Interested in becoming a doctor? Learn about doctor salary, types of doctors, medical school, doctor jobs and more!

<p>
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Doctor Salary, Types of Doctors, Medical School, Doctor Jobs and More</h2>
    
    <p>If you&rsquo;re seeking a career with unparalleled freedom, nationwide jobs, superior compensation and excellent hours, become a physician! Medicine is a professionally and personally fulfilling field with rewarding opportunities and unmatched flexibility. After all, <a href="https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physician" target="_blank">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a> ranked the physician career as #6 in Best Paying Jobs, #6 in Best Health Care Jobs and #13 in Best Jobs.</p>
    
    <p>In this how-to guide on being a doctor, we&rsquo;ll cover helpful topics like:</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li>Demand for doctors</li>
        <li>Doctor salary</li>
        <li>Types of doctors</li>
        <li>Medical school</li>
        <li>Physician licensing</li>
        <li>Board certification</li>
        <li>Physician practice settings</li>
        <li>Locum tenens doctors</li>
        <li>Doctor resources</li>
        <li>Demand for doctors</li>
    </ul>
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Demand for Doctors</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What is the current demand for doctors?</h3>

    
    <p>Doctors are in high demand! There is a growing shortage of physicians; many are retiring or moving into leadership positions. This makes it an ideal time to enter the field. The <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/sustainability/doctor-shortages-are-here-and-they-ll-get-worse-if-we-don-t-act" target="_blank">Association of American Medical Colleges</a> (AAMC) projects that by 2034, there will be a shortage of:</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li>17,800-48,000 primary care physicians</li>
        <li>21,000-77,100 non-primary care physicians</li>
    </ul>
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Doctor Salary</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What is the average doctor salary?</h3>

    
    <p>In the U.S., the median doctor salary is about $208,000 per year (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm#tab-5" target="_blank">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>). The BLS reports cardiologists as the highest earning specialty at $353,970 per year and general pediatricians as the lowest at $198,420 per year.</p>
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;"> Types of Doctors</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">How many different types of doctors and specialists are there?</h3>

    
    <p>The <a href="https://careersinmedicine.aamc.org/explore-options/specialty-profiles" target="_blank">AAMC</a> lists more than 160 doctor specialties and subspecialties in the United States.</p>
    
    <h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What are some different types of doctors and specialists?</h3>
    
    <p>According to the <a href="https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/workforce/interactive-data/active-physicians-largest-specialties-2017" target="_blank">AAMC</a>, the 20 most common types of doctors (largest specialties by number) are:</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li>Internal Medicine &ndash; 115,557</li>
        <li>Family Medicine &ndash; 113,514</li>
        <li>Pediatrics &ndash; 58,435</li>
        <li>Emergency Medicine &ndash; 42,348</li>
        <li>Anesthesiology &ndash; 41,762</li>
        <li>Obstetrics and Gynecology &ndash; 41,656</li>
        <li>Psychiatry &ndash; 38,205</li>
        <li>Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology &ndash; 27,719</li>
        <li>General Surgery &ndash; 25,042</li>
        <li>Cardiovascular Disease &ndash; 22,211</li>
        <li>Orthopedic Surgery &ndash; 19,001</li>
        <li>Ophthalmology &ndash; 18,817</li>
        <li>Hematology and Oncology &ndash; 15,410</li>
        <li>Gastroenterology &ndash; 14,747</li>
        <li>Neurology &ndash; 13,717</li>
        <li>Anatomic/Clinical Pathology &ndash; 12,839</li>
        <li>Dermatology &ndash; 12,051</li>
        <li>Critical Care Medicine &ndash; 11,559</li>
        <li>Nephrology &ndash; 10,798</li>
        <li>Urology &ndash; 9,921</li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Medical School</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">How long do you go to school to be a doctor?</h3>

    
    <p>To become a doctor, you&rsquo;ll first need about four years of undergraduate education to earn a bachelor&rsquo;s degree. Next, you&rsquo;ll complete about four years of medical school. Then, you&rsquo;ll need 3-7 years in residency. At this point, you can become a doctor. Some doctors then choose to complete advanced training called a fellowship. This is typically another 1-3 years after residency.</p>
    
    
    <h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What types of medical degrees are there?</h3>
    
    <p>In the United States, there are two types of degrees you can earn to become a doctor (<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-students/preparing-medical-school/do-vs-md-how-much-does-medical-school-degree-type-matter#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20there%20are,a%20doctor%20of%20osteopathic%20medicine." target="_blank">AMA</a>):</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li>M.D. &ndash; Doctor of Medicine</li>
        <li>D.O. &ndash; Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine</li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Physician Licensure and Board Certification</h2>
        <h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">How do I become a doctor? How do I become licensed as a physician?</h3>
        
    <p>To obtain a license to practice as an M.D. or D.O. in the United States, you must:</p>
    
