Examine patients, diagnose illness, prescribe treatment, and manage long-term health as a primary doctor.
Clinics and hospitals; steady patient contact, some on your feet.
Long hours; on-call, nights, and weekends are common.
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Doctoral / professional degree
Training path: MD/DO + residency (11+ years).
Requires medical school, residency, national exams, and a state license.
The long game — but residency itself is a paid job, and loan forgiveness is real in primary care.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-1215. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.