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Doctors have the option of being able to choose from many different specialties. The human body is highly complex with a number of systems that work in concert. Different types of doctors focus on different aspects of the body, including the skin, nervous system, heart and vascular system, and reproductive systems.
While becoming a specialist doctor generally takes more schooling, it allows you to focus on an area that interests you. It also gives you the opportunity to solve a medical problem that your patient may have been dealing with for a while.
Key Takeaways
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The highest-paid types of doctors include surgeon, dermatologist, and anesthesiologist.
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You can choose your medical specialty based on what part of the body and/or what type of patient you want to treat.
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When starting a career as a doctor, start working at it early, don’t take your tests lightly, and don’t give up.
20 types of doctors
As there are so many specialties, this list is by no means exhaustive. There are many ways to further specialize. But here are some of the better-known types of doctors and what they do.
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General Practitioner
Average Annual Salary: $174,000A general practitioner is probably the first image that jumps to your mind when you imagine the role of a standard doctor. They’re doctors who handle non-surgical medical care.
Their patients can seek help for a wide range of possible health issues, and they often evaluate patients using exams and tests to diagnose an illness or injury. General practitioners also offer patients treatment within their wheelhouse or refer them to the proper specialist for further evaluation.
In addition to assisting people with a specific issue, general practitioners also perform routine physical assessments for adults. General practitioners work with many other medical professionals to provide care for their patients.
Since these doctors are often working with many different kinds of people and health issues, they need above-average communication skills to explain complex medical jargon simply and effectively.
Requirements: Medical degree, current MD license in the practicing state, National Medical Doctor Certification.
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General Pediatrician
Average Annual Salary: $160,000A general pediatrician has a somewhat similar job to a general practitioner. However, they only work with children. General pediatricians take care of children from the time they’re infants until they’re young adults. Their work with these patients helps build an accurate medical history that they can take with them into adulthood.
Pediatricians will administer regular check-ups to accommodate the special needs of individuals who are still in their growing phase.
They also diagnose and provide treatment for medical conditions that affect young people specifically. Their typical tasks can involve giving vaccinations, providing preventative healthcare, and teaching parents and children about their health.
Since general pediatricians strictly work with children, they need particular skills to perform their necessary duties with a demeanor that’s comforting to young people.
Requirements: Medical degree, current MD license in the practicing state, 3-4 year residency program, American Board of Pediatrics certification taken every ten years.
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Cardiologist
Average Annual Salary: $248,000Cardiologists are doctors who focus on treating adults who have heart or cardiovascular disease. They diagnose, treat, and create disease-management systems for patients suffering from these ailments. While part of a cardiologist’s job is to treat these illnesses, they’re also responsible for encouraging preventative care.
Some of a cardiologist’s typical responsibilities consist of ordering tests relevant to the heart and blood vessels, counseling people at risk of developing heart disease in the future, and treating issues like heart attacks, failures, and rhythm problems.
A cardiologist’s job is just as much about preventing heart disease as it is about managing and treating it. This means that cardiologists must effectively talk to people about the health issues they could be facing down the line and be impactful enough for the patient to make a change in their life.
Requirements: Medical degree, 3 years of an internal medicine residency, 3-4 year cardiology fellowship, cardiology certification.
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Dermatologist
Average Annual Salary: $321,000The job of a dermatologist is to handle the health of people’s skin. They can also handle health problems with nails and hair. Their work can range from fairly minor issues like sunburns and acne to more severe skin cancer problems.
Much like other medical practitioners, dermatologists work with patients from diagnosis to the process of treatment. Dermatologists also monitor their patient’s progress over time to see if their prescribed treatments are working effectively.
Requirements: Medical degree, 3 years of a residency, 1 to 2-year fellowship, licensing from the American Board of Dermatology.
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Anesthesiologist
Average Annual Salary: $321,000Many medical procedures require relief from the pain the body would endure if left to its own devices. That’s why anesthetics are used to limit or completely eradicate any pain sensation that a patient feels during procedures like surgery. It’s the job of an anesthesiologist to administer these powerful drugs properly.
The role of an anesthesiologist is larger than just administering the drugs people need to get through medical procedures.
They need to carefully consider each patient’s medical history to ensure that the prescribed pain management program is suitable. Anesthesiologists are also responsible for educating patients on the risks of anesthesia.
Requirements: Medical degree, anesthesiology residency, certification by the Board of Anesthesiology in the practicing state.
