Physicians in the United States
Encyclopedia
Physicians in the United States
include both ones trained by medical education in the United States
and ones that are international medical graduate
s who have progressed through the necessary steps to acquire a medical license
to practice in a state. They US physicians are an important part of the health care in the United States
.
The American College of Physicians
, uses the term physician to describe all medical practitioners holding a professional medical degree
. The American Medical Association
as well as the American Osteopathic Association
both currently use the term physician to describe members.
for physicians includes participation in a US medical school
that eventually grants the a US form of doctor of medicine degree, or a US form of osteopathic medicine degree. United States osteopathic medical schools have a curriculum almost identical to MD schools
with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine
, which focuses on extra instruction in the musculoskeletal system. After graduating from a first-professional school, physicians who wish to practice in the U.S. usually take standardized exams, such as the USMLE or the COMLEX-USA
.
In addition, the United States requires residency
before granting a medical license
to practice independently.
who work largely or exclusively in hospitals. Such 'hospitalists' now make up about 19% of all US general internists.
There are three agencies or organizations in the United States which collectively oversee physician board certification of MD and DO (allopathic and osteopathic) physicians in the United States
in the 26 approved medical specialties recognized in the country. These organizations are the American Board of Medical Specialties
(ABMS) and the American Medical Association
; the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists
(AOABOS) and the American Osteopathic Association
; the American Board of Physician Specialties
(ABPS) and the American Association of Physician Specialists
. Each of these agencies and their associated national medical organization functions as its various specialty academies, colleges and societies.
All boards of certification now require that medical practitioners
demonstrate, by examination, continuing mastery of the core knowledge and skills for a chosen specialty. Recertification varies by particular specialty between every seven and every ten years.
physicians for office visits
(overall 27 percent more for public and 70 percent more for private) than in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. It also came to the result that US primary care physicians also earn more (overall earning $186,000 yearly) than the foreign counterparts, with even higher numbers for physician compensation for medical specialists. It concluded that the higher fees, rather than factors such as higher practice costs, volume of services, or tuition expenses, are the main drivers of higher US spending.
of relatively lower compensation, such as obstetrics
. Also, female physicians are more likely to report working fewer hours than their male counterparts.
The same survey reported that, the highest-earning physicians were located in North Central
region, comprising Kansas
, Nebraska
, North
and South Dakota
, Iowa
, and Missouri
, with a median salary of $225,000 per year, as per 2010. The next highest earning physicians were those in the South Central
region, comprising Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Arkansas
, at $216,000. Those physicians reporting the lowest compensation levels were located in the Northeast and Southwest, earning an across-specialty median annual income of $190,000.
The survey concluded that physicians in small cities (50,000–100,000) earned slightly more than those living in community types of other sizes, ranging from metropolitan to rural, but the differences were only marginal (a few percent more or less).
Other results from the survey were that those running a solo practice earned marginally less than private practice employees, who, in turn, earned marginally less than hospital employees.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
include both ones trained by medical education in the United States
Medical education in the United States
Medical education in the United States includes educational activities involved in the education and training of medical doctors in the United States, from entry-level training through to continuing education of qualified specialists....
and ones that are international medical graduate
International medical graduate
An International Medical Graduate or "IMGs", earlier known as a Foreign Medical Graduate or "FMGs", is a term used to describe a physician who has graduated from a medical school outside of the country in which he or she intends to practice...
s who have progressed through the necessary steps to acquire a medical license
Medical license
In most countries, only persons with a medical license bestowed either by a specified government-approved professional association or a government agency are authorized to practice medicine. Licenses are not granted automatically to all people with medical degrees...
to practice in a state. They US physicians are an important part of the health care in the United States
Health care in the United States
Health care in the United States is provided by many separate legal entities. Health care facilities are largely owned and operated by the private sector...
.
The American College of Physicians
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
, uses the term physician to describe all medical practitioners holding a professional medical degree
Medical degree
A medical degree is, broadly defined, any academic degree which places its holder in a position to engage in the practice of medicine. BBC has reported that Medicine related degree programs such as MBBS, BDS and PharmD are the most difficult degree programs of all the other Bachelor degree programs...
. The American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
as well as the American Osteopathic Association
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association is the representative member organization for the over 78,000 osteopathic medical physicians in the United States...
both currently use the term physician to describe members.
Medical education
The US medical educationMedical education in the United States
Medical education in the United States includes educational activities involved in the education and training of medical doctors in the United States, from entry-level training through to continuing education of qualified specialists....
for physicians includes participation in a US medical school
Medical school in the United States
Medical school in the United States is a four year graduate institution with the purpose of educating physicians in the field of medicine. It provides a major part of the medical education in the United States.-History:...
that eventually grants the a US form of doctor of medicine degree, or a US form of osteopathic medicine degree. United States osteopathic medical schools have a curriculum almost identical to MD schools
Comparison of MD and DO in the United States
This is a comparison of DOs and MDs in the United States, discussing the similarities and differences between Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctors of Medicine ....
with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is the application of the distinct osteopathic philosophy, structural diagnosis and use of Osteopathic Manipulative Technique in the diagnosis and management of the patient. OMM takes into account the physical and mental health of a patient, and how either aspect...
