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Adolescent Medicine Physician |
Career OverviewAdolescence is the state of development between childhood and adulthood. An adolescent medicine physician identifies and addresses health concerns and complicated developmental changes, educational promotion, healthcare needs, effective treatment and general health of teenagers.
An adolescent medicine physician is a doctor whom not only serves a fundamental role in society but also has a positive effect upon the lives of adolescents. They diagnose illnesses in adolescents between the ages of thirteen through nineteen along with prescribing and administering treatment for teenagers suffering from disease or injury.
An adolescent medicine physician examines adolescents and their medical history, orders tests along with performing and then interpreting these diagnostic test results. Part of an adolescent medicine physician’s job is working with patients on teaching them proper hygiene, diet and all other aspects of preventative health care issues.
Adolescent medicine physicians work with the parents and other health care professionals in caring for children with medical problems. They specialize in not only the ordering tests, diagnosing and treating a wide range of ailments specific to teenagers but also track the growth of the patients to adulthood.
They refer adolescents to specific health care professionals, to assess their patient when necessary. An adolescent medicine physician treats many day-to-day illnesses common to teenagers along with infectious diseases, minor injuries and immunizations, which are similar to the way a general physician treats adults.
Many adolescent medicine physicians work very long and irregular hours in private practice, group practice or hospital settings, often working in excess of sixty hours a week. A very small percentage or less than ten percent works part-time, unlike many other occupations. Adolescent medicine physicians frequently travel between their office and hospital in caring for their patients. They also contend with emergency visits and phone calls.
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Career RequirementsThe formal training and education required for adolescent medicine physicians and physicians is undergraduate school for four years, medical school for an additional four years and then three to eight years of residency/internship depending on which specialty they select.
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Job OutlookDue to the expansion in the health care industries, employment for adolescent medicine physicians will continue to increase faster than they normally do. They expect the employment for adolescent medicine physicians and surgeons to continue to grow rapidly through 2014.
The increase in population will push the demand for physicians in adolescent medicine even higher. As adolescent medicine, physicians retire over the next seven or eight years, there will be additional job openings to fill their positions.
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Career TrackThere is a great demand for adolescent medicine physicians in rural communities as well as large cities across the country. Many physicians may choose to continue there education and make other career choices such as:
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CompensationBecause of the demanding training and education requirement of physicians, adolescent medicine physicians and surgeons, their annual earning is among the highest of any other occupation. Although compensation varies among their specialties, along with bonuses their average annual income ranges between $156,700 to well over $ 321,000.
Adolescent medicine physicians that own their private practice normally have a higher income than a salaried physician does. An adolescent medicine physician’s salary also varies according to geographic location, number of years practicing and level of responsibility and performance, among other factors.
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