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Psychiatrist
Average Annual Salary: $201,000Illnesses of the mind are just as debilitating and difficult as those of the body. A psychiatrist’s job involves working with people demonstrating mental health issues to diagnose and effectively treat these illnesses.
Based on symptoms that a patient demonstrates or describes, a psychiatrist orders testing to evaluate potential diagnoses. Once a diagnosis has been landed on, they develop steps for handling the issue moving forward.
Discovering this in-depth information about every patient usually requires some talk therapy and psychoanalysis to learn more about the problems they’re facing. There is a huge variety of treatment methodology that can be employed by psychiatrists depending on the patient’s needs.
Sometimes, psychiatrists delve into people’s thought process through extensive cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Other times, they prescribe medication to help a patient cope with persisting symptoms of their mental illness.
Psychiatrists handle a lot of deep emotional issues from their patients, as opposed to physical problems. That task demands a huge amount of empathy, listening, and communication skills.
Requirements: Medical degree, at least four years in an accredited residency, certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
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Emergency room doctor
Average Annual Salary: $169,000With serious life-or-death medical situations, there is no time to wait for a physician’s office hours. Whether a freak accident occurred that resulted in a major injury or a person has become unresponsive from overwhelming symptoms, an emergency medical physician steps in to literally save the day.
The majority of patients that an emergency medical physician takes care of are on the brink of death. Every moment is crucial.
Often, their main focus is resuscitating and stabilizing their patients. Once they’re saved from the severity of the medical situation at hand, an emergency medical physician transfers them to the appropriate channels like the ICU or another hospital.
While most doctors deal with situations that would be overwhelmingly stressful to the average person, the role of an emergency medical physician is especially taxing.
These types of doctors are constantly put in high-pressure situations that require their skills to save lives. Being an emergency medical physician requires the ability to stay calm under pressure and make executive decisions quickly.
Requirements: Medical degree, medical licensing in the practicing state, 3-4 year residency, Emergency Medical Certification renewed every ten years.
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Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OB/GYN)
Average Annual Salary: $271,000Doctors who work in the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology center their career around women’s health.
This involves diagnosing and treating illnesses that impact women, like specific types of cancers and menopause. To ensure that their patient’s female health is functioning properly, OB/GYN doctors regularly monitor them with check-ups.
Obstetrician/gynecologists also spend a lot of their time working with pregnant women to provide them with medical support throughout this life-changing process. This includes giving childbirth and postpartum care. Most doctors need to educate their patients as part of their job description, which is also true for OB/GYNs.
Many of their patients are going through a transformative period in their lives of becoming parents, and they rely on the support and knowledge of their OB/GYN to guide them through this. For these reasons, compassion and communication skills are especially helpful for obstetricians/gynecologists in their careers.
Requirements: Medical degree, 3-7 year residency program, passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the certification exam from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Radiologist
Average Annual Salary: $282,000The specialty of a radiologist is working with medical imaging technology like x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. They must consider a patient’s medical history to decide the best course of action for processing medical images. Radiologists also explain to their patients the techniques that will be used to gather their medical images.
In addition to working with patients who need medical images, they also work with radiology lab technicians to ensure they are perfect and provide the information needed for a diagnosis.
Based on the results of the medical images, radiologists interpret the data and make a diagnosis to give to the physician. Being a team player is crucial for being a radiologist because the job involves working with many different types of people to obtain conclusive data.
Requirements: Medical degree, 4-5 year residency, 1-2 year fellowship, medical licensing in the practicing state.
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Podiatrist
Average Annual Salary: $91,000A podiatrist is responsible for diagnosing and treating issues of the feet, ankles, and lower legs. In addition, they prescribe medications to deal with these issues and physical therapy to people who have foot injuries.
Additionally, they use symptoms of the feet to diagnose more dire conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Their diagnoses commonly come at a crucial time because symptoms with the feet and ankles can indicate larger issues in a person’s bodily systems.
Qualified podiatrists can also perform surgeries on the feet and general lower leg area to remedy an injury or fix an ongoing situation. Since podiatrists need to always be on the lookout for potentially telling symptoms involving a patient’s feet, their role requires many analytical thinking skills.
Requirements: Medical degree in podiatric medicine, 2-4 year residency, proper licensing according to state requirements, American Medical Board certification.
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Endocrinologist
Average Annual Salary: $227,000An endocrinologist focuses on treating hormone disorders and diseases that impact the endocrine glands. After examining their patients to evaluate their health issues, an endocrinologist will diagnose and proceed with prescribing medication or surgery.
