a patient will see most often during a hospital stay. Their observations of how a patient is faring are often a crucial part of providing the best medical care. I know one nurse who has worked in a hospital setting for thirty years and feels privileged to be able to help patients in what may be one of the most stressful times of their lives. The care that she provides helps to make the best of a bad situation.

An advanced registered nurse practitioner (A.R.N.P.) is a registered nurse who has received additional education and clinical training, usually obtaining a master's degree. Similar to R.N.'s and P.A.'s, they work under the supervision of an M.D., but work independently within that setting. They can diagnose and treat diseases, and write prescriptions. They can do about 60–80% of the work involved in primary and preventive care. I know a nurse practitioner who works in a rheumatology office, providing care to patients with autoimmune diseases. She works very independently within this setting, seeking the advice of the M.D. in the practice when needed. She really enjoys interacting with patients and the ability to be flexible in the hours she works while her children are young.