Infectious Disease Physician

Infectious disease physicians are skilled and trained health care providers who specialize in the treatment and prevention of easily transmittable diseases. It is the duty of the infectious disease physician to properly prevent, diagnose, treat and manage infectious diseases, and these professionals work closely with other medical personnel in order to provide an accurate diagnosis and to come up with the most efficient treatment plan for each patient. These professionals have an average yearly salary of around $196,000 a year, and infectious disease is undoubtedly one of the riskiest yet also one of the highest paying areas of modern medicine.

Pay Scale In Different Areas Of The United States

Infectious disease physicians earn different salaries across the United States of America, as some states pay more than others. The Northwest and the Mid-Atlantic states typically pay infectious disease physicians yearly wages that range between $120,000 and $143,000, which is significantly lower than the national average described above. On the other hand, the states of Hawaii, Arkansas, Texas as well as California reportedly pay their infectious disease physicians a salary that is slightly over the national average, of around $200,000 to $207,000. In some cases, it is not uncommon for the highest trained and most experienced ID physicians to make as much as $290,000 a year.

Infectious Disease Physician Job Description

These are trained health care professionals who deal with the diagnosis and treatment of different infectious diseases. It is the duty of the ID physician to closely study infectious diseases and to try and figure out how they spread, how the human body responds to them and how these conditions can be kept under control in order to prevent a pandemic. It often happens that infectious disease physicians start off as primary care physicians and then they gradually work their way up to becoming ID physicians. These professionals have in-depth knowledge and training in important fields that are related to medicine, such as epidemiology or biology, both of which are vital for every future infectious disease physician. These professionals hold a degree of Doctors in Medicine and they must pass the US medical licensing exam in order to work legally in the United States. These professionals typically handle referral cases, and they usually manage the cases sent by their primary doctor. It is the duty of the infectious disease physician to closely examine the medical history of each patient and then to order various blood tests, laboratory tests as well as x-rays in order to correctly evaluate the current health status of the patient. It often happens that infectious disease physicians work mainly with HIV or AIDS patients, and they do not perform any surgeries whatsoever – they deal exclusively with administering therapies and medications designed to keep infectious diseases under control and to treat them, when possible. These health care providers can work either for state owned hospitals or in the public health field. It often happens that infectious disease physicians actually support the public health efforts and they administer immunizations to patients, especially to those who travel in areas that are known to have a very high risk of infections. These health care professionals also work closely with state and federal health agencies in order to prevent infectious diseases from spreading at a large scale.

How To Become An ID Physician

If you have decided to become an infectious disease physician, then it is very important to know that this is one of the main and most risky sub-specialties of internal medicine. These professionals have in-depth training and expertise in working with viruses, bacteria, fungi and a variety o other parasites that can easily transmit from one person to another. The first step every future infectious disease physician must take is earning their four year Bachelor’s Degree in medical science, as this will help them get admitted into the medical school. It is highly recommended to opt for coursework that includes classes in chemistry, biology and physics, as these are three of the areas you will need the most throughout the course of your career as an infectious disease physician. Once you have applied to med school and got admitted, it is important to understand that your letters of recommendations will benefit you greatly in the long run. The med school training usually lasts for around four years, in spite of the fact that the training periods may vary. Throughout the course of the training, you will be taught the basics of biochemistry, anatomy and psychology and you will also start working with actual patients during your clinical training. At first, you will be working under the close supervision of an experienced infectious disease physician. After you have completed the medical school, it is important to look for a residency program in internal medicine – these programs will last three more years and you will focus on infectious diseases. Once you have completed the three year residency period as well, it is important to complete a fellowship training program as well. These are focused mainly on infectious diseases and how they are transmitted, and the average length of such a program is usually between 24 and 36 months.

Certification

Just like any other medical specialties, infectious disease physicians can also apply for a certification provided by ABIm. Simply put, the main requirement in order to become a certified infectious disease physician is to firstly have a certification in Internal medicine and to have graduated from a medical education fellowship training program. Also, you will need to demonstrate your ethical and moral behavior, your procedural skills as well as your clinical competence in various clinical settings. At the end of that, you will have to pass the final test, which is the infectious disease certification examination. After you do so, you will be granted your certification.

Infectious Disease Physician Salary In Canada, Australia And The United Kingdom

An ID physician in the United Kingdom usually has a starting salary of between 23,000 and 26,000 pounds, while one who works in Australia should expect to earn between Au$36,000 and Au$92,000. A Canadian infectious disease physician has a mean yearly salary that ranges between CAD32,000 and CAD75,000

Verdict On Infectious Disease Physician Salary

To conclude, working as an ID physician can be very risky at times, but the salary is certainly very motivating!