Overview of Medical Careers

Descriptions of the medical school experience including ‘rotations’ and ‘residency’ are found within each of the medical career stories, especially the doctors (‘physicians’) whose medical specialties are Internal Medicine (formerly known as General Practice – ‘GP’ – or family doctor), Obstetrics / Gynecology and Pulmonology / Critical care. 

In addition to being licensed to practice medicine as a doctor / physician, jobs for medical school graduates are available within a variety of organizations including:

• Community / national health organizations (e.g., CDC)
• Research organizations and laboratories
• Higher education establishments
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Scientific journalism

JOBS DIRECTLY RELATED TO A MEDICAL DEGREE

• Anesthetist
• Cardiologist
• Dermatologist
• General practice physician (e.g., Internal Medicine)
• Gynecologist (sometimes combined with Obstetrician)
• Hospital doctor
• Infectious disease scientist
• Internal Medicine (sometimes called an ‘Internist’)
• Neurologist
• Obstetrician (sometimes combined with Gynecologist)
• Oncologist
• Ophthalmologist
• Pathologist
• Psychiatrist
• Radiologist 
• Surgeon

CAREERS WHERE A MEDICAL DEGREE WOULD BE USEFUL

• Athletic Team Doctor
• Biochemist
• Biomedical scientist
• Clinical scientist, genomics
• Epidemiologist
• Health system / hospital management
• Higher education lecturer
• International aid / development worker
• Medical sales representative
• Mental health nurse
• Midwife
• Naturopath
• Paramedic
• Physical Therapy / management
• Physician associate
• Public health managers
• Research scientist (life sciences)
• Science writer

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS DEVELOPED DURING MEDICAL STUDIES

• Critical thinking / appraisal
• Observation
• Listening and communication
• Logical reasoning
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Teamworking and leadership
• Time-management