CONSIDERING MEDICINE?

What is a doctor?

Doctors are healthcare professionals who encourage, maintain, and restore health

through diagnosing and treating illnesses, injuries, and other physical ailments.

Referred to as Physicians Medical Practitioners

Provide primary health care Socially appropriate, universally accessible,

scientifically sound first level care Refer patients to other healthcare providers

when necessary Doctors can specialise in many fields or may

focus on broad and comprehensive care for individuals (GP)

An average day…

Doctors don’t really have an average day Tasks depend on where they work and the

patients they see GP’s do a bit of everything

Examine patients Order tests and procedures Prescribe and administer medications Provide acute emergency care Provide counseling and support

The specialist role is similar GP’s but focused on a specific body system.

Surgeons determine what procedures a patient needs and performs them.

Other hospital doctors see, treat and refer many different things. ED Medical wards

Often work long shifts May be required to do a lot of on-call work

Where can doctors work? General practitioners usually work in private

practice (as individuals) Most specialists work in hospitals and at a private

practice Universities (as teachers) Other various health initiatives and organisations

Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Defence force MSF or WHO Insurance companies

Where can doctors work? General practitioners usually work in private

practice (as individuals) Most specialists work in hospitals and at a private

practice Universities (as teachers) Other various health initiatives and organisations

Levels of Doctors

Some Specialty Colleges

Royal Australian College of Physicians

~ 6yrs min

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

~ varied time

Royal Australian College of General

Practitioners

~ 6 yrs

Australian College of Rural and Remote medicine

~ 4 yrs

Lots of specialties... Addiction Medicine Anesthesia Dermatology Emergency Medicine General Practice Intensive care medicine: Pediatric Medical administration Obstetrics and Gynecology: Oncology, Maternal-fetal, Ultrasounds, Reproductive

endocrinology and infertility, Urogynaecology Occupational and Environmental medicine Ophthalmology Pediatrics and child health: Clinical genetics, Community child heath, General,

Neonatal and perinatal, Cardiology, Clinical pharmacology, Emergency, Intensive care

Pain Medicine

Palliative medicine Pathology: General, Anatomical, Chemical, Haematology, Immunology,

Microbiology, Forensic Physician: Cardiology, Clinical Genetics, Clinical Pharmacology, Endocrinology,

Gastroenterology, General Medicine, Geriatric, Hematology, Immunology, Infectious diseases, Oncology, Nephrology, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep, Rheumatology

Psychiatry Public health medicine Radiation oncology Radiology: Diagnostic radiology, Diagnostic ultrasound, Nuclear medicine Rehabilitation medicine Sexual health medicine Sport and exercise medicine Surgery: Cardio-thoracic, General, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic, Otolaryngology,

Pediatric, Plastic, Urology, Vascular

Good things about being a doctor...

Ability to save lives and provide support to others – Rewarding

Continuous learning High status occupation Challenging Decent salary Job satisfaction Job security and opportunities

Salary Resident AU$60000 - $75000 (up to $90000

with overtime). Registrar AU$75000 - $110000 (up to

$130000 with overtime). GP AU$150000 – $350000 (up to $400000

with overtime). Consultant AU$175000 – $350000 (up to

$400000 with overtime. Private consultants AU$1million+

Disadvantages of being a doctor...

Debt Long and ongoing education Can be difficult (training and on the job) Can be depressing and stressful (when unable

to help) Time consuming Long work hours (overtime and on-call) A lot of responsibility Frustrating with patient non-compliance

Is being a doctor for me?

Remember.. You are choosing to become a doctor, not just a medical student

Do you love learning? Do you enjoy solving challenging problems? Are you emotionally resilient? Are you interested in how the human body

functions?

8 traits of a good doctor

Doctors need to be: Approachable (Can ask them anything) Empathetic (understands what I am feeling) Trustworthy Confident (“a confident doctor gives me confidence”) Humane (caring, compassionate, kind) Forthright (tells what a patient needs to know) Respectful (takes the patient seriously) Thorough (complete, pays attention to every detail)

Poor reasons for choosing medicine Pressure from family/friends/society

Friend/sibling is studying medicine Parents are doctors

Because you can “I got an OP1 and therefore have to do medicine

or law” Money and prestige Hot nurses

How to ‘get in’ to study med?

1. Undergraduate: Apply for direct entry as a school leaver and sit the UMAT

OR 2. Graduate: Study an undergraduate degree and

then sit the GAMSAT

Most universities use an interview as part of their entry requirements

Undergraduate Medicine at…

Graduate Medicine at…

Medical degree format

30 – 40 hours/wk contact time +10-20 hours/wk extra study (university

dependent)

Within a medical degree: Examine the normal human body compared to

abnormal body Focus on structure, function and development

Common disease states: Recognising and diagnosing illness Developing clinical reasoning Managing conditions with an evidence based approach

Clinical skills are developed through participation in skill based, general practice and ward-based sessions.

The role of the doctor within the profession wider society: including the social, economic, population

and cultural bases of health in contemporary Australia. (this incorporates Indigenous health issues).

Develop skills in communication, physical examination and professional practice

Clinical years consolidate and integrate students’ early experiences

Prepare for internship

What to do next?

Subject selection

Prerequisites English Math B A science subject

(usually chemistry) Assumed Knowledge

Chemistry Biology

Recommended Physics