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What is a physician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Janet Williams Ph.D.
introduction image

A physician is a medical professional who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries in patients. They are trained to evaluate symptoms, order diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and develop treatment plans for a wide range of medical conditions. Physicians also provide preventive care, such as vaccinations and health screenings, to help patients maintain good health. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, private practices, and research institutions.

What general advice would you give to a physician?

Janet Williams Ph.D.Janet Williams Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Biology, College of Our Lady of the Elms

Students who wish to continue their education in healthcare (MD, DO, DMD, DVM, PA, PT, OT, and many other areas), should ensure that they have plenty of experience in healthcare by becoming certified as an EMT or CNA, and spend at least 1-2 years working or volunteering in that capacity. Students should graduate with strong GPAs, over 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and should have taken all of their prerequisite courses. Students should be prepared to take standardized admissions exams, and plan to do well in them.
ScorePhysicianUS Average
Salary
10.0

Avg. Salary $238,887

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 19.07%

Black or African American 5.23%

Hispanic or Latino 9.72%

Unknown 4.48%

White 61.34%

Gender

female 60.97%

male 39.03%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a physician?

Pros

  • Ability to help people and make a difference in their lives

  • High earning potential

  • Job security and stability

  • Ability to work in various specialties and subspecialties

  • Variety of work settings (hospitals, clinics, private practice)

Cons

  • High stress and long working hours

  • Constant exposure to infectious diseases and illnesses

  • Dealing with difficult and emotional situations, including death and suffering

  • High liability and risk of malpractice lawsuits

  • Constantly changing healthcare landscape and policies

Physician career paths

Key steps to become a physician

  1. Explore physician education requirements

    Most common physician degrees

    Bachelor's

    34.9 %

    Doctorate

    24.3 %

    Associate

    12.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific physician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients21.99%
    Surgery7.60%
    Patient Care6.78%
    Internal Medicine6.42%
    Primary Care6.37%
  3. Complete relevant physician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New physicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a physician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real physician resumes.
  4. Research physician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage catheters and dress wounds.
    • Maintain ACLS and BLS certifications.
    • Treat complicated oncology cases in ICU and emergency.
    • Schedule new, follow-up and diagnostic testing for cardiology patients.
  5. Prepare your physician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your physician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a physician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable physician resume templates

    Build a professional physician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your physician resume.
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    Physician Resume
  6. Apply for physician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a physician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first physician job

Zippi

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Average physician salary

The average physician salary in the United States is $238,887 per year or $115 per hour. Physician salaries range between $128,000 and $442,000 per year.

Average physician salary
$238,887 Yearly
$114.85 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do physicians rate their job?

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Physician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

The definition of Physician Liaison here is entirely incorrect. You are describing a provider role - not what liaisons do. Please refer to physicianliaison.com which is AAPL, the national organization of physician liaisons.

Cons

Your definition is incorrect. Please refer to physicianliaison.com which is AAPL, the national organization of physician liaisons.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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