Overview
Many people are there to help you along your health journey. However, a primary care physician, or PCP, is usually the first person to come in contact with you. Unlike most surgeons or nurses, they have the opportunity to be the patient’s lasting care provider over many years, getting to know the patients as individuals, not just as a file.
Similar to a general surgeon, a PCP treats the whole body and deals with many different cases. They have a wide variety of jobs from conducting a check-up to diagnosing and treating an illness. Since they are the first people to see the patient, their most common procedures are venipuncture, vaccinations, and therapeutic exercises.
As a PCP, you deal with all types of ages and conditions. The most common type of PCP is a family doctor, so there is a high possibility you are dealing with children. Additionally, because of the wide age range, they have the opportunity to see and treat many different people with many different problems (illness/chronic conditions/disease). These characteristics make it an appetizing part of the job because not every day is the same.
Pathway to Become
To pursue this career in the US, you must first obtain your undergraduate degree in premed or a science study, followed by graduating from an accredited medical school with a degree in medicine or osteopathic medicine. From here, you must pass board exams, complete clinical instructions, finishing with residency and rotations. There are additional options to attend a fellowship program after this. PCPs are most commonly family doctors but many choose to become different care physicians and specialize in other categories. Some may include pediatricians, internists, and geriatricians. They are all PCP’s but fall under the umbrella of careers. In the end, you usually have to attend school for 11 years before becoming licensed.
An appealing attribute of being a PCP is unlike many surgeons or doctors, they have a great balance between home and work life. Since they are oftentimes dealing with families, it offers flexibility and consistency. Additionally, PCPs are needed everywhere, so you regularly have options as to where you want to live, either in rural or urban areas.
Recently, differences in pay between Primary Care and specialists have caused a shortage of PCPs. This provides an opportunity for needed PCPs, because of the essential roles they play in the healthcare system. Manu clinics will be making PCPs a priority and might offer compensation if they become too desperate, balancing out the difference in salary.
Personal Take
I think being a PCP is a great option because it helps the patient on all levels. They play an important role and provide less time in the hospital, plus less money on medical costs. They oftentimes prevent catastrophic illnesses because they know exactly what to look for. I also like this career because it gives you the satisfaction of catching diseases early so your patient can still live and I love that you can create lasting relationships with them for your whole career.
https://psdconnect.org/journal/primary-care-physician-salaries-trends-and-outlook
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-a-primary-care-physician
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23467-primary-care-physician
https://www.definitivehc.com/blog/10-most-common-diagnoses-in-primary-care
https://www.medstarhealth.org/blog/4-reasons-why-you-should-have-a-primary-care-provider