If you have ever thought about becoming a physician, then this article is for you. You'II learn everything you ever wanted to know about becoming a physician, where physicians work, how much they get paid, what kind of additional in-service training they need, how you can become a physician, some of the dangers involved in this job, when you can expect to retire and how you can make difference in the lives of the people you serve.
Physicians are like a double-edged sword, where they play a crucial role in improving people's health and saving lives but also sacrifice their well-being for the sake of their job. They are respected no matter the country, and always find joy in saving others. However, the job can also be demanding on the body, both physically and psychologically. Physicians will work long hours, and have irregular sleep schedules. Also, they have the responsibility of diagnosing and treating illness, which can be stressful.
Physicians have different functions throughout the healthcare system, and they can be separated into three unique segments. Patients' first contact is primary care physicians, who are usually the first contact of patients in diagnosing and treating medicine cases. Pediatricians, family doctors, and other internists are included in this category as they all meet patients over time. Specialists hold additional training further in an area of medicine and concentrate on the evaluation and treatment of a complicated condition that requires the expertise of some categorized knowledge. Surgeons are specifically trained to operate to injury, disease or other medical conditions and require treatment. Surgeons work side by side with other professions in healthcare to execute successful procedures.
The day of the everyday physicians depend on the studied specialty. Of course, they all partake in reviews of their patients and the various appointments they have scheduled. Reviewing patients can be dissected into taking into consideration the patient's state, perform the necessary exams and provide reports. If the physician concentrates in a certain specialty, they will accumulate more tasks than the usual physician, such as participating in laboratory experiences or surgical operations which can take as long as a day in some cases.
Physicians work in a variety of places, including hospitals, private clinics, universities and research institutions. Doctors can either work in academic medical centers if they want to contribute to medical education or in a healthcare system if they want to provide care for patients.
To become a doctor in Quebec, you must get accepted into Medical School (UdeM, ULaval, UdeS or McGill University) based on your academic scores, the CASPer test and an interview.After getting into medical school and graduating from one of these schools after four or five years, then, you must complete a residency of 2 to 5 years depending on the specialty. After going through all these years of education, you must apply for a license from the Collège des médecins du Québec.
The average physician salary in Quebec, Canada is $255 910, depending on the specialty, the level of experience, and the sector where the doctor works.
In addition to the medical studies, physicians in some countries have the obligation to fulfill yearly number of credits to keep their knowledge up to date with recent discoveries in their field of study. Moreover, physicians can participate in research that study new diseases or old diseases for which a cure is yet to be discovered. Finally, an easy way of training physicians can indulge into are reading new medical articles that surfaces every day.
Being a physician can lead to many dangers. First of all, there's the risk of burnout since physicians work long hours, especially at the beginning of their careers. They are also often sued by patients for potential medical recklessness. Finally, becoming a physician requires additional years of specialized studies, so physicians will necessarily accumulate multiple considerable debts since most medical students use bank loans as a form of payment.
Artificial intelligence will unlikely replace physicians. Indeed, this job requires the ability to create relationships of trust with various patients by communicating and sharing human emotions such as empathy. However, AI would certainly be able to help physicians with tasks that doesn't involve human interactions, especially because of the important work load each physician carry. Indeed, AI algorithms can help diagnose and make clinical decisions, thanks to their ability to quickly process large amounts of data.
A doctor's retirement age varies from person to person since there is no legal age. However, in Canada, physicians often retire quite late, around age 65. There is a number of reasons for this. First of all, as mentioned earlier since the studies are very expensive, the first few years are often used to pay off accumulated debts. Also since it is a profession that involves human relations with patients, it is sometimes difficult for a doctor to stop working.
So far, I have been studying in Health Science at Montmorency College since 2023. While finishing my last semester here, I completed numerous tests that were required so that I can enter the medical program which will let me become a physician. I completed the CASPer and was admitted to the MEMS tests which will take place in April. If all goes according to plan, I will successfully complete the MEMS and attain university. My goal is to have a great family and to be able to support it as the best physician mom ever!