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What is a primary care physician and how to become one
A primary care physician is a medical professional who specializes in providing primary healthcare services to patients. They are responsible for diagnosing and treating a wide range of medical conditions, as well as managing chronic diseases. Primary care physicians also provide preventive care, such as vaccinations and health screenings. Overall, a primary care physician is an individual who plays a critical role in promoting the health and wellbeing of their patients.
What general advice would you give to a primary care physician?
Janet Williams Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, College of Our Lady of the Elms
Avg. Salary $214,843
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 7%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%
Asian 19.13%
Black or African American 5.17%
Hispanic or Latino 9.57%
Unknown 4.46%
White 61.50%
Genderfemale 50.62%
male 49.38%
Age - 48American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 48Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a primary care physician?
Pros
Ability to make a positive impact on people's lives
Job stability and high demand for primary care physicians
Generous compensation packages
Potential for professional growth and advancement
The satisfaction of being a respected member of the healthcare community
Cons
High levels of job stress and burnout
Long hours and unpredictable work schedules
Limited autonomy in decision-making due to insurance and regulatory influences
Dealing with difficult patients or families can be emotionally taxing
Potential for malpractice lawsuits or other legal issues.
Primary care physician career paths
Key steps to become a primary care physician
Explore primary care physician education requirements
Start to develop specific primary care physician skills
Skills Percentages Patients 25.02% Internal Medicine 13.96% Family Practice 10.86% Urgent Care 8.25% Pediatrics 6.58% Complete relevant primary care physician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New primary care 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 primary care physician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real primary care physician resumes.Research primary care physician duties and responsibilities
- Full spectrum of family medicine, including obstetrics, pediatrics and inpatient medicine.
- Maintain renewal for physicians' licenses, DEA certificates, ACLS certifications and CME records.
- Attend ICU patient care rounds with the medical team.
- Display technical proficiency in using NaturaeSoft electronic medical record (EMR).
Prepare your primary care physician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your primary care 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 primary care 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 primary care physician resume templates
Build a professional primary care 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 primary care physician resume.
Apply for primary care physician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a primary care physician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first primary care physician job
Are you a primary care physician?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average primary care physician salary
The average primary care physician salary in the United States is $214,843 per year or $103 per hour. Primary care physician salaries range between $134,000 and $344,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do primary care physicians rate their job?
Primary care physician jobs by state
- Primary care physician jobs in Alaska
- Primary care physician jobs in Alabama
- Primary care physician jobs in Arkansas
- Primary care physician jobs in Arizona
- Primary care physician jobs in California
- Primary care physician jobs in Colorado
- Primary care physician jobs in Connecticut
- Primary care physician jobs in District of Columbia
- Primary care physician jobs in Delaware
- Primary care physician jobs in Florida
- Primary care physician jobs in Georgia
- Primary care physician jobs in Hawaii
- Primary care physician jobs in Iowa
- Primary care physician jobs in Idaho
- Primary care physician jobs in Illinois
- Primary care physician jobs in Indiana
- Primary care physician jobs in Kansas
- Primary care physician jobs in Kentucky
- Primary care physician jobs in Louisiana
- Primary care physician jobs in Massachusetts
- Primary care physician jobs in Maryland
- Primary care physician jobs in Maine
- Primary care physician jobs in Michigan
- Primary care physician jobs in Minnesota
- Primary care physician jobs in Missouri
- Primary care physician jobs in Mississippi
- Primary care physician jobs in Montana
- Primary care physician jobs in North Carolina
- Primary care physician jobs in North Dakota
- Primary care physician jobs in Nebraska
- Primary care physician jobs in New Hampshire
- Primary care physician jobs in New Jersey
- Primary care physician jobs in New Mexico
- Primary care physician jobs in Nevada
- Primary care physician jobs in New York
- Primary care physician jobs in Ohio
- Primary care physician jobs in Oklahoma
- Primary care physician jobs in Oregon
- Primary care physician jobs in Pennsylvania
- Primary care physician jobs in Puerto Rico
- Primary care physician jobs in Rhode Island
- Primary care physician jobs in South Carolina
- Primary care physician jobs in South Dakota
- Primary care physician jobs in Tennessee
- Primary care physician jobs in Texas
- Primary care physician jobs in Utah
- Primary care physician jobs in Virginia
- Primary care physician jobs in Vermont
- Primary care physician jobs in Washington
- Primary care physician jobs in Wisconsin
- Primary care physician jobs in West Virginia
- Primary care physician jobs in Wyoming
Updated January 8, 2025
