Physicians diagnose illnesses, and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. Allopathic physicians, or M.D.'s, use all accepted methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, to treat their patients.
Most physicians work long, irregular hours.
They tend to see patients on a regular basis for preventive care and to treat a variety of ailments. They will also refer patients to specialists as needed. Employment Outlook Employment of physicians is expected to grow faster that the average for all occupations through the year 2005. New technologies permit more intensive care, and physicians can do more tests, perform more procedures and treat conditions previously regarded as untreatable. The general population is growing and aging, and healthcare needs tend to increase sharply with age.