Amid reports of an oversupply of physicians, opportunities will be best in primary care fields of general and family medicine, internal medicine, and general pediatrics. Physicians are much more likely to work as salaried employees of group medical practices, clinics, or health care networks than in the past. It takes many years of education and training to become a physician, but earnings are among the highest of any occupation.
Physicians serve a fundamental role in our society and have an effect upon all our lives.
They diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. Physicians examine patients, obtain medical histories, and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive health care. M.D.'s are also known as allopathic physicians. While M.D.'s and D.O.'s may use all accepted methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, D.O.'s place special emphasis on the body's musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic patient care.