Medical Director: Job Description, Requirements & Salary

Is a medical director a doctor? Yes, medical directors are doctors, but the role of medical director in hospital settings extends beyond patient care. As long-term care clinics' leaders, the medical director job description includes recruiting and managing physicians, nurses, caregivers and various non-medical personnel. Along with senior management, they examine and coordinate various practice activities to guarantee the medical quality of the facility. Medical directors are also responsible for the training, continuing education and promotion of subordinate staff. Additional medical director job duties include managing the facility's budget, liaising with other medical or non-medical departments and ensuring the compliance of all federal and state regulations and codes.

Are you wondering how to become a medical director? To become a medical director requires each applicant to have a medical degree with board certification in family medicine, emergency care or occupational health, along with many years of medical experience in addition to their medical director education. Potential employers also look for candidates with several years of medical management experience. Those who can demonstrate effective interpersonal, oral and written communication abilities, combined with outstanding presentational skills, are preferred. Candidates who are experienced and proficient with computers, Web-based programs and electronic medical records have an added employment advantage.

The steps below describe the process you'll need to follow if you are interested in becoming a medical director:

1. Become a Medical Doctor: Medical directors are also medical doctors, so you'll need to become a doctor before you can become a medical director. This involves four years of medical school followed by a residency program in your desired specialty. Most medical directors specialize in family medicine, emergency medicine, or a related field. After completing residency, you'll also need to pass examinations to earn board certification.
2. Gain Experience Working in the Medical Field: Before becoming a medical director, you'll need several years of experience working as a doctor. Most medical directors have ten or more years of experience. As you care for patients, pay close attention to the administrative aspects of the hospital or clinic where you work, since you'll need to be familiar with this to work as a medical director.
3. Apply for a Job as a Medical Director: Once you have the necessary credentials and experience, you can apply for a job as a medical director. You may be able to get promoted to this position when a current medical director leaves or retires from your current place of work. Alternatively, you can look for job openings in other hospitals or clinics in your community.

Medical directors play important roles in ensuring the delivery of quality long-term health care. They generally work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and residential care units as well as providing medical guidance for universities and corporations. Medical directors must remain open to emerging technologies that make health care simultaneously more beneficial to patients and cost effective for employers.

Although it is not mandatory, some physicians choose to become a Certified Medical Director in Long Term Care (CMD). This certificate was developed in 1991 by the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The purpose behind this certification was to meld the medical side of long term care with the administrative branch of the facility. To achieve certification, candidates must demonstrate their leadership skills and their understanding of diseases that most commonly affect the elderly, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, pneumonia and chronic pain.

Due to the growing number of patients affected by the actions of medical personnel, some states are taking steps to hold these professionals increasingly accountable for the decisions they make. Therefore, laws that outline the medical director's role, education and responsibilities may become more common in the near future.

Although a few medical directors provide their services full-time, the vast majority perform on a part-time basis, balancing medical direction with other clinical work. Most medical directors also work as attending physicians or in private practices away from the facility.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), physicians and surgeons all other, including medical directors, earned an average annual salary of $203,450 as of May 2019. The AMDA reports that a majority of these professionals possess over 10 years of experience as medical directors.

• Is a medical director a doctor? Yes, medical directors are doctors who have medical degrees and experience caring for patients. However, the role of a medical director involves administrative tasks that keep a hospital running as opposed to direct patient care.
• Where do medical directors work? Medical directors commonly work in hospitals, but they can also direct clinics or other locations where medical care is provided.
• What's the difference between a medical director and a doctor? The position of medical director describes the role of a particular doctor who oversees the operations of a hospital or clinic. While most doctors directly care for patients, medical directors focus on administrative responsibilities.

Medical directors oversee operations in a variety of long-term care medical settings, such as assisted living facilities, retirement communities, and hospices. They must possess a medical degree and board certification; professional certification is available as well and proves competency in health conditions that impact the elderly. The average income for medical directors in 2019 was $203,450.