Medical Specialist Jobs

A specialist physician is trained and certified in a specific field and the range of options for specialization is seemingly endless. Examples of specialist physicians include cardiologist, pediatrician, emergency medicine specialist, gynecologist, general surgeon, internal medicine specialist, and neurologist. The list goes on, as this is just a small sample of the many areas in which a physician can specialize in!

Job Description: A Day in the Life of a Specialist Physician

The daily routine of a specialist physician obviously depends heavily on the physician’s specialty and work environment. Some specialist physicians may work at a practice or clinic. For example, a pediatrician may work as part of a pediatric medical practice, while a gynecologist may work at a women’s clinic. In this case, the physician’s daily schedule would closely resemble that of a general practitioner or family doctor.

In other cases, specialist physicians may work in a hospital setting. Emergency medical specialists will most likely work in a hospital emergency room for example. Neurologists, surgeons and cardiologist are just a few of the specialty physicians found in hospitals. A hospital physician’s schedule is likely to be less regular than that of a clinic or private practice physician.

General Requirements and Training

The educational path of a specialist physician is much like that of a general practitioner. An undergraduate degree, medical school, internship, and residency training are usual requirements. In addition to this, specialist physicians must undergo intensive training in their chosen specialty, and acquire a license in this field. The duration of this training depends on the physician’s field and level of specialty. A neurologist may choose to undergo further training as a medical fellow, gaining additional specialization in a neurological field such as stroke.

Salary, Benefits, and Opportunities for Advancement

As with general practitioners or family physicians, a specialist’s salary depends on experience, location, and place of employment. The type of specialty also makes a difference. For example, a May 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics report gives the median salary for an anesthesiologist as a minimum of $166,400, compared to $146,040 for a pediatrician.

Salary.com estimates that the mid-50% earnings range for a pediatrician is $136,584 to $180,594, compared to $257,678 to $371,303 for an anesthesiologist. Payscale.com reports that a pediatrician with one to four years of experience earns $93,870 to 124,329, while those with twenty-plus years of experience earn $110,000 to $248,850.

The numbers for an anesthesiologist are $145,724 to $269,538 for one to four years experience and $204,811 to $315,532 for twenty-plus years of experience.