    
    <ul>
        <li>Complete your undergraduate degree (common premed degrees include bachelor&rsquo;s in biology, biological sciences, chemistry, psychology, etc.)</li>
        <li>Take the Medical College Admission Test (<a href="https://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/register-mcat-exam" target="_blank">MCAT</a>)</li>
        <li>Apply for and complete medical school at a program accredited by the:
        <ul style="list-style-type:circle;">
            <li>Liaison Committee on Medical Education (<a href="https://lcme.org/" target="_blank">LCME</a>) for an M.D. or</li>
            <li>Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (<a href="https://osteopathic.org/accreditation/" target="_blank">COCA</a>) for a D.O.</li>
        </ul>
        </li>
        <li>Pass the first portions of the:
        <ul style="list-style-type:circle;">
            <li>United States Medical Licensing Examination (<a href="https://www.usmle.org/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20Medical%20Licensing,medical%20licensure%20in%20the%20U.S." target="_blank">USMLE</a>) for an M.D. or</li>
            <li>Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (<a href="https://osteopathic.org/students/preparing-for-comlex-exams/" target="_blank">COMLEX-USA</a>) for a D.O.</li>
        </ul>
        </li>
        <li>Begin your residency and take the remaining portion of your USMLE or COMLEX-USA exam</li>
        <li>Apply for your medical license (during residency, the timing depends on the state) (<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-residents/transition-resident-attending/obtaining-medical-license" target="_blank">AMA</a>)</li>
        <li>Complete your residency</li>
        <li>Pursue fellowship or board certification within your specialty or subspecialty (if desired)</li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Should I become a board-certified doctor?</h3>
    
    <p>You don&rsquo;t have to become board certified to practice medicine, but it can vastly improve your reputation and expertise. Being board certified requires you to complete additional training and pass higher-level exams. The advantage of being board certified is that it lends distinction and mastery to your career. However, it&rsquo;s not easy. You&rsquo;ll have to recertify to keep your board-certified status over the years. Becoming board-certified can open doors for your career, including higher pay. See the American Board of Medical Specialties (<a href="https://www.abms.org/board-certification/getting-board-certified/" target="_blank">ABMS</a>) for more.</p>
    
   
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Doctor Practice Settings</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Where can doctors work?</h3>

    
    <p><a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/jobs/results?term=physician&amp;xTerm=&amp;jobType=%5B%22Locums%22%2C%22Locum%20Tenens%22%5D&amp;profession=Physician&amp;specialty=&amp;msp=&amp;shiftTypes=&amp;shiftLengths=&amp;durations=&amp;salaryMax=&amp;tags=noTags&amp;sort=relevant&amp;view=list&amp;offset=1&amp;size=9&amp;companyId=&amp;location=&amp;geoLocationRadius=100&amp;page=locums" target="_blank">Doctors</a> have many options when it comes to practice settings. They can work in:</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li>Academia</li>
        <li>Corrections</li>
        <li>Group private practice</li>
        <li>Health clinics</li>
        <li>Hospitals</li>
        <li>Indian Health Services</li>
        <li>Inpidual private practice</li>
        <li>Locum tenens and travel assignments</li>
        <li>Outpatient care, nursing facilities</li>
        <li>University clinics</li>
        <li>Veterans Administration</li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Locum Tenens Physician Jobs</h2>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What is a locum tenens physician?</h3>

    
    <p><a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/jobs/results?term=physician&amp;xTerm=&amp;jobType=%5B%22Locums%22%2C%22Locum%20Tenens%22%5D&amp;profession=Physician&amp;specialty=&amp;msp=&amp;shiftTypes=&amp;shiftLengths=&amp;durations=&amp;salaryMax=&amp;tags=noTags&amp;sort=relevant&amp;view=list&amp;offset=1&amp;size=9&amp;companyId=&amp;location=&amp;geoLocationRadius=100&amp;page=locums" target="_blank">Locum tenens physicians</a> fill in when other providers are out on vacation or sick leave or temporarily when permanent positions become vacant. Some doctors choose to take locum tenens assignments on the side, while others make a full-time career of it.</p>
    
    
    <h3 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">What are the benefits of being a locum tenens physician?</h3>
    
    <p>Physicians who take locum tenens assignments enjoy the flexibility, freedom, compensation and quality of life the arrangement offers! If you decide to practice as a locum tenens physician, you can:</p>
    
    
    <ul>
        <li>Choose from short- or long-term assignments</li>
        <li>Select from full-time or part-time opportunities</li>
        <li>Find assignments near home or in exciting locations across the nation</li>
        <li>Learn from other physicians and healthcare facilities and expand your network</li>
        <li>Bring along family members or even a pet</li>
        <li>Enjoy perks like paid travel, housing and more</li>
        <li>Try out a practice and location before deciding to make a permanent commitment</li>
        <li>Avoid practice politics and the pressures of running a full-time practice</li>
        <li>Get to care for various patient populations</li>
        <li>Discover new areas of interest</li>
        <li>Have a team of locum tenens experts on your side, advocating for you!</li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Doctor Resources</h2>
    
    <p>Here are helpful resources to aid your research on pursuing a career as a doctor:</p>
    
    <ul>
        <li><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/" target="_blank">American Medical Association</a></li>
        <li><a href="https://www.amsa.org/" target="_blank">American Medical Student Association</a></li>
        <li><a href="https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/prepare-for-medical-school/us-colleges-of-osteopathic-medicine" target="_blank">List of AACOM Accredited Medical Schools (D.O.)</a></li>
        <li><a href="https://lcme.org/directory/accredited-u-s-programs/" target="_blank">List of LCME Accredited Medical Schools (M.D.)</a></li>
        <li><a href="https://www.aafp.org/students-residents/medical-students/begin-your-medical-education/finding-a-mentor.html" target="_blank">Mentorship in Medicine -- AAFP</a></li>
        <li><a href="https://snma.org/" target="_blank">Student National Medical Association</a></li>
    </ul>
    
    
    <h2 style="margin: 20px 0 20px;">Doctor Jobs</h2>
    
    <p>To discover where doctors are needed in<strong> beautiful locations nationwide, search our </strong><a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums" target="_blank"><strong>locum tenens physician jobs</strong></a><strong> now!</strong></p>
    </p>
    

How to Guide for Becoming a Doctor