, which focuses on extra instruction in the musculoskeletal system. After graduating from a first-professional school, physicians who wish to practice in the U.S. usually take standardized exams, such as the USMLE or the COMLEX-USA
COMLEX-USA
COMLEX-USA or The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States is a series of three osteopathic medical licensing examinations administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners similar to the United States Medical Licensing Examination...
.
In addition, the United States requires residency
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
before granting a medical license
Medical license
In most countries, only persons with a medical license bestowed either by a specified government-approved professional association or a government agency are authorized to practice medicine. Licenses are not granted automatically to all people with medical degrees...
to practice independently.
Specialists
Currently, a specialist physician may be described in the United States as an internist. Another term, hospitalist, was introduced in 1996, to describe US specialists in internal medicineInternal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
who work largely or exclusively in hospitals. Such 'hospitalists' now make up about 19% of all US general internists.
There are three agencies or organizations in the United States which collectively oversee physician board certification of MD and DO (allopathic and osteopathic) physicians in the United States
Physicians in the United States
Physicians in the United States include both ones trained by medical education in the United States and ones that are international medical graduates who have progressed through the necessary steps to acquire a medical license to practice in a state...
in the 26 approved medical specialties recognized in the country. These organizations are the American Board of Medical Specialties
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
(ABMS) and the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
; the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists
American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists
The American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists is a non-profit umbrella organization for 18 medical specialty boards in the United States. It is one of three leading entities overseeing physician certification in the United States...
(AOABOS) and the American Osteopathic Association
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association is the representative member organization for the over 78,000 osteopathic medical physicians in the United States...
; the American Board of Physician Specialties
American Board of Physician Specialties
The American Board of Physician Specialties , the official certifying body for the American Association of Physician Specialists is a non-profit umbrella organization for sixteen medical specialty boards that certifies and re-certifies physicians in fourteen medical specialties in the United...
(ABPS) and the American Association of Physician Specialists
American Association of Physician Specialists
The American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. founded 1950, incorporated 1952 is a 501 not-for-profit organization whose executive offices are located in Tampa, Florida...
. Each of these agencies and their associated national medical organization functions as its various specialty academies, colleges and societies.
| Certifying Board | National Organization | Physician Type |
|---|---|---|
| ABMS | AMA | MD and DO |
| AOA-BOS | AOA | DO Only |
| ABPS | AAPS | MD and DO |
All boards of certification now require that medical practitioners
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
demonstrate, by examination, continuing mastery of the core knowledge and skills for a chosen specialty. Recertification varies by particular specialty between every seven and every ten years.
Compared to foreign countries
A study in 2011 came to the result that public and private payers pay somewhat higher fees to US primary carePrimary care
Primary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
physicians for office visits
Doctor's visit
A doctor's visit, also known as "doctor's office visit" or "physician office visit", is a meeting between a patient with a physician to get health advice or treatment for a symptom or condition...
(overall 27 percent more for public and 70 percent more for private) than in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. It also came to the result that US primary care physicians also earn more (overall earning $186,000 yearly) than the foreign counterparts, with even higher numbers for physician compensation for medical specialists. It concluded that the higher fees, rather than factors such as higher practice costs, volume of services, or tuition expenses, are the main drivers of higher US spending.
Variations within the US
A survey of 15,000 physicians practicing in the United States reported that, across all specialties, male physicians earn approximately 41% more than female physicians. An attributable variable is that female physicians tend to a higher degree to choose medical specialtiesSpecialty (medicine)
A specialty in medicine is a branch of medical science. After completing medical school, physicians or surgeons usually further their medical education in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple year residency to become a medical specialist.-History of medical specialization:To...
of relatively lower compensation, such as obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
. Also, female physicians are more likely to report working fewer hours than their male counterparts.
The same survey reported that, the highest-earning physicians were located in North Central
West North Central States
The West North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau....
region, comprising Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, North
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, with a median salary of $225,000 per year, as per 2010. The next highest earning physicians were those in the South Central
South Central United States
The South Central United States or South Central states is a region of the United States located in the south central part of the country. It evolved out of the archaic southwest, which originally was literally the western U.S. South...
region, comprising Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, at $216,000. Those physicians reporting the lowest compensation levels were located in the Northeast and Southwest, earning an across-specialty median annual income of $190,000.
The survey concluded that physicians in small cities (50,000–100,000) earned slightly more than those living in community types of other sizes, ranging from metropolitan to rural, but the differences were only marginal (a few percent more or less).
Other results from the survey were that those running a solo practice earned marginally less than private practice employees, who, in turn, earned marginally less than hospital employees.