The main ailments that endocrinologists handle are abnormalities with the thyroid, infertility, cholesterol disorders, and cancer of the endocrine glands.
As with many types of doctors, the role of an endocrinologist is investigative in nature. They look at the clues presented to them through a patient’s symptoms and deduce if there’s a hormonal imbalance at play. They also educate their patients on the conditions that they have if there is a hormonal issue happening.
Requirements: Medical degree, 2-3 year residency program, 2-3 year fellowship program, certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine, and certification in the endocrinology specialty.
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Oncologist
Average Annual Salary: $207,000An oncologist is a type of doctor that specializes in cancer from diagnosis to treatment. A big part of this responsibility is talking to patients about the reality of their medical situation, breaking down treatment plans, and providing advice for symptom management.
Oncologists usually run a cancer treatment team made up of a variety of medical professionals who work cohesively together to provide adequate care.
Oncologists focus on medical, radiation, or surgical areas of the field and specialize in studying different types of cancer.
Cancer is an extremely difficult disease to live with and watch people suffer from. That’s why oncologists need to be compassionate but also objective and rational.
Requirements: Medical degree, a residency in internal medicine, 2-year fellowship, licensing according to practicing state, board certification.
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Immunologist
Average Annual Salary: $75,000As their title suggests, immunologists study the human immune system. This could include things like allergies and autoimmune diseases. Some immunologists spend most of their careers studying how the immune system functions and developing more accurate methods of diagnosis and treatment.
Their goal is to understand why the immune system works in some cases and fails in others.
Immunologists who work with patients suffering from conditions of the immune system can have a multitude of responsibilities on their hands. Their tasks include developing personalized treatment plans, interpreting results to make diagnostic calls, and providing therapies like allergen immunotherapy.
The field of immunology is vastly complex, and the work that these types of doctors do is invaluable to advancements in medicine as a whole.
Requirements: Medical degree, residency program, 3-year fellowship, certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Allergy and Immunology.
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Neurologist
Average Annual Salary: $257,000The work that a neurologist does revolves around disorders that impact the nervous system. This includes issues with the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles. Neurologists usually work in a clinical office or hospital setting.
Here, they run and read tests like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) that are used to determine a diagnosis and possible treatment.
Some of the health issues or conditions that neurologists typically work on include epilepsy, traumatic head injuries, and sleep disorders. After looking at a patient’s speech, coordination, and reflexes they determine if there is a neurological origin of issues and then move forward with the appropriate tests or referrals.
Neurologists also communicate with their patients to explain their conditions and the support services available.
Requirements: Medical degree, a one-year internship, 3-year residency program, up to 8 years of a fellowship, state licensing, and optional board certification.
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Surgeon
Average Annual Salary: $328,000The biggest task that sets surgeons apart from other doctors is that they specialize in performing surgical procedures that are used to solve health problems. Within the specialty of being a surgeon, these doctors will focus on niche areas within the field.
For example, a pediatric surgeon would spend their career operating on children and a cardiothoracic surgeon works on surgeries that involve the heart, lungs or chest.
Surgeons can also work in varied settings like hospitals, academic institutions, the military and government services. In addition to performing the actual operation, surgeons must also create a plan of attack for the surgery beforehand that keeps the patient’s comfort in mind.
After surgery, surgeons also assist in postoperative care by devising plans for their patients to make a speedy recovery.
Being a surgeon is regularly regarded as a difficult sect of medicine to work in. The job requires all the people skills that other medical specialties need, but on top of that, surgeons must have incredible dexterity and be extremely detail-oriented in their work.
Requirements: Medical degree, 3-year residency, a fellowship, multi-year internship, continual education, certification, and specialization certification from the American Board of Surgery.
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Average Annual Salary: $148,000
Dentists are oral health specialists. They are experts on teeth, gums, and oral diseases. Most of their time is spent diagnosing oral health issues, and they can perform root canals, extractions, and dental implants.
As with a general practitioner, dentists spend a lot of time maintaining oral health and will need to be able to explain complex medical concepts to their patients.
There are further specialties in dentistry, such as oral surgeon, pediatric density, or orthodontics.
Requirements: Obtain a D.D.S. or D.M.D., a 2 to 3-year residency, and pass the Integrated National Board Dental Examination.
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Annual Salary: $276,000
More commonly known as ear, throat, and nose doctors, or ENTs, otolaryngologists are experts on the head and neck. They’re experts on diseases and disorders that affect speaking, swallowing, tasting, and hearing.
