General practitioners provide general medical care.
In order to be a general practitioner, you need to complete approximately 11 years of education after high school. A general practitioner is a doctor who provides general medical care rather than specializing in a particular field of medicine. For many patients, a general practitioner is the first doctor they see when they get sick and may be their primary care doctor.
Job Description
If you become a general practitioner, you will be trained to provide routine care, such as immunizations and physical examinations. You will learn to diagnose and treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, such as respiratory infections and broken bones. As a GP, you will treat patients of all ages, and you will refer patients to specialists when needed. Many general practitioners establish long-term relationships with patients and remain their doctor for life.
Education and Training
You will need to complete at least three years of college to apply to medical school. Most applicants earn a bachelor's degree, and the most common majors are biology and pre-med. Acceptance at medical school is very competitive. Typically you need good grades, a good character, demonstration of leadership qualities and participation in extracurricular activities. Classroom and lab work are the focus of the first two years of medical school. The other two years involve patient care under the supervision of a licensed physician.
Types
Completion of four years of medical school can lead to two different types of degrees. Both types require passing a state licensing exam. The different types are Medical Doctor (M.D.) and Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) According to Mom M.D., the main difference between these two types of doctors is that DOs have been trained to perform osteopathic manipulations. This involves using hands to diagnose illness and to encourage the body's natural ability to heal. Both types of doctors can become general practitioners.
Residency and Licensure
Most graduates of medical school enter a residency, which is a form of paid on-the-job training. MDs usually enter a residency immediately upon completion of medical school, while DOs usually serve a year in a rotating internship before they begin their residency. All states require passing an exam to become licensed to practice as a physician. For information on licensing in a particular state, contact the state medical board.
Considerations
Many doctors go on to specialize in different areas of medicine, but general practitioners are interested in treating a wide variety of ailments rather than specializing. GPs can work in many different settings, including private practices, large group practices and clinics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of primary care doctors as of May 2008 was $186,044. Salary can vary based on location, years of experience and number of hours worked.
Tags: medical school, general practitioner, years medical school, become general, Both types, different types, enter residency
