What Good is an MD?

In one of my electives, the speaker discussed all the different career paths you can take with an MD. That was surprisingly helpful. It's a bit alarming how little we know about the degree before we commit ourselves to at least 7 years of training. I'm sure many people know most of this information, but I found a quick run-through useful, especially now that I'm halfway through my first year. This is intended to help any other med students who run into this blog.

Most M.D.'s practice medicine. Not shocking. You can practice medicine locally in managed care, private practice, small groups, or with government (NHSC - national health service corps, military). You can also practice medicine internationally with NGO's or governmental organizations. Other doctors go into health care administration. They work with HMO's, managed care, hospitals, or government (Department of Public Health, NIH, CDC). An MD can help you get into industry or business, especially in pharmaceuticals, biotech, and consulting (that's where you can make the big bucks). Lastly, doctors can go into academia in research or clinical tracks, focusing on teaching, research, practice, administration, and community service. Other paths include law. There are really many different things to do with an MD.