Information on What Doctors Do

Doctors play an important part in keeping people healthy and comfortable. They must study and train for many years, and are well compensated for their efforts. Being a doctor has become the dream of many children.

• The stethoscope, long a symbol of the medical profession.

Work

• Doctors diagnose illness in their patients and administer treatment for illness and injury. They counsel their patients on preventative health care.

Education

• Being a medical doctor requires eight years of schooling after high school. Three to eight years of residency or internship are required, as well.

Jobs

• A total of 633,000 doctors worked in the United States in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About half of the doctors on salary worked in private offices.

Jobs

• Employment of doctors is expected to grow faster than employment in most occupations, according to the bureau. Doctors willing to specialize in disciplines such as internal medicine and OB/GYN will have the most opportunities in the future.

Pay

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that doctors' salaries are among the highest in the United States. Doctors' pay varies by specialty, with anesthesiologists at the top of the pay scale, making upwards of $250,000 per year.