Family Medicine and My Career Decisions - PowerPoint Presentation

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Family Medicine and My Career Decisions

Dennis C. Stevens, MD, MS

Pediatrician and Neonatologist

Director of Clinical Research Professor of Clinical Sciences, Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL

Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD

Introduction

Dennis C. Stevens, MD, MSI am not a Family Practitioner! I did complete nearly two years of Family Medicine Residency prior to Pediatrics and Neonatology Training.I have worked with many Family Medicine physicians in rural South Dakota for many years.

Neonatologist - Training

4 years of college 4 years of medical school 3 years of pediatrics residency 3 years of neonatology fellowshipCertification examinations for Pediatrics and Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine

Definition

Family medicine: Also called family practice. The medical specialty which provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family practice encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity. (From the American Academy of Family Physicians)

Training Required for Family Medicine

Undergraduate college degree – 4 years resulting in BS or BA degreeMedical School – 4 years resulting in MD (or DO) degreeResidency Training – 3 yearsFellowship Training possible in Geriatrics, Sports Medicine, Adolescent Medicine, Sleep Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Care, Pain Medicine, Preventative Medicine, Rural Medicine, Research, Faculty Development, Maternal Child Health.

Salary and Hours

Generally in the MW, Salary about $200,000/yearWork days long – 10-12 hours per day depending on location and case load. Depending upon your location will probably involve night call and telephone call for your patients or a group of patients.

Family Medicine

Things to Think About

Each field of medicine has specific training lasting 3-4 years in each field compared with 3 years of training in all fields in Family Medicine.Each field of medicine has volumes of new material coming out each year to remain current on practice methods.A Family Practice physician must rely upon medical resources in a number of areas – consultants in various specialties (all physicians do). In Family Medicine you are not generally the expert in any one field of medicine – this can be frustrating to some people.

More Things to Think About

In Family Medicine you are the family’s first resort for health care services. In Family Medicine you will likely be very involved in preventative health care and health maintenanceIn Family Medicine, you may be a consistent person to help a family through difficult decisions.

Other Areas of Involvement in Medicine

Alternatives to Family Medicine

Primary care specialties – Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Ob-Gyn, General Surgery.Combined training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics – 6 years of training which emphasizes these two areas in detail. Does not include training in Ob-Gyn to do deliveries.

My DecisionFamily Medicine was my idea of who a doctor is.

I liked both Family Medicine and Pediatrics in Medical School.I attended a course in NICU care:It was a very new fieldThere was a need for physicians skilled in this areaThere was the potential for academic pursuit – research, etc. Events easily took me to Pediatrics and NICU within months of going to the NICU course.I have enjoyed 40 years in academic practice and have done clinical care, administration, teaching and research and can not imagine another field in which to have worked.

My Advice

Best Wishes in Your Career Choices

Feel free to email further questions to:Dennis.Stevens@usd.edu