Family physicians play an important role in our society. They diagnose
and treat health problems and offer preventative care.
In short, doctors try to make sick people healthy and keep healthy people
from getting sick. It's a demanding, intriguing, fascinating and ever-changing
career and one that many doctors love.
Most family physicians will say they love their jobs because every day
is different. From delivering babies to helping the elderly, family doctors
perform a wide range of activities every day.
Sewing up wounds, ordering laboratory tests, diagnosing ailments, prescribing
medications, performing surgery, reporting births and deaths and filling out
paperwork are all common functions for a family physician.
For the most part, family physicians work either in clinics, hospitals
or private practice.
The average workday for physicians varies. But it's safe to say they work
far more than the standard 40-hour workweek.
Many doctors spend some time on call. That means they can be called into
the hospital at any time during the day or night. When doctors are on call,
working weekends is common. Some medical offices or walk-in clinics are also
open on weekends.
Although family doctors spend long hours working, most will say their jobs
are more emotionally draining than physically draining. For doctors who choose
to work in a clinic, a physical disability may not be a hindrance. It could
just require some extra planning to accommodate both the doctor and patient.
Doctors spend a lot of time on their feet, especially when making hospital
rounds to visit their patients.
Increased paperwork for insurance purposes is also on the rise. That makes
it harder for doctors to spend time with their patients.