Physician
Description
Physicians serve a fundamental role within the healthcare industry and society. This group of healthcare professionals—which includes numerous specialties—diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. The importance of the care provided by these individuals is evident—as is the importance of ensuring an adequate supply of Physicians. However, ensuring this supply may also prove challenging as Physicians are part of an international—ratherthan national—labor market and the recruitment of needed specialists to specific geographic areas may prove problematic. Further complicating matters is the fact that, as a group, Physicians are comprised of numerous specialty-defined labor markets (e.g.anesthesiology or pediatrics) that may experience differing levels of supply, demand, and compensation, as well as differing needs of labor market participants.In addressing the need for information to help ensure an adequate supply ofEducational Requirements
It takes many years of education and training to become a physician: four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and three to eight years of residency training, depending on the specialty selected. The minimum educational requirement for entry into a medical school is three years of college; most applicants, however, have at least a bachelor's degree, and many have advanced degrees. All States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories license physicians. When Physicians complete training, most take national certifying board examinations in their specialty and must meet license requirements to practice in a specific state or U.S. territory.Wages
Physicians and Surgeons have among the highest earnings of any occupation. The average annual salary in Maine specialty level is provided:Anesthesiologists: $191, 693
General Practitioners $137,980
Internists $156,790
Ob-Gyn $174,490
Pediatricians $140,000
Psychiatrists $151,380
Surgeons $181,850
