Summary for:
Family and General PractitionersDescription:
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.Sample of reported job titles:
Sample of reported job titles: Physician, Family Practice Physician, Medical Doctor (MD), Family Physician, Family Practitioner, Medical Staff Physician, Board Certified Family Physician, Family Medicine Physician, Family Practice Medical Doctor (FP MD), Occupational Medicine Physician
Tasks | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Activites | Experience | Example | Education | Work Style | Work Values | Related Jobs | Wage | Employment | Expected Growth | Expected Need
Tasks:
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, and examination results.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Refer patients to medical specialists or other practitioners when necessary.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
- Coordinate work with nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, and other health care providers.
- Deliver babies.
Knowledge:
| Medicine and Dentistry ó Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. |
| Psychology ó Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. |
| Biology ó Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. |
| Therapy and Counseling ó Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. |
| English Language ó Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
| Customer and Personal Service ó Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Sociology and Anthropology ó Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins. |
| Chemistry ó Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. |
| Administration and Management ó Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
| Mathematics ó Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
Skills:
| Reading Comprehension ó Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| Active Listening ó Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Science ó Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems. |
| Critical Thinking ó Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Speaking ó Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Writing ó Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
| Active Learning ó Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Complex Problem Solving ó identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Instructing ó Teaching others how to do something. |
| Judgment and Decision Making ó Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
Abilities:
| Oral Expression ó The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| Problem Sensitivity ó The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| Oral Comprehension ó The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| Inductive Reasoning ó The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
| Written Comprehension ó The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. |
| Deductive Reasoning ó The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| Written Expression ó The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. |
| Speech Clarity ó The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| Near Vision ó The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Speech Recognition ó The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
Work Activities:
| Assisting and Caring for Others ó Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Performing for or Working Directly with the Public ó Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships ó Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems ó Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Documenting/Recording Information ó Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Getting Information ó Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| identifying Objects, Actions, and Events ó identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others ó Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Provide Consultation and Advice to Others ó Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge ó Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
Work Experience:
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.Work Examples:
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.Education Requirements:
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).Work Style:
| Attention to Detail ó Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Concern for Others ó Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| Dependability ó Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Integrity ó Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Achievement/Effort ó Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Analytical Thinking ó Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
| Persistence ó Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Stress Tolerance ó Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Self Control ó Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Cooperation ó Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
Work Values:
| Relationships ó Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
| Achievement ó Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. |
| Recognition ó Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status. |
Related Jobs:
| 29-1067.00 | Surgeons  |
| 29-1071.00 | Physician Assistants |
| 29-1081.00 | Podiatrists |
| 29-1111.00 | Registered Nurses |
| 29-1131.00 | Veterinarians |