Becoming a doctor can lead you on a long and rewarding journey. Even in a general sense, there are numerous paths aspiring physicians can take from pediatrics and geriatrics to specialties like neurology and reproductive endocrinology. Various skill sets and qualifications can lead you in endless directions, opening up countless possibilities beyond the traditional roles doctors often play.
Medical Journalism
Medical journalism involves reporting on health-related topics. That could include anything from epidemics to the latest advancements in healthcare. You’d be informing the public on medical conditions, new developments, and other relevant matters. This field requires communication skills, knowledge, and objectivity. Still, the skills you gain by becoming a doctor can give you unique insight and allow you to use your training to spread accurate information. If this sounds interesting, you may want to see these job listings for doctors that could propel you toward a career as a medical journalist.
Legal Medicine and Expert Testimonies
As a doctor, your career could also take you in the direction of the legal world. If so, you’d be using your expertise to ensure justice prevails. You might work with attorneys or use your skills to help with investigations, perform autopsies, conduct toxicology exams, and evaluate the mental capacities of those accused of crimes to name only a few prospects. You could testify in court as an expert witness, conduct DNA analyses, and carry out many other essential services. Legal medicine is a broad and diverse field.
Corporate Medicine
Corporate medicine is an incredibly demanding field. If you choose this career, you’ll most likely be providing administrative services as you work with large-scale businesses or healthcare systems. You’d be part of a multidisciplinary team with members from several relevant fields. You’d also need to adhere to the corporate protocols of the company you’re working with and keep their productivity targets and legal considerations in mind. You’d still be helping patients but on a completely different level than the conventional sense.
Alternative Medicine
On another note, you could combine the training you receive in medical school with healing techniques that are considered a bit unconventional these days. Many doctors are now striving to provide more holistic care for their patients. If you’d like to do the same, you could explore training in fields like naturopathy, acupuncture, Ayurveda, and herbal medicine. These practices may not receive the attention they deserve in the world of modern medicine, but they’ve been used for centuries to address a long list of conditions. Doctors who offer these options in addition to conventional treatments can give their patients the best of both worlds.
Humanitarian Medicine
If you’re passionate about helping people in underserved communities, humanitarian medicine may be the field for you. This branch of medicine focuses on providing care in communities affected by crises like natural disasters, armed conflicts, epidemics, and other situations that create a widespread need. You’d be able to save lives, ease suffering, and improve the well-being of entire populations. This career could take you virtually anywhere in the world, but you could also stay close to home and help nearby communities that are lacking the medical care they need.
Medical Technology and Innovation
Another option would be to enter the field of healthcare technology and innovation. You might work with health tech startups, research facilities, and other businesses in the medical sector. You could be helping to develop new treatments, medical devices, diagnostic tools, and many other cutting-edge solutions. You’d be paving the way for the next generation of medical care.
Finding Your Way in the Medical Field
Entering the field of medicine opens the door to numerous career paths. Though you could certainly choose to play a more conventional role in the sector, there several opportunities that could take you outside the box. From helping to develop new medical technology to bringing patients age-old treatment options, the choice is yours. Regardless of the path you follow, you’ll be using your expertise for healing and improving your community.
