How long does it take to become a Clinician?

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a clinician. That is the time it takes to learn specific clinician skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 9 to 11 years years to become a clinician.

Does a clinician need a medical degree?

Yes, a clinician needs a medical degree. The qualifications for becoming a clinician require completing higher education in a field of expertise and taking comprehensive exams to become licensed. To pursue a career as a clinician, a person must earn a medical degree, complete a residency, and obtain board certification and a license.

What is the difference between a doctor and a clinician?

The difference between a doctor and a clinician is in their level of education. Simply put, clinicians are all healthcare providers who deal directly with patients, while doctors are clinicians who focus on a particular specialty involving non-surgical treatment.

Who qualifies as a clinician?

Any healthcare providers who deal directly with patients qualify as clinicians. Clinician is a general term that encompasses every medical position that involves patients; therefore, the responsibilities for clinicians vary depending on the job title. Clinicians can be medical assistants, doctors, counselors, psychiatrists, etc.

What is a clinician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.

A clinician specializes in diagnosing and treating patients. They work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices. Clinicians use their expertise to evaluate patients, determine the cause of their symptoms, and develop treatment plans. They may prescribe medication, recommend lifestyle changes, or refer patients to specialists. Clinicians also provide counseling to patients, helping them manage chronic conditions and improve their quality of life. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.

What general advice would you give to a Clinician?

Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.

Dr., Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Vanguard University

Opportunities come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are still out there. Whether you are seeking to land a job in education or the non-profit sector, you will need to familiarize yourself and get used to all things digital, for the sake of communicating effectively. The younger your student or service partner's mindset, the more digitally savvy you will need to be, especially in the classroom and in the non-profit world.

ScoreClinicianUS Average

Salary

4.7

Avg. Salary $60,150

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.3

Growth Rate 9%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.62%

Asian 3.12%

Black or African American 7.90%

Hispanic or Latino 7.90%

Unknown 6.24%

White 74.22%

Gender

female 75.72%

male 24.28%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress Level

9.3

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.5

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Clinician?

Pros

Job stability
High demand for clinicians
Good salary and benefits
Flexible work hours
Wide range of specialties to choose from

Cons

Long and irregular work hours
Risk of burnout or compassion fatigue
Heavy workload and administrative tasks
Limited autonomy in some settings
Potential for malpractice lawsuits

Key steps to become a clinician

Explore clinician education requirements

Most common clinician degrees

Bachelor's

48.6 %

Master's

40.8 %

Associate

5.3 %

Start to develop specific clinician skills

Skills	Percentages
Social Work	25.85%
Patients	14.06%
Patient Care	4.09%
Individual Therapy	4.09%
Mental Health	3.68%

Complete relevant clinician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinician resumes.

Research clinician duties and responsibilities

Perform thorough substance abuse assessments incorporating instruments such as ASAM, SASSI and urine drug screens; provide individual therapy.
Spearhead the development of rehabilitation programs serving adults with chemical dependency and mental health diagnoses with the manager.
Follow all ethical CARF standards when treating the residential client.
Facilitate stabilization, assessment, care and compassion for those in critical need.

Prepare your clinician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Clinician Resume templates

Build a professional Clinician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Clinician resume.

Apply for clinician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a clinician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do clinicians rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Clinician reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022

Pros

Making a difference in someone's life. Seeing positive changes.

Cons

Late hours after 9 pm or before 9 am

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019