Career

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses that have advanced degrees and training, and can work in a specialized area. They may serve their patients as primary care providers and perform duties similar to doctors in their field/specialty.

Recent studies have shown that the demand for nurse practitioners is increasing rapidly.

Average salary in 2015: $97,990

Schooling:

  1. Pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – 4 years (undergraduate) – hands-on clinical instruction and coursework
  2. As part of the Bachelor’s program, become a Registered Nurse (RN)
  3.  Pursue a graduate degree in nursing – 1.5 to 4 years – MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing – generalist nursing degree) takes 2 years, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice – specialty nursing degree) takes 4 years

Total Years Spent: 5.5 to 8 years

Obstetrician

The job of an obstetrician is to monitor the health of women and the child(ren) they are bearing as they go through pregnancy. They are also typically trained as gynecology, taking care of women’s general reproductive health care. They must also always be on-call for emergencies and childbirth.

Average Salary in 2015: $200,634

Schooling/Steps:

  1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree – 4 years (undergraduate) – not required to be in a science major, but recommended
  2. Take the MCAT to get into medical school
  3. Medical School – 4 years – the first 2 years are consisted of lecture courses in anatomy, laboratory science and general health care procedures, and during the 3rd and 4th years, students begin examining patients during clinical rotations at local or affiliated hospitals and clinics
  4. Take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to obtain a medical license
  5. Participate in a Residency Program – 4 years – prospective obstetricians/gynecologists do a residency under licensed obstetricians/gynecologists, residents receive hands-on training in pregnancy monitoring, delivering babies, gynecological procedures, maternal-fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, urology, reproductive endocrinology, and infertility, acceptance is very competitive and done through a match system
  6. Become Board Certified through the American Board of Physician Specialties – a written and oral exam
  7. If wanting to sub-specialize, participate in fellowship training- 2 years

Total Years Spent: 12-14 years

Pediatrician

The job of a Pediatrician is to prevent, diagnose, and treat children’s diseases and injuries. They often examine their patients, who are children from near birth to sometimes 19, and perform tests on them. There are also many sub-specialties within this field, such as pediatric orthopedic surgery, pediatric pulmonology, and pediatric surgery.

Average salary in 2015: $183,180

Schooling/Steps:

  1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree – 4 years (undergraduate) – not required to be in a science major, but recommended
  2. Take the MCAT to get into medical school
  3. Medical School – 4 years – the first 2 years are consisted of lecture courses in anatomy, laboratory science and general health care procedures, and during the 3rd and 4th years, students begin examining patients during clinical rotations at local or affiliated hospitals and clinics
  4. Take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to obtain a medical license
  5. Participate in a Residency Program – 4 years – prospective pediatricians do a residency under licensed pediatricians, residents receive hands-on training, acceptance is very competitive and done through a match system
  6. Become Board Certified through the American Board of Physician Specialties – a written and oral exam
  7. If wanting to sub-specialize, participate in fellowship training – 2 years

Total Years Spent: 12-14 years

Family Practitioner

Family Practitioners are primary care physicians that care for patients of all ages, treating common injuries and mild illnesses, prescribing medicine, administering vaccinations, and referring patients to specialists if advanced treatment is needed. Family practitioners typically work regular business hours.

Average Salary in 2015: $156,426

Schooling/Steps:

  1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree – 4 years (undergraduate) – not required to be in a science major, but recommended
  2. Take the MCAT to get into medical school
  3. Medical School – 4 years – the first 2 years are consisted of lecture courses in anatomy, laboratory science and general health care procedures, and during the 3rd and 4th years, students begin examining patients during clinical rotations at local or affiliated hospitals and clinics
  4. Take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to obtain a medical license
  5. Participate in a Residency Program – 3 years for prospective family practitioners- they do a residency under licensed family practitioners, residents receive hands-on training in diagnosing and treating hospital and clinic patients and complete clinical rotations in critical care, pediatrics, sports medicine and cardiology, acceptance is very competitive and done through a match system

Total Years Spent: 11 years

Veterinarian

Veterinarians provide medical care to animals, particularly to pets, zoo animals, and laboratory and livestock animals. Their job is to prevent, diagnose, and treat illnesses, and can sometimes work as researchers. They also prevent the spread of diseases from animals to humans.

Average Salary in 2015: $99,000

Schooling/Steps:

  1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree – 4 years (undergraduate) – not required to be in a science major, but recommended
  2. Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to get into veterinary school (there are only 30 veterinary schools accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education, so less than 50% of applicants are accepted)
  3. Earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in veterinary school – 4 years – the first 2 years focus on basic science education in the classroom and laboratory, including coursework in animal behavior, veterinary pharmacology, animal nutrition, clinical pathology, large and small animal medicine, diagnostic imaging, and anesthesia and surgery principles, the 3rd year consists of clinical instruction and allows students to gain hands-on experience diagnosing and treating animal diseases under the supervision of licensed veterinarians, and the 4th year focuses on clinical rotations in various specialties such as dentistry, cardiology, oncology and equine care, also learning how to treat wounds, prescribe medication, perform surgery and set fractures in animal hospitals and private practices
  4. Take the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) lasting 7.5 hours in order to become licensed

Total Years Spent: 8