To be a successful otolaryngologist, you’ll need to be an expert in your area as well as have strong knowledge of medicine. As a doctor, you’ll prescribe medicine, diagnose illnesses, and suggest treatments. They’re also surgeons and are trained to do reconstructive surgery if the situation calls for it.
Requirements: A medical degree and a five-year residency program, including surgical training. You’ll also need to pass an exam administered by the American Board of Otolaryngology.
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Annual Salary: $234,000
While both focus on eye care, unlike an optometrist, an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor. They diagnose and treat eye illnesses, write up glasses prescriptions, and perform eye surgery when needed.
Ophthalmologists are the ones you go to treat cataracts, diabetes-related retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. They’re eye experts who often work with optometrists in order to give the best treatment to their patients.
Requirements: A medical degree, 3 years of residency, and passing the necessary examinations to be certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
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Annual Salary: $243,000
Gastroenterologists are experts on the digestive system. They have extensive knowledge of conditions and treatments for conditions related to the intestines, gallbladders, stomach, esophagus, liver, and pancreas.
That means that you’ll spend a lot of time discussing gastrointestinal issues with your patients, as well as doing endoscopic procedures. That means that you can’t be squeamish to do this job properly.
Being a specialist, you’ll coordinate with the patient’s primary care physician to devise the best treatment plan for their condition.
Requirements: a medical degree, 3 years of residency, and 3 years of fellowship. You can also pusher a further year or 2 of fellowship to further specialize.
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Annual Salary: $222,000
Allergists are doctors who specialize in allergies. They are trained to treat all manner of allergy continuations, ranging from hay fever, food allergies, eczema, asthma, psoriasis, and other allergy-based conditions.
In order to effectively treat an allergy, you’ll first need to know what the allergen is. That means that allergists have to spend time comparing notes with the patient and doing tests to determine what it is that’s causing the reaction.
Once they know what the allergen is, they’ll recommend treatment — usually involving avoiding the substance. They’ll also proscribe allergy medicine, or, if severe enough, an epinephrine pen or immunotherapy.
Requirements: A medical degree, a 3-year residency, passing the exam American Board of Internal Medicine’s exam to near your certification — or the American Board of Pediatrics, if you wish to be a pediatric allergist.
Then a 2-year allergic and immunology fellowship and exam from the American Board of Allergy and Immunology to be fully certified to practice.
Tips for starting a career as a doctor
While there is no guaranteed formula for becoming a doctor, here are some tips on how to set yourself up for success as best as you can.
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Start early. You don’t need to graduate early so you can start medical school at age 19 or anything like that, but you do need to get serious about your studies starting in high school and college.
You won’t be kept from being a doctor if you don’t ace your classes, but the better you do in high school, the more likely you are to get into a good college. And the better you do at that good college, the better chance you’ll have at getting into a good medical school.
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Don’t take your tests lightly. From the MCAT to your board examinations, don’t blow off any of your tests. No, they aren’t life and death, but they are key to your starting a career as a doctor, so take them seriously.
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Don’t give up. If you don’t get into medical school on your first try, don’t give up. Plenty of doctors have to try a few times to get into medical school. In between application cycles, do what you can to beef up your resume, such as shadowing doctors and getting a job in the medical field.
Types of doctors FAQ
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What are some of the most common types of doctor?
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How many types of doctors are there?
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What’s the difference between a specialist doctor and a general practitioner?
The types of doctors that you’re most likely to encounter are general practitioners, dentists, gynecologists, and ophthalmologists, or eye doctors.
There are several hundred different medical specialties and subspecialties, which is why it’s difficult to produce an exact number of types of doctors. There are so many diseases and systems in the body that there can be an almost endless number of specialties to choose from.
General practitioners maintain the everyday health of their patients, while specialists look at specific conditions. Most people have the experience of being referred to a specialist when their primary care doctor isn’t able to offer them a solution.
There are also specialties to treat chronic diseases, such as pulmonologists for asthma, endocrinologists for diabetes, and so on. Neither of those types of physicians solely treat those diseases, but their specialty makes them an expert in them.
- Fields
- Types Of Engineering
- Types Of Lawyers
- Types Of It Jobs
- Jobs In Travel
- Best Airport Jobs
- Best Overnight Jobs
- Temp Jobs
- Jobs In Mental Health
- Union Jobs
- Civil Service Jobs
- Grocery Store Jobs
- The Most Common Jobs In America
- Summer Jobs
- Types Of Doctors
- Is Technology A Good Career Path
- Cannabis Industry Jobs
- Careers In Writing
Author
Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.
