Physician
Comprehensive Sites
American Medical Association: Medical Student SectionFind out about the annual meeting, or access membership information for students at the preeminent organization for physicians. The Tools section will take you to information on educational resources for doctors in training, financial information, a database of medical schools, international opportunities, and several other guides to education, technology, and health services training.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicians and SurgeonsCreated by the U.S. Department of Labor, this career profile introduces you to the training, work qualifications, employment data, and job outlook for several different types of physicians, including general practitioners, psychiatrists, and surgeons. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find links to important professional organizations in the field, or click on detailed earnings data. The median compensation for physicians is broken down by specialty.
Princeton Review: PhysicianA day in the life of a physician is detailed at this page, intended to give you an overview of what this career could be like. If you click on quality of life, you can find out about what to expect in terms of earnings after one, three, or many years in the profession. Find out about some good choices for college majors, or learn about graduate and internship programs.
Princeton Review: The Path to Med School for High School StudentsGetting to medical school is a path that takes hard work and dedication. Find out about what you’ll study in college, pre-med coursework, competition in medical school, what the medical schools are really looking for, and what you can study now as a high school student.
Occupational Titles
Physician
Doctor
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.)
Surgeon
Accredited Academic Programs
FREIDA OnlineFrom the American Medical Association, the Fellowship and Residency Interactive Database offers information on more than 8,000 graduate medical programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Medical Education. Do a training program search, find graduate career plans, or information on career choice specialty and program selection hints.
Princeton Review: College Majors, PhysicianIf you are interested in becoming a physician, a number of different undergraduate majors in the sciences could be useful, including biology, biomedical sciences, or chemistry. Take a look at this list, and click on a selection to be taken to accredited college contacts and their home pages to learn more.
Salary Levels
PayScale: Doctor of MedicineLearn what you could earn as a physician at this site, which provides salary information in a graph, based on medical specialty. Advance a little further down the page, and you will find information on salary according to years of experience and median salary according to employer type.
Physician Subspecialty SalariesSubspecialty chosen after medical school can largely influence your salary. Take a look at this list of primary physician specialties and earnings for each in the first year, after three years, and maximum earning potentials.
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Family Physicians, Student ActivitiesDo you want to learn about what it would be like to be a family physician? This page will tell you more about that, where they are most needed, and provide information on choosing a medical specialty, researching medical residencies, and details on medical organizations that offer leadership roles to students. The Virtual FMIG link connects students to information that is important at every step in their medical education.
American College of PhysiciansThis is a national organization of internal medicine practitioners who specialize in the prevention and treatment of illness. If this is the type of doctor you think you are interested in becoming, connect to the medical students section and find out about the various career paths that internal medicine provides. Students can join the American College of Physicians for free and have access to special benefits.
American Medical AssociationThe American Medical Association is the premiere national organization for physicians and physician students and offers medical school and residency information at this page. Learn about medical student benefits of membership, access medical school information, learn about licensure, or browse the various professional resources available.
Association of American Medical Colleges, Section for StudentsIf you are considering a career as a doctor, this special section for students offers access to several portals intended to help you make this decision and learn about your options. Postbaccalaureate premedical programs, summer enrichment programs, undergraduate research, and more in the way of educational opportunities can be explored. Find out all about applying to medical school, link to testing centers, learn about medical school loans, or check out requirements for admissions.
Job Opportunity Sources
American Academy of Family Physicians: Career AdsThe career ads and classified section of the Academy connects you to a collection of opportunities organized by state, multistate, and international breakdowns. Opportunities are regularly updated.
American College of Physicians: Career ConnectionSearch jobs at the career connection or access further career opportunity resources, including volunteerism, a residency database, resident career counseling, and career paths for medical students.
American College of Physicians: Career PathsGeneral internists have broad opportunities available to them in diagnosing and treating diseases. Learn more about the specialty, subspecialties that you could enter, find a residency position, or link to a career counseling brochure.
Licensing & Certification
American Board of Medical SpecialtiesBoard certification of doctors is voluntary but is set apart from simple medical licensure. Find out about the certification process at this site, which specifies the importance of board certification and the organization’s products and services.
American Medical Association: Medical LicensureFrom the American Medical Association, this page offers basic information on licensing and credentialing for physicians. You will also be able to quickly connect to state medical boards, national organizations in medical licensing, and news.
American Medical Association: Physician Education, Licensure, and CertificationSeveral links are available at this site, including information on physician education, medical schools, colleges of osteopathic medicine, graduate medical education, medical specialty board certification, and other information on physician practice specialties.
Publications
American Medical NewsA newspaper for physicians, this online version provides the latest issue, and information by date, region, and health plan. News briefs, columns, a series of recently covered stories, and ongoing coverage of top issues are provided from a top source in medical news.
JAMA & ArchivesLearn about one of the most widely circulated doctor’s journals at this page, which includes top stories across various specialties of medicine and the journal’s archives. News in JAMA, readers’ responses, and links to related publications are provided.
Virtual MentorThe American Medical Association’s ethics journal, this free online journal is open-access and advertisement-free. It provides ethics education for students and professionals, with issues that are currently challenging students, residents, and professionals in daily practice. Issues include health insurance coverage, quality of life, decision-making topics, and the public role of the doctor.
Online Forums & Blogs
Student Doctor Network ForumsThis collection of online forums offers open discussions for medical students, including clinical rotations, strategies for testing, and premedical forums on the MCATs and applying to medical school.
Career Videos
Surgeons Job DescriptionSurgery as a medical specialty is described in this career description, which guides you through a typical case and decision making. Good bedside manner, patient-doctor relationship, operating room work, and the extensive medical knowledge and other requirements of the job are reviewed.
