Doctors are healthcare workers who treat and assist patients with a variety of problems. The skills of a doctor are reflected through the amount of time doctors spend in school learning about the human body. However, there are other skills important to doctors that allow them to excel in their specialty.
Skills Needed to Be a Doctor - At a Glance
| Degree Level | Bachelor's degree followed by completion of an M.D. or D.O. |
| Degree Field(s) | Pre-med, biological sciences, or related field for bachelors; medicine |
| Possible Specialties | Pediatrics, gynecology, psychiatry, surgery, anesthesiology, surgery and general medicine |
| Licensure/Certification | Licensure required in all states; optional board certification |
| Experience | 3-8 year residency after completion of medical school |
| Key Skills | Communication and patient care skills; attention to detail; confidence, empathy, being humane, respectfulness, and thoroughness |
| Median Annual Salary (2018)* | $201,100 (for physicians in primary care) |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Scientific and Medical Skills
Being well-educated in science, diagnosis and treatment is part of the necessary skills required to be a doctor. During medical school and the doctor's undergraduate career, he or she should focus on the human sciences, such as biology, human anatomy and biochemistry, all of which are necessary to understand the job requirements of being a doctor. The skills learned in these sciences are the core to understanding diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosing a patient involves understanding the symptoms exhibited and putting them together to understand what is wrong with the patient internally. The doctor may then treat the patient. Treatment involves providing the correct recommendations to a patient, including medicine, referral to another doctor, and surgery. Being able to carry out such intensive processes is one of the most important abilities of a doctor.
Communication Skills
Other than the doctor's scientific specialty, communication may be one of the most important qualities of a doctor. Doctor's work all day with patients from all walks of life and ages, asking them questions about their health and then explaining their diagnoses and treatment plans in terms the patients can understand. Doctors in the U.S. may need to be able to communicate with patients whose first language is not English, as well as children and the elderly. Being able to empathize, listen, and ask the right questions in this field is part of what makes a good doctor.
Patient Care Skills
According to a Mayo Clinic study, patients feel that doctors' personality traits are also important. These include confidence, empathy, being humane, respectfulness and thoroughness. While it's important that the doctor understands how to treat his or her patient, patients also want a doctor who couples this medical knowledge with the aforementioned traits and skills.
Doctors: A Career Overview
Doctors help the sick by examining, prescribing prescription drugs and administering treatment to their patients. They also examine patients, interpret tests and counsel patients on rehabilitative, preventative and dietary care. Doctors may work in one of many specialties within the profession. These include pediatrics, gynecology, psychiatry, surgery, anesthesiology, surgery and general medicine.
Work Environment
Doctors work in many healthcare settings, such as hospitals, private offices, clinics or community healthcare facilities. Within these settings, the doctor can expect to work long, often irregular hours. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), some physicians enter into private practice.
Education and Salary Information
Becoming a doctor requires a minimum of four years of medical schooling beyond completion of a bachelor's degree program. Upon graduation, the doctor may spend 3-8 years interning and in residency choosing his or her specialty. The BLS reports that in 2018, physicians working in primary care earned a median annual salary of $201,100. Those working in the podiatry specialty, as an example, earned a median income of $129,550 per year at that same time.
